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1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

It 


1 1 


QUI:KN  VICTORIA,  1877. 


mm  DU rFEFrN,  K.R.aaM.G,KC.B 


LORD  DUFF EF IN,  K.P,  G  C  M  G  .K.C.B. 


r 


ii 


II 


SHORT  IIISTOEY 


OF    TltE 


DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


FROM   1500  TO    1878; 


M-ITII     THE 


CONTEMPOEANEOUS  HISTOET  OF  ENGLAND 
AND  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


TOGETHER   AVITH 


A   BRIEF   ACCOUNT  OF   THE  TURKO-RUSSIAN  WAR    OF   1877 
AND  THE  PREVIOUS  AND  SUBSEQUENT  COMPLICA- 
TIONS BETWEEN  ENGLAND  AND  RUSSU. 


By  CHARLES  R.   TUTTLE, 

War.  0/  r.™  Ce,uun»,"  -Encyclopedia  of  Vniver.al  HUt^ry  and  V.c/u,  KnowUdg,," 
Bi,toH»  of  th.  Slat,,  0/  Michigan,  Indiana,  Wl.contin,  Iowa,  Kama.,  etc. 


<^««M  itittsitratfil  with  <f t«t  mH  'maH  (Bnmvinp, 


BOSTON: 
LEE   AND    SHEPARD,    PUBLISHERS. 

NEW  YORE:  CHARLES  T.  DILLINGHAM. 
18  7  8. 


'i 


CopjTight, 
Bt  Charles  R.  Tuttlb, 

1878. 


Jtocltisdl  fc  etioriliill, 
Electrot7peri  and  Storeotyperi,  Boiton. 


||: 


PREFACE. 


It   is  generally  siiid  that  no  ono   ever  reads  a  "  Prefaco.** 

This  will  do  for  a  general  rule, 
'f  you  allow  an  exooption  in 
fttvor  of  authors  in  respect  of 
their  own  books.  But  I  am 
determined,  if  possible,  to  se- 
cure a  better  regard  for  thcso 


HON.  C.  U.   D.  PiSALABEttRr. 


prefatory  sayings  than  that 
Avhieh  the  above  rule  permits ; 
and  this  result  will  be  sought  in 
not  referring  to  any  of  those 
subjects  usually  paraded  in  re- 
marks thus  located.  In  the  first 
place,  I   have   been   impressed 

with  the  idea  that  the  French  nationality,  as  such,  is  destined  to 

disappear  entirely  from  the  continent 

of  North  America.   If  the  idea  is  not 

an  error,  it  may  be  regarded  as  a  most 

singular  problem,  that  a  people  with 

such  a  distinctive    nationality  and 

language,  who  at  one  time  extended 

their  possessions  from  one  to   the 

other  of  the  two  greatest  gulfs  in  the 

western  world,  were  destined  to  bo 

sAvallowed  up  in  conquest,   and  to 

disappear  beneath  the  rising  Hoods 

of  assimilation.    The  keen  o])serva- 

tion  of  to-day  is  bearing  testimony         ""''•  ^•*""  '•  ''^"^^^^• 

to  the  rapid  decline  of  all  that  is  peculiarly  characteristic  of  the 


iv 


rUEFACE. 


gcMiuiiic  P^'oiiehman  in  Canada ;  and  in  the  French  districts  ot 
the  United  States  tlic  work  of  assinjihition  is  still  more  notice- 
able. It  is  worthy  of  carefnl  examination  that  Anglo  Saxon 
civilization  caimot  be  cirenmscribed.  Who  can  donbt  that,  if 
Christianity  is  to  onibraco  the  whole  world,  and  bring  the  entire 
race  in  harmony  with  its  good  principles  of  govennnent  and 
in  volnntary  obedience  to  its  King,  Anglo-Saxonism,  having 
closely  allied  itself  with  Christianity,  will  not  also  become  co- 
extensive with  the  race  of  the  distant  fnture.  Bnt  it  is  one 
dnty  of  history  to  immortalize  the  contrasts  between  distinctive 
nationalities ;  hence  the  reader  is  presented  in  this  connection 
with  the  portri'its  of  two  great  Frenchmen,  possibly  the  two 
greatest  French  statesmen  of  Canada  connected  with  the  his- 
tory of  the  present  century.  These  are  the  Honorable  Charles 
Mitchel  D'Irumberry  DeSalaberry,  C.B.,  and  the  Honorable 
Louis  Joseph  Papincau,  both  of  whom  have  passed  from  the 
stage  of  action  of  this  world.  The  former  was  the  scion  of 
an  illustrious  French  family.  His  father  was  a  personal 
friend  of  the  Duke  of  Kent,  fathc  of  Queen  Victoria.  De- 
Salaberry obtained  a  commission"  in  the  English  service, 
and  fought  aijainst  the  French  in  the  West  Indies.  lie 
took  a  prominent  part  in  the  war  between  Enghmd  and  the 
United  States  in  1812-15,  and  covered  himself  with  glory  at 
the  battle  of  Chateuuguay.  For  these  patriotic  and  gallant 
services  he  received  an  autograph  letter  from  the  Prince 
Regent,  and  the  decoration  of  C.B.  After  the  war  be  served  in 
the  Legislative  Council,  and  died  in  1829.  The  latter,  the 
Honorable  Louis  Joseph  Papincau,  has  a  more  recent  history. 
At  a  comparatively  early  age  be  was  called  to  a  seat  in  the  Par- 
liament of  Quebec,  and  soon  become  the  leader  of  4ie  Re- 
formers.' Ho  was  an  eloquent  debater,  and  persisted  in  de- 
manding reforms  for  his  people  until  royalty  was  offended. 
Under  his  bold  leadership  the  rebellion  at  length  broke  out, 
and  blood  was  shed.  After  its  suppression,  Mr.  Papincau 
escaped  to  the  United  States,  whence  he  went  to  France, 
where  he  remained  eight  years.  The  queen's  amnesty  enabled 
him  to  return  to  Canada,  in  1847,  where  he  was  soon  after 


li 


PREFACE. 


rcelocted   to   Parliament   by  liis   old   constitucacy.      IIo  died 
in   1871. 

1  present  the  jwrtraits  of  the  ilonoral)lo  W.  E.  Gladstone, 
and  the  not  loss  honorable  Mary  A.  Livormorc,  side  hy  side, 

beeause  I  consider  thoia 

the  two  most  interest- 
ing  representatives   of 

their   respective    sexes 

now    living.      If    Mr. 

Gladstone    is    not    the 

greatest  living  schoiur 

and  statesman,  a  great 

portion  of  mankind  are 

mistaken.    His  abi'lies 


HON.  W.  E.  GLADSTONE. 


in  the  aggregate  hnvv 


MARY  A.   LIV-EKMOnE. 


no  equal  in  the  whole  range  of  Englishmen  from  the  earliest 
times  to  the  present  day.  lie  is  one  of  the  few  men  whoso 
great  popularity  is  not  based  so  much  upon  his  mastery  of  one 
particular  department  as  upon  his  master^'  of  many  depart- 
ments. His  specialty  appeors  to  be  that  to  which  ho  turns 
his  attention,  whether  it  bo  art,  science,  literature,  finance, 
or  the  higher  questions  of  moral  and  political  philosophy. 
His  statesmanship  has  given  a  higher  dignity  to  the  liiberal 
party  than  it  has  hitherto  enjoyed,  and  his  scholarship  has 
added  a  greater  solidity  to  English  literature.  Mrs.  Livermoro 
cannot,  in  any  sense,  be  compared  to  Mr.  Gladstone,  exceiit 
that  both  arc  moral  reformers.  She  is  riot  a  woman  of  great 
intellectual  attainments,  though  her  general  information  is 
creditable  to  one  of  ordinary  inental  })owei's.  She  is  remark- 
able rather  for  the  strength  and  correctness  of  her  convictions, 
and  for  the  influence  which  she  sways  by  the  eloquence  of  an 
earnest  life,  than  for  her  natural  endowments  or  mental  acquire- 
ments. Her  life  thus  far  is  a  monument  of  good  deeds,  and  her 
sex  will  hereafter  for  many  generations  reap  the  fruits  of  her 
noble  eiforts. 

The  portraits  of  the  American  poets,  Longfellow  and  "Whit- 
tier,  will  awaken  the  best  emotions  in  every  reader.      With 


VI 


PREFACE. 


HENBY  W.  LONGFELI.O'n  . 


JOHK  C  .  WIIITTIER. 


blameless  and  praiseworthy  private  lives ;  with  a  remarkable 
degree  of  poetical  genius  ;  with  the  noblest  patriotism  and  the 
truest  Ch?"istian  devotion,  they  have  won  the  first  grand  dis- 

tinctiva    features     for 

American  poetry,  and 

given  their  countrymen 

works  Avhich  will   not 

only  remain  a  perpetual 

source  of  holy  inspira- 
tion,   but   immortalize 

much    that    is    noble, 

heroic,  and  worthy  in 

American  history,  and 

thus  hand  down  to  fu- 
ture ages  the  inspirptions  of  the  deeds,  principles,  conflicts, 
and  victories  of  the  past  and  the  present.  America  haa 
many  poets,  —  some  of  no  ordinary  brilliancy,  —  but  Long- 
fellow and  Whittier  have  won  a  place  in  the  affections  of  the 
people  which  their  contemporaries  cannot  hope  to  reach. 

Nou,  in  conclusion,  let  me  congratulate  myself  upon  havirig 
written  a  "  Preface  "  that  will  probably  be  read  in  preference, 
at  least  to  any  other  portion  of  the  work,  and  add  simply  this. 
The  present  work  is  partly  compiled,  and  its  author  does  not 
wish  to  claim  for  it  any  \  ery  great  degree  of  excellence.  It 
is,  undonbtedljs  a  nscful  and  valuable  book  for  those  unac- 
quainted with  the  subjects  treated.  The  writer  very  much  de- 
sires that  American  readers  will  pass  over  the  first  introductory 
chapter,  which  is  intended  only  for  Canadians,  and  which  has 
been  inserted,  much  against  the  author's  wish,  to  satisfy  de- 
mands of  the  publishers  in  the  Dominion,  who  seek  to  increase 
their  sales  by  the  favorable  newspaper  criticisms  and  other 
matters  included  in  that  article. 

CHARLES  R.  TUTTLE. 

■HosTON,  June,  1878. 


ii 

I 


CONTENTS. 


•  4  * 


CHAPTER  I. 
Introductory  Remarks 


9 


CHAPTER  H. 
Introductory  Remarks  {continued).    23 


CHAPTER  III. 
The  Norse  Discoveries    . 


34 


CHAPTER   IV. 

Discovery   of   Columbus — other 
Discoveries     . 41 

CHVPTER  V. 
American  Exploration     ....    55 

CHAPTER   VI. 
England  from  1500  to  1600  ...    62 

CHAPTER   VII. 
Canada  and  Acadia,  1600  to  1748  .    71 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
Canada  and  Acadia,  1748  to  1730  .    84 

CHAPTER   IX. 
Thb  Anglo-American  Colonies    .    98 

CHAPTER   X. 

England  from  1600  to  1760  .    .    .129 

CHAPTER   XI. 
Canada  from  1760  to  1777    ...  146 

CHAPTER   XII. 

The  War  for  Independence,  1760 
TO  1774 152 


CtlAPTER   XIII. 
The  War  for  Independence,  1774 
TO  1777 160 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  War  for  Independence,  1777 
TO  1783 170 

aiAPTER   XV. 
England  from  1760  to  1778  ...  180 

CHAPTER   XVI. 
England  in  the  Eighteenth  Cen- 
tury         ....  184 

CHAPTER  XVIt. 
The  Canadas,  1780  to  1840    ...  188 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 
The  War  of  1812-15 198 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
England  from  1780  to  1840 


217 


CHAPTER   XX. 
Canada  from  1840  to  1867 ....  228 

CHAPTER   XXI. 
Canada   from   1840   to    1867    {con- 
tinued)   236 

CHAPTER   XXII. 
Canada   from    1840    to   1867    {con- 
tinued)   246 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 
Canada    from    1840    to    1867   {con- 
tinued)   272 


Till 


CONTENTS. 


CHATTER   XXrV. 
Acadia,  from  1748  to  1784  ....  302 

CHAPTER   XXV. 
Nova  Scotia  from  1784  to  1837     .  307 

CHAPTER   XXVI. 
Nova  Scotia  from  1837  to  1852     .  318 

CHAPTER    XXVII. 
Nova  Scotia  from  1832  to  1867     .  328 

CHAPTER   XXVIH. 
New  Brunswick,  1784  to  1832  .    .  334 

CHAPTrR    XXIX. 

New  Brunswick,   1832  to  1867  .    .  342 

CHAPTER    XXX. 
Prince    Edward    Island,   1663    to 
1787 355 

CHAPTER    XXXI. 
Prince    Edward    Island,    1787  to 
1847 363 

CHAPTER    XXXII. 
Prince    Edward    Isiand,   1847    to 
1875 376 

CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

United  States  from  1840  to  1867.  397 

CHAPTER   XXXIV. 
The  American  Civil  War     .    .    .  412 

CHAPTER    XXXV. 

The    American    Civil    "War    (cok- 
tinned) 434 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 
England  from  1840  to  1856  . 

CHAPTER   XXXVII. 
The  Dominion  op  Canada.    . 


PAOB 


445 


454 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 
Dominion  of  Canada  {continued)     .  473 

CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

Dr  MINION  OF  Canada  {continued)    .  492 

CHAPTER   XL. 
Dominion  of  Canada  {continued)    .  49b 


CHAPTER   XLI. 
Dominion  of  Canada  {continued) 


516 


CHAPTER    XLII. 
Dominion  op  Canada  {continued)    .  555 

CHAPTER    XLIII. 
Dominion  of  Canada  {continued)     .  564 

CHAPTER    XLIV. 

United  States,  1867  to  1878 .    .    .576 

CHAPTER    XLV. 
England  from  1856  to  1866   .    .    .585 

CHAPTER   XLVI. 
England  from  1866  to  1878  .    .    .595 

CHAPTER    XLVII. 
England  in  the  Nineteenth  Cen- 
tury      603 


CHAPTER    XLVIII. 
The  Turko-Russian  War  .    . 


.  608 


CHAPTER    XLIX. 
The  Easxeiuh  Question 047 


JUjii 


nf 


PI  I  S  T  O  R  Y 


OF 


DOMINION  OE  CANADA. 


-♦-♦-^ 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS. 

CANADIAN     HISTORIES THEIR     AUTHORS TUTTLE'S     HISTORIES  —  CHARLES     R. 

TUTTLE  —  HIS   EARLY   BOMb    AND   LIFE — HIS   WORKS HIS   CRITICS  —  GENERAL 

OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  DOMINION   OF   CANADA. 


1.  My  dear  READER,  this  is  the  age  of  Canadian  histories, 
and  it  has  been  inaugurated  within  the  past  two  years.  I  knew 
it  would  come  two  years  ago,  and  predicted  it  then,  in  Mon- 
treal, —  not  that  I  was  in  any  sense  a  prophet,  but  that  I  had  had 
experience  of  a  sort  which  justified  this  conclusion.  I  will 
confess  to  the  conviction  that  I  have  never  performed  any  task 
as  well  as  it  has  seemed  to  me  that  many  others  might  have 
accomplished  it,  and  yet  my  work,  with  all  its  imi3erfections, 
has  had  hosts  of  imitators.  Some  six  or  seven  years  ago  I  began 
a  "History  of  the  United  States,  in  State  volumes."  By  the 
time  the  first  volume  was  ready  for  the  market,  two  other 
parties  were  in  the  same  business ;  but  I  pushed  on  vigorously, 
and  out  of  forty  States  succeeded  in  covering  Michigan, 
Inr'-ana,  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  and  Kansas.  It  seemed  to  me,  at 
one  time,  that  half  the  authors  and  publishers  in  the  United 
States  were  engaged  on  State  liistories.  The  late  Kev.  John 
S.  C.  Abbott,  one  of  the  most  prolific  of  American  writers, 
gobbled  up  Maine  and  Ohio.  Another  gentleman,  whose  name 
I  forget,  probably  because  his  book  did  not  figure  prominently 
enough  to  make  an  impression  on  any  one,  ran  off  with  Massa- 
chusetts.    The  case  of  Pennsylvania  was  precisely  similar,  only 


ili 


10 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


thut  two  works  were  brought  out  for  that  State  at  tlie  sMme 
time.  A  gentleman  in  my  employ,  knowing  more  than  his 
master,  resigned  his  position  and  published  Missouri.  Th'.is  it 
ran,  until  every  State  could  boast  a  history  of  itself,  while  many 
of  them  gloried  in  three  or  four.  Being  myself  the  iirst  to 
commence  this  illustrated  State  history  work,  it  was  not  diffi- 
cult, with  such  an  experience,  to  predict  that  this  imitation 
would  follow  me  into  Canada. 

2.  And  what  has  been  the  result?  Why,  already  histories 
of  Canada  arc  coming  thick  and  fast,  until  it  seems  that  it  would 
be  necessary  for  their  publishers  to  deal  with  them  as  Avith 
patent  medicines,  saying,  "None  genuine  unless  marked,"  etc. 
Now,  I  do  not  mean  to  indicate  that  I  Avas  first  in  the  field  as  to 
a  history  of  Canada,  and  yet  I  believe  mine  was  the  first  popular 
work  illustrated  and  sold  by  subscription.  Certain  it  is,  how- 
ever, that  my  work  Avas  but  the  precursor  of  many  others  ;  for 
behold  !  they  come  !  I  could  name  them,  but  dare  not  extend 
a  free  advertisement  to  a  competitor.  HoAvevcr,  there  are  a 
fcAV  things  Avhich  I  desire  to  say  soberly.  In  the  first  place,  if 
the  history  or  histories  of  Canada  Avhich  I  have  written  giA'c 
satisfaction  they  aaIII  be  sure  to  receive  their  full  share  of  public 
favor ;  and  if  they  do  not  they  Avill  bo  neglected,  just  as  they 
should  be.  I  am  quite  ready  to  meet  a  friendly  competition, 
but  Avill  not  consent  to  quarrel  oA'er  the  field  Avith  any  one.  It 
remains,  therefore,  only  for  me  to  state  that  I  have  two  separate 
works  in  the  market :  one  of  tAvo  large  quarto  volumes,  Avith 


elegant   steel  engravings. 


rangnig 


in    price    from   fifteen   to 


thirty  dollars  a  copy,  according  to  binding ;  and  another  smaller 
work,  — the  present  one,  —  complete  in  one  octavo  volume,  at  a 
price  within  the  reach  of  all.  Therefore  I  have  a  high  and  a 
loAV-priced  book,  each  produced  at  considerable  expense,  each 
entirely  separate  and  independent  from  and  of  the  other.  There 
is  not  ^o  much  as  an  illustration  in  one  that  appears  in  the 
other  in  the  same  form.  The  plates  of  each  Avork  are  entirely 
difl'erent.  To  place  these  Avorks  upon  the  market  a  largo  sum 
of  money  has  been  expended,  —  in  all  over  forty  thousand 
dollars.  The  future  alone  will  answer  as  to  the  wisdom  of  this 
investment ;  but  until  I  have  been,  in  some  measure,  reimbursed, 
I  shall  expect,  even  in  the  face  of  any  and  all  other  works,  suf- 
ficient consideration  for  my  own  ^^  secure  for  them  an  impartial 
examination ;  and  this  expectation  is  based  on  the  many  and 
great  sacrifices  which  this  great  undertaking  has  imposed 
upon  me. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


11 


3.  When  the  first  volume  of  my  large  work  was  presented 
to  the  public,  with  perhaps  unnecessary  modesty,  I  used  this 
language  :  "  Standing  at  a  point  where  I  can  sec  two-thirds  of 
the  work  accomplished  and  one-third  yet  to  be  done,  the  full 
responsibility  of  my  undertaking  is  revealed.  One  year  and  a 
half  ago  1  took  the  first  active  step  towards  the  publication  of 
this  work,  which  I  had  from  time  to  time  previously  compiled 
in  part,  and  which  1  have  since  completed.  That  the  step  was 
taken  without  sufficient  preparation,  and  that  the  work  might  have 
been  done  by  very  many  who  were  better  qualified,  it  would  be 
folly  to  deny.  And  yet,  after  all,  this  fact  is  the  rule  rather 
than  the  exception  ;  for  is  it  not  true  that  but  few  of  the  most 
difficult  tasks  of  human  experience  are  performed  by  those 
whom  art  and  nature  have  conspired  to  make  capal)le  and  worthy 
of  achieving?  Much  is  undertaken  in  this  world  which  never 
knows  the  rest  of  completion ;  still  more,  hopefully  begun, 
struggles  on  to  imperfect  accomplishment,  to  which  the  repose 
of  a  task  well  done  never  can  come.  But  few  enterprises  in  any 
department  of  human  industry,  conceived  for  the  good  of  man 
though  they  may  be,  can  be  prosecuted  so  as  to  benefit  all  inter- 
ests with  which  they  come  in  contact  in  course  of  development,  or 
carried  to  a  completion  so  perfect  that  all  thought  which  is  at- 
tracted thereto  can  find  expression  only  in  honest  commenda- 
tion.    This   arises   partly    from    the    conflicting    sources    of 


discriminating 


criticism,  partly  from  a  disposition  to  over-criticise,  but  mainly 

from  the  defects  in  that  wliich  has   attracted 

comment. 

4.  "  Explaining  the  causes  from  which  imperfections  have 
resulted  can  never  diminish  them,  and  it  ought  not  to  make  them 
less  imperfect  to  human  wisdom.  However,  nmch  of  the  proof 
I  was  unable  to  see  at  all ;  and  the  remaining  j^ortion  I  was 
enabled  to  read  but  once,  and  a  hundred  miles  from  the  estab- 
lishment wdierc  the  printing  was  done.  Notwithstanding  all 
thifc,  comparatively  few  errors  have  crept  In;  and  those  which 
do  appear  are,  for  the  most  part,  so  distinctive  that  but  few  per- 
sons will  fail  to  place  them  to  the  account  of  mechanical  rather 
than  to  literary  workmanship.  But  when  I  say  that  this  vast 
enterprise,  which  will  have  cost  between  forty  and  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars,  was  undertaken  by  a  single  individual,  without 
capital  enough  of  his  own  to  cover  a  quarter  of  the  expense  ; 
was  conducted  to  completion  through  indescribable  and,  to  men 
of  ordinary  energy,  utterly  insurmountable  diflrculties ;  that 
the  financial  support  necessary  to  the  elaborate  plans  of  publi- 


II 


12 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


i5^  ■ 


11 


cation  was  organized  among  a  class  of  people  who  are  not  dis- 
tinguished for  their  love  of  literature ;  that  it  has  required 
nothing  short  of  true  genius  in  planning,  and  tireless  energy 
and  cxhaustless  perseverance  in  executing,  to  save  the  enter- 
prise from  financial  ruin  ;  that  much  of  the  compiling  and  edit- 
ing was  done  in  the  midst  of  this  real  battle  for  victory ;  that  I 
wrote  another  large  Avork  of  two  volumes  during  the  same  time  ; 
and,  lastly,  that  when  completed  it  will  be,  with  a  few  exceptions, 
in  an  artistic  and  mechanical  point  of  view  the  most  elaborate 
history  of  any  nation  of  the  globe  ever  published,  —  when  I 
have  said  this,  I  have  given  every  reasonable  person  a  sufficient 
explanation  for  every  imperfection  of  the  work  ;  nay,  more,  — 
ample  ground  for  universal  gratitude  that  any  one  should  have 
entered  upon  so  hazardous  an  enterprise." 

With  the  exception  of  the  last  sentence,  in  which  the  author 
seems  to  compliment  himself,  the  foregoing  might  be  construed 
into  a  sort  of  an  acknowledgment  that  the  Avork  to  which  it 
refers  has  no  general  merit  other  than  as  indicating  the  energy 
and  perseverance  of  its  author.  This  is  because  the  writer 
knows,  as  no  one  else  can  ever  know,  how  completely  it  fails 
to  reach  the  standard  of  his  own  ideal  work,  as  also  to  reach 
such  a  degree  of  perfection  as  will  satisfy  the  discriminating 
intelligence  of  the  three  countries  where  it  will  most  circulate. 
And  yet,  after  all,  there  is  no  great  cause  for  complaint  on 
the  part  of  the  public,  or  discouragement  on  the  \ydrt  of  the 
writer.  My  previous  history  of  the  Dominion,  when  complete, 
and  when  its  work  in  years  to  come,  as  a  representative  of  the 
British-Canadian  nation,  shall  bo  completed,  will  have  done 
more  towards  vindicating  the  true  position  of  the  Dominion  in 
the  eyes  of  the  Avorld  than  any  other  literary  effort  of  the  kind 
put  forth  in  the  past  history  of  the  British- American  provinces. 
Our  country  needed  a  better  history,  though  not  a  more  expen- 
sive one  ;  but  since  no  one  has  been  found  better  qualified  for 
the  task,  who  was  willing  to  make  the  sacrifice  of  time  and 
money  such  as  an  enterprise  of  this  kind  is  sure  to  impose,  it 
needed  and  will  gratefully  accept  that  one.  The  country  needed 
such  a  work,  in  the  first  place,  that  its  citizens  might  be  awak- 
ened to  the  inculcation  of  a  higher  and  nobler  sentiment  of 
patriotism,  —  a  greater  love  for  that  country  which  our  beloved 
sovereign  has  named  the  "Dominion  of  Canada;"  and  nothing 
will  produce  this  result  more  completely  or  in  a  more  satisfactory 
manner  than  an  elaborate  and  widely  circulated  history  and 
description  of  its  industries,  institutions,  and  resources.     The 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


13 


nation  from  which  wc  sprung,  and  of  which,  God  grant,  wo  may 
long  continue  to  form  a  part,  has  such  a  glorious  record  in  the 
triumphs  of  war  and  peace,  and  has  so  filled  the  whole  world  with 
the  fame  of  her  achievements  for  Christian  civilization,  that  in 
our  holy  and  enthusiastic  loyalty  to  the  crown  and  kingdom  we 
have  neglected  the  still  more  sacred  loyalty  to  our  native  or 
adopted  Canada.  The  motto  of  British- A niericans  should  be, 
"Canada  for  the  crown  and  kingdom  means  the  crown  and 
kingdom  for  Canada;  "  for  the  destiny  of  Canada,  while  it  does 
not  necessarily  mean  the  destiny  of  all  British  subjects,  means 
the  destiny  of  every  citizen  of  the  Dominion.  But  the  incul- 
cation of  this  spirit  of  national  pride  means  no  inharmony  with 
a  continuance  of  that  loyalty  which  makes  us  worthy  subjects 
of  the  imperial  crown  ;  and  in  this  faith  I  dedicated  my  previous 
work  "To  the  people  of  Canada  who  hate  annexation,  and  love 
independence  only  as  they  look  for  it  in  a  perpetual  contiimance 
of  the  political,  commercial,  and  kindred  ties  which  bind  us  to 
the  United  Kingdom."  The  country  needed  such  a  work,  in 
the  second  place,  that  the  people  of  both  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States  might  be  more  widely  informed  concerning  the 
growth  and  development  of  our  political  institutions,  the  value 
and  extent  of  our  natural  and  commercial  resources,  and  the 
probable  near  future  greatness  of  the  confederacy  as  a  first-rate 
power  among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Previous  to  the  Phila- 
delphia Exposition  of  187G,  with  some  slight  exceptions  in  favor 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  northern  New  England  States  and  the 
southern  and  western  borders  of  the  Great  Lakes,  the  pcoi)le 
of  the  United  Staters  knew  comparatively  little  or  nothing  of 
Canada;  and,  in  the  absence  of  such  information,  avc  were  too 
often  regarded  with  gener.al  contempt.  But  the  Centennial 
revealed  Canada  to  thousands  and  thousands  of  American 
citizens  for  the  first  time;  and  nothing,  in  my  opinion,. has 
transpired  since  Lord  Dufferin  came  as  governor-general  to  the 
Dominion,  which  reflects  more  credit  npon  his  most  excellent 
administration  than  the  position  which  our  country  so  nobly 
assumed  in  that  memorable  exposition.  This  and  my  previotis 
history,  circulating  as  they  are  through  every  State  of  the 
Unioli,  will  serve  to  intensify  the  admiration  for  Canadian  in- 
dustries and  institutions,  which  the  Dominion  exhibits  at  the 
Centennial  P^xposition  awakened.  As  to  the  need  of  creating  a 
more  popular  sentiment  in  favor  of  us  in  Great  Britain,  1  shall 
have  nothing  to  say  here.     England  is  not  a  child.     She  is  old, 


14 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


II ::  .ii 


aristocratic,  proud,  even  haughty.     But  she  is  just ;  and  wo  cau 
best  conmiaud  her  respect  by  respecting  ourselves  more. 

(J.  I  am  gratified  at  the  reception  which  was  accorded  my 
previous  History  of  Canada.  The  journals,  even  of  the  wealthy 
and  iniluential  class,  had  m.any  words  of  commendation.  In- 
deed, the  entire  press  of  the  Dominion,  with  a  single  excep- 
tion, so  far  as  I  am  now  aware,  spoke  in  terms  of  favor  and 
praise  of  that  Avork.  I  will  give,  following,  two  extracts 
characteristic  of  these  reviews,  one  from  the  leading  conserva- 
tive, and  the  other  from  the  representative  liberal  journal  of 
the  Dominion.  The  "xMontreal  Daily  Gazette,"  of  Nov.  20, 
1877,  contained  a  review  of  the  work,  of  which  I  give  extracts  : 
"  This  is  not  the  first  time  that  the  readers  of  the '  Gazette '  have 
heard  of  this  great  literary  enterprise,  so  highly  creditable  to 
all  concerned  in  it.  When  the  first  two  numbers  were  issued, 
we  gave  a  sketch  of  the  plan  of  the  work,  and  also  a  forecast  of 
its  merits  from  the  promise  then  afforded.  Tliis  promise,  wo  aro 
glad  to  see,  has  been  faithfully  kept.  Each  succeeding  number 
has  surprised  us  with  some  new  excellence,  till,  now  that  the  first 
volume  has  reached  completion,  the  author  and  publishers 
have  good  reason  to  present  it  to  the  world  with  the  fullest  con- 
fidence. Indeed,  when  the  dilficulties  which  had  to  be  sur- 
mounted, the  labor  that  had  to  be  accomplished,  and  the  ex- 
pense that  had  to  be  incurred,  are  taken  into  consideration,  wo 
cannot  but  admire  the  courage  and  the  perseverance  which 
carried  the  undertaking  to  so  great  a  success.  A  little  more 
than  eighteen  months  ago  the  first  steps  wei'c  taken  towards 
the  publication  of  the  work,  of  which  the  beautiful  volume 
before  us  is  the  first  fruits  of  accomplishment,  and  only  those 
who  have  had  experience  of  similar  enterprises  can  appreciate 
the  intellectual  and  material  industry  which  it  represents.  Let 
us  just  consider  what  it  is.  We  have  here  a  history  of  the 
Dominion  from  the  days  when  Jacques  Cartier  stood  upon 
Mount  Iloyal,  mapping  out  in  his  mind  the  vast  region  which 
he  was  to  bequeath  to  his  successors,  to  the  time  when,  after 
changeful  centuries,  the  whole  domain,  from  ocean  to  ocean, 
entered  into  the  pact  of  confederation,  and  was  enrolled,  the 
youngest  but  not  the  least,  in  the  sisterhood  of  nations.  The 
story  of  the  heroic  age  of  New  France,  —  Champlain's  un- 
daunted energy  and  De  Frontenac's  laborious  victories ;  the 
tyranny  and  rapacity  of  Bigot ;  the  fall  of  chivalrous  IMontcah'n  ; 
the  foundation  of  Quebec  and  Montreal ;  the  discovery  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  all  the  manifold  events  and  scenes  that  grouped 


1, 

I  i 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


15 


around  and  intervened  between  these  central  points,  —  this 
story  had  to  be  told  in  glowing  Avords,  and  yet  with  accuracy  of 
detail,  so  as  to  be  fresh  and  interesting  to  the  reader,  while  at 
the  same  time  it  might  be  trustworthy  as  an  authority.  Then, 
starting  from  the  Battle  of  the  Plains,  in  1759,  the  career  of 
British  rule  had  to  bo  followed  through  all  its  changes,  the  rise 
and  progress  of  each  colony  had  to  be  described,  the  history  of 
constitutional  government  had  to  be  sketched,  until  the  day 
when,  after  many  struggles  and  not  a  few  perils,  the  grand  '  new 
dcpartu'  '  of  confederation  gathered  all  British  North  America 
into  one.  To  write  such  a  history  was  surely  a  herculean  labor, 
and  to  have  done  it  successfully  deserves  no  slight  praise. 
And  that  Mr.  Tuttle  has  succeeded  wonderfully  no  one  who 
examines  this  volume  can  hesitate  to  say.  It  is  a  work  of 
which  every  Canadian  ought  to  be  proud,  and  will  long  con- 
tinue to  1)0  the  standard  illustrated  history  of  the  Dominion. 

"  According  to  the  plan  which  the  author  set  before  him,  the 
entire  history  was  to  be  complete  in  two  grand  quarte  volumes, 
of  fourteen  parts  each.  The  first  part,  of  which  we  have  been 
speaking,  contains,  as  already  intimated,  the  history  of  British 
North  America  from  1535  to  18G7, — the  history  of  each 
province  to  the  time  of  ita  admission  into  the  confederation 
being  given  separately.  The  matter  of  this  history  is  drawn 
from  the  most  authentic  sources,  Mr.  Tuttle  having  spared 
neither  pains  nor  expense  to  obtain  all  the  information  he  re- 
quired. The  arrangement  is  admirable,  the  style  animated, 
yet  correct,  and  in  his  weighing  of  fact  and  character  the  author 
has  shown  true  historical  judgment.  Throughout,  the  work 
bears  the  marks  of  genius  and  scholarship,  combined  with 
immense  energy.  The  sources  of  knowledge  are  given,  which 
is  both  a  great  aid  and  a  satisfaction  to  the  reader,  and  nothing 
is  omitted  that  is  of  interest  or  that  bears,  however  lightly,  on 
the  progress  of  the  Dominion.  But  on  these  points  it  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  say  anything,  Mr.  Tuttle's  reputation  as 
an  historical  writer  being  as  extensive  as  this  continent.  In 
the  preface  he  says:  'The  federal  union  of  1867  constituted 
British  America  a  British  nation,  with  a  constitution  and  gov- 
ernment founded  on  wisdom  and  justice.  The  ten  years  which 
have  elapsed  since  the  union  was  consummated  are  full  of 
flattering  testimonials  to  the  wisdom  of  that  union,  and  the 
present  condition  of  the  young  nation  points  to  a  near  future 
national  greatness  of  surpassing  magnitude.  In  view  of  these 
changes,  the  present  seems  to  demand  the  publication  of  this 


!l 


IG 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


volume'  Every  one  who  reads  theso  words  will  ugrco  with 
the  writer,  und  when  ho  sees  the  suggestion  crowned  by  so 
splendid  a  result,  ho  cannot  but  bo  grateful  to  those  to  whom 


it  is  duo. 


The  work  is  dedicated  in  tlio  followintr 


words,  beautifully  printed  in  blue  ink,  with  red  underlining, 
and  borders  of  gold,  purple  and  gold,  alternating :  'To  the 
people  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  who  hato  annexation,  and 
look  for  independence  only  in  the  perpetual  continuance  of  the 
political,  commercial,  and  kindred  ties  which  bind  British 
America  to  the  United  Kingdom,  this  volume  is  most  respect- 
fully dedicated  by  the  author.'  Wo  hope  the  author's  loyalty, 
as  thus  exemplified,  will  find  a  hearty  and  practical  response 
in  a  speedy  sale  of  his  work.  In  tho  introduction  the  reader  is 
prepared  for  tho  pleasant  and  instructive  study,  on  which  ho 
is  about  to  enter,  by  a  sketch  which  includes  tho  causes  which 
led  to  confederation,  a  resume  of  the  qualities  of  the  population 
and  its  elements  of  national  greatness,  a  statement  of  tho  vari- 
ous nationalities  and  religious  creeds,  and  their  effects  on 
character ;  tho  climate  and  its  influences  ;  and  closing  with  an 
encouraging  picture  of  our  material  and  intellectual  progress, 
as  presented  in  the  honor-roll  of  Canada's  illustrious  children. 
Tho  promise  of  delight  and  benefit  given  in  this  introduction  is 
amply  fulfilled  in  the  history  itself,  which  is  not  merely  a  dry 
skeleton  of  facts,  but  bears  on  every  page  tho  impress  of  tho 
writer's  earnestness,  patriotism,  and  independence.  And  as, 
guided  by  his  pen,  we  read  of  the  providential  events  and  the 
great  deeds  which  have  raised  this  Dominion  from  its  first  rude 
beginning  to  its  present  prosperous  and  growing  life,  avo  are 
constrained  to  share  in  his  hopefulness  for  its  future,  while  wo 
thank  him  for  the  feeling  which  he  inspires.  Wo  see  in  this 
volume  by  what  means  each  of  tho  provinces  rose  above  its 
difficulties  and  perplexities,  until  the  day  came  when  it  was  no 
longer  to  live  for  itself  alone.  In  the  second  volume  wo  shall 
sec  how  all  tho  provinces  united  have  worked  together  for  each 
other's  good ;  how,  one  after  another,  they  have  striven  to 
repress  potty  local  jealousies  and  ambitions,  and  to  unite 
their  energies  in  the  prosecution  of  one  great,  overmastering 
aim,  —  tho  progress  and  the  glory  of  tho  nation  formed  by 
them  all.  The  history  of  the  first  ten  years  of  confederation 
forms,  indeed,  a  subject  of  exceeding  interest  to  all  Canadians, 
and  w^o  shall  await  with  some  impatience,  but  with  no  w^ant  of 
confidence,  the  appearance  of  Mr.  Tuttle's  second  volume.  It 
will,  however,  contain  a  great  deal  more  than  the  ten  years* 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


17 


history  of  iho  Doiniuion.  licsidotj  u  dotnilod  history  of  British 
Cohmil)iu,  .Miiuitoba,  und  the  Northwest  Tenitoiica,  from  their 
discovery  to  1877,  luul  u  full  history  of  (sach  of  the  8cvcii 
provinces  of  the  Dominion,  from  IH()7  to  187^i,  uiul  the  history 
of  the  Dominion  as  a  whole  during  tho  latter  period,  it  will 
also  ;.jivo  an  account  of  all  the  institutions  and  industries  of  tho 
country,  an  analysis  of  our  system  of  government,  of  our  edu- 
cational systems,  etc.  ;  u  sketch  of  our  progress  in  literatui'c, 
science,  art,  manufactures,  and  inventions,  and  ahout  ono 
thousand  biographies  of  the  distinguished  men  of  the  natiuu, 
past  and  present. 

7.  The  "  Montreal  Daily  Herald,"  in  a  review  of  my  previous 
history  of  Canada,  on  Nov.  2(5,  1877,  had  this  to  say:  "A  few 
Avceks  ago  v/e  drew  the  attention  of  the  public  to  the  merits  of 
Mr.  Tuttle's  praiseworthy  undertaking,  and  tho  comi)letion  of 
tho  first  volume  of  his  History  of  the  Dominion  fully  justifies 
the  moro  than  good  opinion  wo  then  formed,  upon  the  evidence 
of  tlic  advanced  numbers  of  this  highly  important  and  well- 
executed  work.  .  .  .  Tho  timo  which  Mr.  Tuttlc  has 
chosen  for  his  work  is  an  opportune  one,  and  tho  manner  in 
which  ho  has  earned  it  out  well  Justifies  tho  idea  ho  pro- 
poses at  tho  outset,  that  it  should  bo  a  popular  history.  To 
this  end  ho  has  wisely  avoided  elaborate  deduction,  and  has  given 
a  clear  and  readai)lo  presentation  of  tho  salient  points,  indicat- 
ini;  their  bearing  and  results.  His  authorities  arc  numerous 
and  well  selected,  the  consequence  being  a  very  impartial 
statement  of  the  much-vexed  questions  Avhich  some  oi)ochs  of 
our  history  afford,  and  herein  especially  he  makes  good  his  claim 
to  popularity.  Tho  numerous  quotations,  from  leading  authors, 
throw  the  light  of  difierenco  of  opinion  upon  theso  quest it)ns, 
.  and  give  tho  reader  sufficient  scope  to  form  an  opinion  of  his 
own.  h\  assuming  tho  role  of  a  compiler  Mr.  Tuttlc  has 
chosen  tho  only  course  that  could  result  in  a  satisfactory  history  ; 
but  he  has  not  thereby  lost  his  claim  to  bo  rcgjirded  as  a 
historian  i)ropcr,  for  tho  satisfactory  collation  and  arrangement 
of  the  mass  of  material  from  which  ho  has  had  (o  select  show  a 
good  deal  of  sound  judgment,  and  no  small  ability  on  the  part  of 
our  author,  who  has,  how^ever,  had  a  good  deal  of  experience  in 
this  way.  as  his  other  works  attest.  Writing  lor  the  g moral 
public  is  a  totally  diflerent  matter  from  writing  for  the  his- 
torical student,  and  a  comprehensive  outline  of  the  history  of  a 
nation  is  a  difficult  task  to  accomplish  if  conciseness  and  interest 
arc  to   bo  both  preserved,  and  tho  work,  on  tho  ono  hand, 


L  — 


18 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


rctlcomoU  fVoin  IxH-oiniii^  niorcly  tho  dry  bonos  of  nnimis,  or,  on 
Iho  other,  h'tm  l)(>iii;j;  ho  overladen  wilh  iiieidciit  and  deduction 
ny  to  l>eeoiiu  unwieldy.  Mr.  Tuttle  has,  iu  our  opinion,  ad- 
niiraltjy  iiit  oil'  tho  requirements  ot'his  prote.sscd  object,  and  done 
a  good  8ervico  in  bringing  out  HUch  an  eminently  readable, 
accurate,  and  eomprehensivo  history.  .  .  .  Tho  chapter  on 
the  eonnneree  and  industry  of  New  Franco  uflbrds  much  infor- 
mation on  the  causes  of  tho  inadecpiacy  of  tho  colony  to  resist  its 
English  neighbors  to  tho  end,  and  of  tho  hitter  colonics  a  very 
good  notice  is  given  in  short  compass.  Tho  history  of  Acadia, 
or  Nova  Scotia,  is  particularly  full  and  accurate,  and,  in  view 
of  tho  evidence  afforded  by  all  tho  documents,  our  Avriter 
arrives  at  [jrobably  tho  truest  conclusion  concerning  tho  tragic 
ex[)ulsi()n  of  the  vVcadians,  when  ho  defends  tho  policy  which 
necessitated  it  and  condennis  tho  manner  in  wliicli  it  was  carried 
out.  Tho  Jesuits  receive  tho  full  share  of  attention  which 
their  great  missionary  work  and  self-sacrificing  lives  deserve; 
and  in  dealing  with  the  struagles  between  the  ecclesiastical  and 
temporal  [)owcr  tho  author  displays  great  fairnes?,  and  pre- 
sents very  well  the  questions  which  still  live  and  have  such  an 
important  inllucnco  in  our  own  day.  Tho  fall  of  ihc  French 
l)ower  and  the  subsequent  oppression  of  tho  French  until  1774 
arc,  wo  arc  glad  to  .«<ce,  very  fairly  dealt  Avith,  allusion  being 
made  to  their  wonderful  loyalty  at  tho  tinio  of  tho  revolt  of  tho 
English  colonies.  The  long  struggle  for  parliamentary  liberty 
and  tho  history  of  the  dilferent  provinces  down  to  confedera- 
tion, are  handled  with  great  tact,  while  much  evidence  is  given 
concerning  tho  numerous  and  stirring  questions  which  havo 
arisen  in  that  time.  Our  author  displays  a  littlo  partisan 
feclinu  in  alluding  to  some  of  tho  events  during  tho  civil  war  in 
the  United  States  ;  but  this  is  almost  the  oidy  occasion  in  which 
he  has  departed  fi'om  this  self-imposed  task.     Without  much 


])retension,  his  style  is  sutHcicntly  easy  and  good.  It  has  been 
impossible  to  verify  his  dates,  but,  from  an  examination  cf  afew 
ta'<en  at  randcmi,  they  appear  to  bo  correct,  and  the  general  t(ino 
of  his  work,  bearing,  as  it  does,  tho  im])ress  of  careful  examina- 
tion and  accuracy,  confirms  our  belief  fljat  in  this,  for  a  popular 
histoiy,  a  minor  matter  after  all,  ho  will  bo  found  exact. 
Some  mistakes  in  names  and  terms  arc  to  bo  found,  but  they 
arc  so  evidently  faults  in  proof-reading  rather  than  literary 
inaccuracies,  that  we  forbear  to  notice  them,  and  we  arc  quito 
inclined  to  allow  tho  author  tho  indulgence  ho  claims  on  tho 
score  of  the  difficulty  attending  tho  correction  of  proofs  in  a 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


19 


work  lilvo  this.  Wo  heartily  recomiiu'iid  it,  and  wo  hopo  that 
by  its  instruincntality  a  kii()wlc(l<^o  and  ai)prcciution  of  our 
history  may  bo  widely  disseminated  among  tlioso  whom  it  most 
coneerns,  —  the  people  of  Canada." 

8.  The  single  exeoptit)n  referred  to  came  from  tho  pon  of  an 
able  writer,  and  it  eatnc  with  all  the  heat  of  anger.  Tho  pages 
of  my  book  recorded  his  political  life  with  such  honesty,  and 
yet  with  such  dishonor  to  tho  man,  that  he  could  do  nothing 
less  than  smite  tho  object  of  his  fiislike ;  but,  Avith  all  tho 
genius  and  power  of  his  most  scholarly  pen,  ho  could  not 
demolish  the  records  which  ho  had  made,  and  \\'hich  h.;d  now, 
for  tho  first  time,  passed  irrevocably  into  history.  Sinco  that 
time  tho  book  has  gone  into  every  province  of  Canada,  into 
every  State  of  tho  Union,  into  France,  England,  Scotland,  Ire- 
land, and  Australia;  and  the  second  volume  will  soon  follow  it, 
handsomer,  brighter,  and  better  than  the  lirst.  This  criticism 
came  from  one  of  the  nobility  !  Great  fault  was  found  with  tho 
proof-reading,  which  I  am  prepared  to  admit  was  wretched, 
but  tho  right  honorable  gentleman  manifested  his  profession  — 
tho  politician  —  most  emphatically,  when  ho  insinuated  that  I 
was  but  little  known  in  Ontario  and  (Quebec.  It  was  a  caso 
bordering  on  a  doubt  as  to  tho  oxistcnco  of  any  such  person  as 
myself.  This  tho  knighted  gentleman  declared  to  a  friend  of 
mine  was  intended  for  satire  !  However,  I  make  it  a  jioint  to 
get  some  good  out  of  most  everything  Avhich  comes  in  my  way, 
and  so  in  this  caso  I  have  derived  the  benelit  of  receiving  a 
higher  estimation  of  my  OAvn  work ;  and  received  an  impulse 
which  has  led  me  to  write  a  short  sketch  of  my  own  life,  for  tho 
benelit  of  my  right  honorable  critic.  I  trust  this  will  be  excused, 
since  my  name  has  become  so  familiar  with  many  thousands  who 
Avill,  perhaps,  never  meet  mc  personally. 

0.  Tho  author  of  this  Avork  was  born  at  "Wallace,  Cum- 
berland County,  N.S.,  on  tho  14th  of  March,  18! S,  j..st 
thirty  years  ago  to-da^'  1  Avhich  may  in  some  measure  account 
for  the  free,  off-hand  stylo  of  this  introduc<^'.on  ;  for  I  suppose 
one  is  expected  to  feci  as  jolly  as  possible  on  his  biitliday. 
His  father,  Guy  Tuttle,  Avas  tho  son  of  Stephen  Tuttle,  avIio, 
among  many  other  loyalists,  preferred  a  homo  in  NoA'a  Scotia 
Avith  an  unbroken  allegiance  to  tho  British  CroAvn,  to  one  in  New 
England  Avithout  tho  latter.  Stephen  A\'as  ]ioor,  and  had  a  largo 
family,  but  managed  to  gi\'o  each  of  his  numerous  chiU'ren  »a 
farm,  — for  at  that  time  land  AA'as  cheap,  — but  aside  from  ;'"* 
farms  lio  left  them  only  strong  arms  and  tho  example  of  honest 


wmmmm 


i  ill 


20 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


industry.  AVhcn  my  father's  farm  "vvas  assigned  to  him,  trees 
were  blazed  to  indicate  the  boundaries,  and  he  made  the  iirst 
clearing  with  his  own  hands.  This  was  enhirged  Irom  year  to 
year,  until  lie  had  made  considerable  imi)rovement.  lie  next 
went  to  New  Bruuswiek  in  search  of  a  wifc.     I  cannot  tell  Avhy 

he  AVent  there,  except 
that  perhaps  he  was  al- 
ways in  favor  of  a  miion 
of  the  provinces.  I^'o 
Guy  and  Jane  Tuttlo 
settled  in  their  new 
home  in  the  woods,  on 
Wallace  Bay.  Their 
Avorst  (nicmios  Avcrc  the 
bears  but  Avhcn  the  old 
Hint  musket  could  bo 
induced  to  "  go  oii',"  it 
\  generally  proved  fat;d  to 
the  invaders,  for  rjy 
father  Avas  a  ,'rood  niiirks- 
man.  lie  continued  to 
enlarge  his  "clearings," 
year  after  ye;u-,  and  to 
rr.isc  sulliticut  grain, 
and  vegetal  )lcs,  and 
stock,  and  to  catch  a  sufficient  quantity  of  llsli  (r/c.rprecmx) 
from  tlie  bay,  to  render  living  ordinarily  coml;)rt:il)lc. 
Finally,  about  ten  years  after  his  uia.rriage,  Avhen  he  had  four 
small  ci)ildren,  his  home,  Avith  all  its  contents,  AA'as  l)urned  to 
the  ground.  This  Avas  no  small  discouragement,  but  h"!  pcr- 
tievcred.  The  nciglibors  Avere  not  plentiful,  but  their  gener- 
osity made  up  for  their  lack  in  this  respect.  A  ncAV  houso 
Avas  built,  or  commenced,  soon  after,  and  v.'as  completed  as  cir- 
cumstances Avould  {'.dmit.  It  Avas  about  liftcca  years  before  Iho 
house  and  the  two  l)arns,  as  indicated  by  the  en""raA'ing  0:1  t!io 
ne::t  page,  Avcrc  f.nishcd.  j\Iy  father  Avorhcd  hard  to  raise  his  six 
cl.iklren.  It  av;vs  nearly  tAventy  years  before  he  frilly  overcame 
llie  loss  of  hi;;  house.  IMeanwhile  my  mother  Avas  not  an  idlo 
spectator  ;  in  luu-  old-fashioned  loom  she  SAvung  the  hcaAy  lalho 
to  and  fro,  and  cast  the  shuttle  from  right  to  left,  and  fi\;m  hffc 
to  rirrlit,  throu'!:h  mauA'  a  long  and  Avcarisome  year,  Avca.vip.g 
"  homespun  "  cloth  at  the  r;vte  of  threepence  a  yard.  I>.:t, 
even  at  this  AVJ-etclied  price,  she  earned  many  a  pound,  so  that 


CIIARI.ICS     P..     TLTTLE. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


21 


EAUI.Y     HUJIi:    OF     CHAKI-LS     R.     TITLLE. 


li  to-d:iy,  cv)n:;paring  her  industiy  with  that  of  my  ftilhov's,  I  can>- 

iiot  tell  whose  was  the  most  fruitful.     She  has  gone  to  a  richer 
inheritance,  beyond  the  toils  of  time  I 

10.     I  was  the  fifth  and  last  son.     They  named  mc  Charles 
Ivichard.     An  only  sister,  younger,  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen* 
In  boyhood  I  had  the  advantages,  or  disadvantages,  of  a  very 
l)oor  country'  school,. the  most  vivid  recollections  of  Avhich  to- 
day arc  asso- 
ciated    with 
unmerciful 
llog'^riii/^'S  to 
which  I  had- 
become      so 
accustomed 
as  to  look  for 
them     as     a 
part    of    tho 
daily       rou- 
tine.   At  t!io 
a.'iro  of  four- 
teen  I  aslicd 
for  my  "portion,"  and  signified  an  intention  of  breakir.g  away 
from  homo   to  liud  employment   elsewhere.     jMy  portion  was 
promptly   granted    in   hard   cash,   and   consisted    of   a    ringlo 
"tlircc    and    a   penny   hapeny   piece."      T/ith    this   I    Litartcd 
for  Amherst,  going  thirty  miles   on  foot,   and  thence   twelve 
miles  to  ?Jaccan,  Avhcre,  before  the  last  shilling  of  my  ii:hcri- 
tance  Ava.s  expended,  I  found  myself  discliarging   the    duties 
of  a  moderately  lucrative  situation  in  a  coal  mine,  hundreds  of 
feet  l)clov/  the  surface,  wheeling  coal  tlirough  a  long,  d:'.rk,  wet, 
desolate,  dangerous  level.     Occasionally  1  Avas  knocked   over 
by  a  piece  of  filling  soapstone  ;  but  the  afflictions  of  sucli  an 
hour  v.'cre  quickly  dispelled  by  a  rcali;:ation  of  the  f  ict  t!i:it  I 
v/as  er-r.ing  a  dollar  a  day.     The  mines  v.'cre  run  on  cight-h.our 
"shifis,"  alibrdi'ig  considerable  leisure,  in  which  I  v.'as  ena])led 
to  complete  a  course  of  ancient  and  modern  history.     At  the  end 
cf  six  inont!:o  I  had  one  hundred  dollars,  and  took  leave  of  my 
r.:i:Kr-ccmrades.     Investing  a.bout  forty  dollars  in  school-books, 
and  expending  t'.io  bada.ncc  for  tuition,  I  set  out  in  vight  good 
car:^.cst  f;:r  an  education.     Uy  advantages  from  t];at  h.our  wero 
good.     Tlierc  had  l)een  an  educational  awakening  a.U  over  t!io 
province.     The  lion.  Dr.  Chm-lcs  Tupper  had  just  given  nsi  his 
admirable   school   system,  and,  through  the  ambition  thereby 


il 


22 


HISTOKY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


I!  i  I  i 


i 


inspired,  pupils  were  blessed  with  ^ood  books,  good  apparatus, 
and  excellent  teachers.  1  soon  graduated  into  a  school-teacher, 
with  the  most  Hattering  testimonials  of  Inspector  Christie. 
Years  of  teaching  followed,  two  of  which  were  spent  at  Went- 
worth,  where  among  my  pupils  I  numbered  Henry  Ixecd  and 
Charles  AV.  Swallow.  The  former  passed  from  my  school  to 
school  teaching,  in  which  high  caHing,  during  the  past  ten  years, 
ho  has  occupied  a  foremost  position  in  that  county ;  the  latter 
has .  already  taken,  at  least,  a  medium  stand  among  the 
Methodist  iireachcrs  of  the  province,  and  others  of  my  pupils 
have  risen  to  positions  of  usefulness.  At  the  age  of  twenty  I 
was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Elenor,  daughter  of  the  late 
James  Bigney,  Senior,  of  Wentworth,  and  soon  after  set  out  for 
the  United  States.  I  reached  Boston  in  18(58,  with  less  llian 
one  hundred  dollars.  By  this  time,  however,  through  a  course 
of  study  pursued  while  teaching,  I  possessed  a  good  English 
education,  and  was  i)articularly  well  acquainted  with  ancient 
and  modern  history,  for  which  I  have  always  had  a  keen  relish. 
From  the  position  of  reporter  for  the  daily  press  I  rose  to  that 
of  city  editor,  then  to  that  of  managing  editor,  and  for  a  period 
of  about  three  years  Avas  connected  with  some  of  the  leudinir 
dailies  of  New  England  and  the  West.  I  w^as  managing  editor 
of  the  Boston  "Daily  News"  for  .a  considerable  time,  closing  my 
engagement  during  the  jear  celebrated  by  Patrick  Gilmorc's 
Great  Peace  Jubilee. 

11.  From  the  newspaper  press  I  went  into  book  writing  and 
publishing,  my  lirst  ellbrt  being  a  History  of  the  State  of  ]Miciii- 
gan,  of  which  about  thirty  thousand  copies  were  sold.  My 
works,  so  far,  are  as  follows :  — 


I.— 

II.— 

III.— 

IV.— 

v.— 

VI.— 

VII.— 

VIII.— 

IX.— 

X.— 

XL  — 


IIlSTOUY   OF   THE    StATE   OF   MICHIGAN. 

History  of  the  State  of  Indiana. 

IIlSTOUY    OF    THE    BORDEIl    WaRS    OF    TwO    CEN- 
TURIES. 

History  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin. 
History  of  the  State  of  Iowa. 
History  of  the  State  of  Kansas. 
History  of  the  Countries  of  America. 
History  of  the  North-west. 
Popular  History  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada, 
AviTii  AiiT  Illustrations. 

ENCYCLOPiEI>iA   OF   UNIVERSAL   IIlSTOljy   AND   USE- 
FUL Knowledge. 
A  Short  History  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


23 


NOVELS. 

XIT.  —  That  Youxo  Man. 
Xill.  —  The  Boss  Devil  of  America. 

12.  In  religious  faith  I  am  a  Methodist,  with  some  strong 
afiections  for  the  mother-church, —  the  Church  of  Knghuitl.  I 
have  been  a  member  of  the  former  body  for  several  years,  and 
was  made  a  h)cal  preacher  by  the  Northern  Indiana  M.  E. 
Conference  in  1874,  and  have  occasionally  preached  in  con- 
nection with  my  literary  pursuits.  1  have  made  a  somewhat 
careful  study  of  the  political  institutions  of  Canada  and  tho 
United  States,  and  hope  to  make  the  information  thus  acquired 
of  use  to  my  country  in  time  to  come.  I  am  both  a  native  and 
a  citizen  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  At  the  proper  age  1  was 
enrolled  in  the  militia,  and  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  tho 
crown  and  kingdom  of  Great  Britain,  under  the  late  Col.  Pineo, 
at  Bugwa-sh.  That  allegiance  has  ever  been  maintained,  and  a 
long  contact  with  United  States  institutions  and  its  lie[)ublican 
form  of  govcriuncnt  has  r-crved  to  strengthen  it.  "Whatever 
may  have  been  the  mistakes  of  my  life,  1  am  to-day,  and  ever 
have  been,  devoted  in  my  loyalty  to  Canada  and  to  Canada's 
Sovereign.  That  loyalty  has  never  been  disguised  while 
abroad,  and  the  temporary  inconveniences  which  have  resulted 
are  ncjt  worthy  to  bo  compared  u  ith  tho  advantages  of  such  a 
citizenship  as  that  to  which  I  was  born. 


» » ♦•■ 


CHAPTER   II. 


INTnODUCTORY  REMARKS  {^coniinued). 

THE     ri-ACE    OAIKSn    IIY   CANADA     AND    CANADIANS     IN    TIIK    ESTIMATION     OF    TUB 

WOIM.D  — THE    CIIUnCIIES  — POPULATION   AND   NATIONALITIES OUJECTIONAiJLB 

EMIUUATION  —  nOMANISM. 

I.  I  AM  glad,  to-day,  to  bo  able  to  commence  the  second 
cliaptcr  of  my  "Short  History  of  th"  Dominion  of  Canada,''  by 
saying  that  no  one  belonging  to  the  urilish-Anierican  provinces, 
and  travelling  or  living  abroad,  in  any  country,  has  a  reason 
to  disguise  or  conceal  his  nat'vity.  It  is  no  small  recommenda- 
tion in  the  United  States  to  bo  able  to  say,  "1  am  a  native  of 


u 


niSTOllY  OF   DONFINION  OF  CANADA, 


the  Dominion  of  Canadji,"  and  particularly  is  this  true  of  those 
who  can  claira  Nova  Scotia  as  their  birthplace.  Jt  is  a  reniark- 
al)lc  fact  that  Nova  Scotia  is  known  the  world  over,  and  known 
favorably.  This  is  due,  in  the  tirst  place,  to  the  fact  that  Nova 
Scotia  merchant-ships  liavc  visited  every  pent  of  the  jrlobe  ;  in 
the  second  place,  because  the  name  of  that  province  is  prom- 
inently connected  with  the  history  of  the  past  three  centuries  ; 
and,  perha[)s,  mainly,  because  of  the  skill  and  valor  of  her 
brave  men  who  have  distinguished  themselves  in  all  industries 
and  professions,  and  all  nations,  and  upon  every  important 
batllc-tield,  since  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
AN'hat  is  true  of  my  own  province  in  particular  is  true,  gener- 
ally, of  the  M'hole  of  Canada.  Canadians  have  won  a  i)roud 
l)ositi()n  among  the  peoples  of  the  earth.  Can;ida  holds  an 
enviable  position  in  the  civilization  of  the  nineteenth  century. 
"Where,  then,  is  that  Canadian  whose  loyalty  is  not  becoming 
more  infensiried?  Show  me  the  annexationist,  and  1  will  show 
you  the  fanatic  ! 

2.  Perhaps  I  may  bo  allowed  to  repeat  substantially  hero 
some  remarks  uttered  in  the  introduction  to  my  previous  his- 
tory, especially  in  reference  to  the  place  which  Canada  and 
Canadians  have  won  in  the  estimation  of  mankind,  and  with 
regard  to  the  internal  developments  of  the  country.  There  is 
a  very  largo  and  rapidly  increasing  element  of  the  population 
of  Canada  which  has  no  superior  in  any  nation  of  the  globe.  It 
may  bo  sadiv  true  that  the  reliijious  orders  and  institutions  in 
some  of  the  provinces  have  exercised  a  fatal  iuHuenco  in  mould- 
ing a  poor  typ;;  of  manhood,  but  this  is  being  overcome  as  rapidly 
as  could  be  expected.  However,  the  major  part  of  the  church 
exercises  a  most  wholesome  influence  in  this  respect,  and  to 
that  salutary  force  Canada  is  greatly  indebted.  The  Koman 
Catholic,  the  Presbyterian,  the  Protestant  Episcopal,  and  the 
Methodist  arc  the  four  leading  religious  denominations  of  the 
Dominion.  There  arc  about  1,500,00;)  Catholics,  44:5,000 
Presbyterians,  4S)0,000  Episcopalians,  and  375,000  Methodists. 
The  latter  is  the  growing,  aggressive  church,  and  is  destined 
to  become  the  ruling  element  in  Can  ida,  as  it  now  is  in  the 
United  States.  About  1,0H2,948  of  the  people  are  of  French 
origin.  Those,  for  the  most  part,  are  the  least  progressive  of 
the  whole  population,  wh"ch  is  due  to  tho  ignorance,  priest- 
imposed,  which  has  clouded  their  jirospects.  The  church  is 
gradually  losing  its  power  over  them,  and  the  i-ising  and  suc- 
ceeding generations  of  this  people  are  tk'stiued  to  freedom  and 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATKS. 


25 


progress.  About  700, J^G.)  of  the  inhabitints  arc  of  English 
origin.  Those  of  Irish  origin  number  846,141,  and  those  of 
Scotch,  5.30,000.  There  are,  also,  about  232,(5 i;i  Germans. 
The  most  encouraging  fact  is  that  83  in  every  100  of  the  whole 
population  are  native-born  Canadians. 

.'{.  The  material  and  educational  progress  of  the  dominion 
during  the  past  twenty-tive  y  ^ars  has  been  rapid  and  substantial 
Within  the  last  three  years  the  great  depression  of  all  kinds  of 
business  which  has  characterized  the  United  States  has  been 
very  largely  shared  in  by  Canada.  Many  of  the  best  ccmimcr- 
cial  houses  have  failed,  while  others  are  tiding  over  the  crisis 
Avith  great  difficulty.  But  these  hard  times  present  no  great 
cause  for  alarm,  especially  from  a  national  stand-point.  The 
olfspring  of  reckless  investments  and  wicked  extravagances, 
which  have  so  sliamefuUy  characterized  both  govern. nent  and 
people,  they  will  disappear  with  a  return  to  honesty  and  econ- 
omy. All  America  needed  a  lesson  in  this  respect,  and  there 
was  no  surer  way  to  impress  the  truth  upon  the  heart  and  mind 
than  the  reverses  through  which  thousands  are  now  passing:. 
If  only  the  lesson  shall  be  remembered,  then  may  the  nation 
cease  to  mourn  the  dulness  of  trade  at  an  early  day  ! 

4.  One  of  the  greatest  evils  characteristic  of  the  Canadian 
people  is  the  ill-gotten  disposition  of  the  3'()ung  of  both  sexes 
to  emigrate  to  the  United  States.  The  continuance  of  this  prac- 
tice is  supported  by  a  delusion.  There  is  not  a  young  mm  or 
woman  who  has  emigrated  to  the  United  States  within  the  last 
five  years  wao  will  not  testify  to-da^^  that,  with  the  same  energy 
and  perseverance,  he  or  she  could  accomplish  more  at  homo 
than  in  that  country  to  which  they  have  gone,  hoping  to  better 
their  condition  in  life.  One  of  the  unaccountable  circumstances 
of  the  present  decade,  if  not  one  of  the  most  difficult  problems 
to  solve,  is  the  fact  that  the  young  people  of  Canada  arc  willing 
to  work  harder  and  suffer  greater  privations  in  tiiC  United 
States  for  comforts  which  may  be  obtained  at  home  with  less 
effort  and  at  less  cost.  But  this  Avill  not  always  last.  It  mast 
not  continue  longer.  Some  voice  should  be  raised :  some 
industry  put  in  active  operation,  to  put  an  end  to  this  miser- 
able practice.  At  present,  .and  in  this  connection,  I  can  do  no 
more  than  raise  my  voice,  and  declare  to  all  young  i)eoi)le  in 
the  Dominion  that  our  own  country  presents  better  and  more 
lucrative  lields  of  industry  than  can  be  found  in  the  adjoining 
Kepublic,  where  to-day  nearly  100,000  native  British-Ameri- 
cans are  languishing  in  the  overcrowded  trades  and  professions. 


26 


IlISTOUY  OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


yiHi 


iiiii 


Iiitbo  name  of  God,  my  country,  and  your  best  interests,  I  liid 
you,  beseech  you,  slay  at  liomd  or  if  you  muM  make  si  cban<;;o 
of  location,  let  it  be  in  the  direction  of  that  fertile  north-west, 
out  of  wbich  the  future  jireatest  provinces  of  the  Doniinioii 
ai*o  destined  to  rise  in  all  the  glory  of  agricidtural  niagiiiti- 
ccncc  ! 

5.  Canada  needs  commercial  independence,  especially  in 
the  adjustment  of  her  trafKc  regulations  with  the  United  States. 
Since  confederation,  Canada's  business  transactions  with  the 
United  States,  in  the  general  volume  of  international  com- 
merce, has  been  entirely  one-sided, — to  the  loss  of  our  own 
merchants  and  people.  This  was  not  fully  recognized,  though 
it  was  all  the  same  doing  its  Avork  of  ruin,  until  our  money  no 
longt'r  commanded  any  considerable  premium  over  greenbacks, 
but  the  last  t\yelvo  months  li:ivo  convinced  evcjy  mercbant  in 
Canada  making  purchases  with  the  United  States  for  importa- 
tion, that  in  the  recent  treaty  Avith  that  country  England  pur- 
chased her  own  desires  at  the  expense  of  Canada.  Ibit  these 
tilings  will  bo  remedied  when  a  lirmer  and  more  intellectual 
statesmanship  shall  distinguish  the  deliberations  of  our  gov- 
ernment. 

G.  The  vexed  question  of  Romanism,  a^^  it  nfTects  flio 
present,  and  is  likely  to  afl'eet  the  future,  of  Canada,  is  of 
course  a  dilHcult  one,  and  one  in  which  the  historian  niwi  tieal 
with  great  delicacy.  Personally  I  am  not  disposed  to  m  ili^ii 
Ivoman  Catholics  or  Catholic  institutions,  and  I  n-gard  as 
l*rotesta-it  fanaticism  those  uncharitable  and  no  less  unintelli- 
gent religious  terms  which  have  been  api)lie(l  to  the  Koman 
Church,  such  as  Anti-Christ,  etc.  Konianism  has  wrought,  and 
is  still  achieving,  u  wonderful  work,  in  the  hands  of  an  all-wiso 
liuler,  for  the  civilization  of  tho  race.  That  in  some  countries 
it  presents  the  objectionable  spectacle  of  oppressive  priest- 
craft, and  in  others  that  of  an  obstruction  to  tho  advancement 
of  popular  education,  is  not  a  sufficient  ground  for  unqualilied 
condemnation.  There  is  more  than  one  nation  of  the  earth  to- 
diiy,  which  is  yet  unprepared  to  throw  oft',  with  safety,  tho 
restraints  of  llomanism,  unless  such  can  be,  at  the  same  time, 
brought  under  tho  protection  of  those  political  institutions  so 


grandly  characteristic  of  Anglo-Saxon  civilization.  AVith  tho 
l)rc.sent  political  construction  of  the  map  of  the  world  lloman- 
ism is  indispensable,  and  will  never  bo  abolished  except  with 
the  most  radical  changes  in  that  map  ;  and  when  those  changes 
will  have  come,  —  and  they  must  certainly  come,  —  it  will  not 


\m^ 


f   |)'! ! 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


27 


then  bo  true,  that,  as  a  whole,  Tvomanism  shall  have  beeft  a 
cui'so  ralhci"  than  a  blessing  to  the  world.  f 

It  is  difficult  lor  many  people  in  these  advanced  days  to  com- 
prehend the  fact  that  some  of  the  oldest  and  most  unfashionable 
agricultuRil  implements  were  once  useful,  and  served  a  good 
purpose.  My  father  owned  a  hoe  years  ago,  as  long  ago  as  I 
can  remember ;  it  was  a  most  imwichly  atlair,  made  in  one  of 
his  unskilful  attempts  at  blaoksmithing,  from  a  castaway  oven- 
lid.  This  was  anterior  to  the  "  Yankee  hoc,"  Avhich  found  its 
way  into  the  provincial  markets  some  twenty  yc&rs  ago,  and 
Avhich,  as  also  "Yankee  pitchforks,"  and  kindred  implements, 
succocded  those  of  the  home-made  pattern.  In  time,  my 
father's  hoe,  that  must  have  weighed  about  five  or  six  j^ounds, 
Avas  thrown  aside,  and  the  light  Yankee  article  substitutMl. 
Sonic  ten  or  twelve  years  later,  when  wo  wore  making  an 
excavation  for  the  foundation  of  a  new  barn,  this  old  and  for- 
gotten hoc  was  dug  up  ;  but  no  one  recognized  it  until  some  three 
years  after,  when  a  peculiar  accident  caused  its  identilication. 
It  was  difficult  at  that  time^  because  this  castaway  relic  was  no 
longer  useful,  to  realize  that  it  ever  had  been  ;  but  my  father 
was  i)resent  to  testify  that  it  had  served  him  more  years  and 
under  more  trying  circumstances  than  any  other  hoe  ho  had 
possessed.  Now,  this  illustration  is  not  more  simple  than 
forcible.  AVhat  is  true  concerning  improvement  in  implements 
is,  in  one  sense,  true  of  institutions.  Catholicism  is  the  old, 
burdensome,  tax-imposiug  implement,  which,  in  the  hands  of 
God,  tirst  rooted  out  the  choking  briers  that  were  clustering, 
in  united  oppression,  around  the  young  plant  of  Christianity. 
It  can  hardly  bo  doubted  that  so  imperfect  an  implement  has, 
on  the  one  hand,  compromised  with  the  evils  it  sought  to  over- 
come, and,  on  the  other,  trampled  and  bruised  the  fri.it  it 
attempted  to  cultivate.  The  only  point  in  which  my  illustra- 
tion is  lame — and  herein  it  teaches  an  important  lesson  —  is 
that  but  one  cause  i)revents  the  improved  instrumentality  fror^ 
supplanting  the  old,  burdensome  one,  and  that  is  a  politictd 
cause.  We  seek  to  delay  its  removal,  that  the  struggle  may 
be  a  bloodless  one,  and  in  this,  toleration  is  one  of  the  best 
evidences  of  Protestant  Avisdom, — ^nay,  more,  an  evidence 
that  Protestantism  is  of  God.  Nor  l)y  this  do  I  wish  to  bo 
iniderstood  as  saying  other  than  that  Protestantism  is  more 
than  a  grand  improvement  on  the  Roman  forms  of  Christianity  ; 
and,  holding  this,  I  affirm,  also,  that  there  is  no  ground  which 
can  justify,  in  the  sight  of  Heaven,  a  persecution  of  one  of 


28 


HISTORY  OP  DOMINION  OP  CANADA, 


I 


these  branches  of  the  church  by  tho  other.  Moreover,  I  can 
have  no  sympathy  with  tho  enthusiasts  on  cither  side,  who 
oppress  their  rclif^ious  opponents,  untler  tlio  pretext  of  any 
yciiptural  authority.  For  my  own  part,  I  knoAV  too  much  of 
history  to  bo  led  into  tho  delusion  that  cither  Konyinisui  or 
Protestantism  will  ever  bo  subjugated  or  driven  from  tho 
world  by  oppression  or  persecution.  Such  a  course  ever  has 
and  ever  will  develop  tho  power  and  promote  the  growth  of 
any  institution  founded  in  truth,  and  1  can  see  how,  pursuant 
to  this  method,  a  continuance  of  tho  old  feuds  between  iheso 
great  divisions  of  tho  church  csni  have  no  result  so  surely  lo 
bo  depended  upon  as  tho  perpetuation  of  each  other.  ]f  tho 
Protestant  really  believes  in  tho  superior  excellence  of  his  form 
of  Christianity,  as  compared  with  the  old  lloman  forms,  and 
can  manage  to  add  an  unbiased  intelligcuce,  with  an  unprej- 
udiced knowledge  of  history  to  this  faith,  it  Avill  produce  in 
him  the  greatest  toleration  of  Romanism.  Indeed,  it  will 
mako  him  op[)oso  it  only  in  that  wherein  it  is  at  grievous 
fault,  and  to  encourage  it  in  all  things  wherein  it  promises  to 
uplift  and  bless  its  votaries. 

7.  Could  llomauism  throw  off  its  bigotry,  and  suppress  such 
of  its  forms  and  ceremonies  as  should  have  been  laid  away  in 
the  grave  of  that  empire  in  which  they  had  their  rise ;  could 
the  old  papal  church  rise  to  the  reforms  which  it  must  experi- 
ence to  keep  pace  with  tho  march  of  mankind ;  nay,  would  tho 
church  but  embody  in  its  composition,  and  teach  among  tho 
masses  of  its  communicants,  those  principles  of  i)opular  educa- 
tion and  independent  thought  which  she  is  compelled  to  tokrato 
among  the  higher  classes,  Avhero  wealth  and  education  aboun  i, 
1  see  no  reason  why  the  followers  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  John 
might  not  yet  be  reconciled  and  united  in  a  boad  of  the  warm- 
est, purest  union.  It  is  just  like  Christianity  to  accomplish 
such  a  result  as  this,  and  in  such  an  event  there  would  bo 
nothijig  to  justify  taking  the  keys  from  St.  Peter's  successor, 
so  long  as  the  apostolic  succession  of  St.  John  was  entrusted 
with  the  records,  as  heretofore.  But  we  shall  have  no  signs  to 
indicate  the  coming  of  these  things  until  in  one  or  in  both 
branches  of  the  church,  a  few  great  men  shall  bo  raised  up, 
broad  as  humanity  in  their  sympathies,  and  deep  as  the  prob- 
lem to  bo  solved  in  their  wisdom,  — men  who  shall  strive  to 
make  the  marching  song  of  the  ages  accord  with  the  pulsations 
of  God's  will,  and  who  shall  interpret  that  will  by  an  uutram- 


11, -1 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


29 


mcUed   ijispiratioii.      Patient    hopo   will  not  die    until   these 

things  1)0 ! 

a.  liut  to  tho  historical  side  of  the  qnostion.  Thcro  is 
notLinir  in  tho  records  to  alarm  Protestants  in  Canada,  or  any- 
where else,  with  tho  possible  exception  of  England,  bnt  much 
to  enforce  upon  the  .attention  of  ivonuiiiiats  the  needs  of  sub- 
scribing to  the  relief  of  a  waning  cause.  AVe  mist  now 
tolerate  a  few  statistics,  but  these  will  not  bo  considered  dry  in 
a  subject  such  as  this.  There  are  in  tho  world  to-d:iy,  accord- 
in<>-  to  certain  well-authenticated  estimates,  about  1,401), ODD, UUI) 
inhal)ilan(s;  of  these  about  200,000,000  are  Ronr.inisls,  and 
100.00  »,000  Protestants.  Previous  to  the  lieformution  tho 
sway  of  K;)maiiisni  was  almost  universal,  but  in  three  and  a 
half  ceiMuries  Protestantism  has  gathered  to  its  standard  half  as 
many  as  now  adhere  to  the  Pope.  The  increase  of  l*rotcstant- 
ism  has  been  at  tho  rate  of  al)out*30,000,000  a  century,  and 
that  of  ivomanism,  during  the  same  period,  about  half  thiit  rato. 
Tho  reader  may  follow  out  this  ratio  with  his  own  m  ithem  itical 
genius,  liut,  to  be  a  little  m:jrc  specilic,  tl.ore  is  probably  no 
country  to-day  which  presents  such  encouraging  signs  for  iio- 
manists  as  in  Old  England.  Romanism  his  been  g lining  in 
England  during  tho  past  thirly  years,  not  only  with  the  masses, 
but  in  the  higlier  waiki  of  society.  M.iny  of  bar  converts  aro 
fellows  of  colleges,  ministers  of  the  Church  of  England,  mem- 
bers of  the  learned  professions,  and  of  elevated  rank.  But 
this  increase  of  Papists  in  England  is  not  wholly  due  to  conver- 
sions from  Protestantism  ;  and  this  explanation  is  made  plain  in 
the  light  of  tho  fact  that  Kngland  has  been  colonized  by  Catho- 
lics from  Ireland,  to  a  considerable  extent.  But  place  the  case 
in  tho  most  favorable  light  to  Protestants,  and  yet  England 
presents  a  problem  in  this  respect.  However,  England  is  an 
exception  to  tho  whole  world,  while  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada 
we  have,  in  less  than  a  century,  reversed  tho  status  from  tivo 
CaLliolics  to  one  Protestant,  to  that  of  three  Protestants  for  ono 
Catholic. 

1).  Romanists  are  not  asleep  to  tho  signs  of  tho  times,  but 
nro  taking  the  most  active  measures  to  perpetuate  their  doc- 
trines in  all  parts  of  the  world.  In  this  ettbrt  no  changes  what- 
ever are  made,  even  in  the  most  objectionable  forms  of  the 
church ;  but  it  is  sought  to  continue  and  oxact  obedience  to 
tho  old  ones  in  various  ways,  but  in  none  more  emphatically 
than  among  the  children  of  their  own  adherents  and  of  those 
•of  Protestants,  who,  because  of  various  misfortunes,  fail  into 


30 


IIISTOKY   OF  DOMIXIONf  OF   CANADA, 


their  liiiiulfi.  This  is  particuliirly  c'hni'!iotoristi<!  of  Komsuiistio 
mcusurcs  ill  the  Dominion  of  Caimda  and  tlio  United  States, 
where,  in  the  dilfcrcnt  s<>nc8  of  ilhistrated  sehool  and 
Hnnday  sehool  hooks,  a  reeent  departnro  in  lionian  C'athoHe  ht- 
crature,  —  <p-ai)hic  jjicinres  of  ])ri(>HtH,  saints,  and  Papal  eer- 
cnionies  nro  s-A  fordi.  Tlio  fonr  dill'erent  series  of  CathoUo 
.sehool-hooks  which  I  havo  (>xaniined,  nro  thoronjrhly  .Pai)id,  and 
profnsely  tilled  with  h\<xends  of  the  saints,  and  jjietnres  of  wor- 
shii)  heforo  erneiiixes  and  images.  Ono  series  of  seven  hooks, 
of  Ignited  State  a  origin,  in  for  use  hy  tlio  "  Sisters  of  Cliarity  ; " 
the  "Christian  brothers'  Series  of  ]i(^adcrs  "  is  for  malo  schools. 
This  di  .tinctioii  is  ohvions.  Another  s;n-ies  is  compiled  hy 
"a  memher  of  ilio  Holy  Cross."  Now,  I  am  Avriting  n  hook 
intended  allko  for  Catliolic  and  Protestant  readers,  and  nnist 
pauso  hero  to  inliniato  that  no  ono  sentenco  is  hero  written 
with  a  dc.'iiro  to  ollend  Catliolies  ;  and,  in  giving  tho  following 
sketches  and  illustrations  from  theso  sehool-hooks,  I  do  no 
more  thtui  is  demanded  of  nio  in  tho  strict  lino  of  duty  ;  no 
moro  than  any  Catholic  liictoriau  would  ho  compedled  to  do, 
and  which  h(3  would  havo  aright  to  do,  concerning  l^rotestants  ; 
and,  as.'.uming  tliat  there  is  nothing  in  theso  hooks  of  inijtrnc- 
tiou  for  tho  youth  of  which  Catholi(.s  havo  reason  to  ho 
ashamed,  I  cannot  tliink  myself  giving  offenco  hy  instructing 
Protestants  in  Avhat  is  talcing  plaeo  around  them  i:i  all  churches. 
Ilcnce  I  give  a  faw  specimens  of  lessons  aiul  ilhistrativo  cats, 
found  ia  theso  readers,  to  show  what  kind   of  an  education 

cliiUh'en  securo  in  Itonian  Catholic 
schools.  Peginning  with  t!io  "First 
Reader,"  page  4i),  v>o  havo  tho  follow- 
in<^  cut  and  lesson  :  — 


"Tt  is  bGd-timo.  Sod  little 
Mary  is  saying'  hor  j^rayers  bs- 
Ibrc  she  goes  to  bed.  Tho 
crucifix  hangs  above  her  bcxl; 
when  little  Mary  looks  at  it, 
she  thinks  of  God's  love  that 
made  him  die  on  tho  cross  to 
save  all  little  children." 


Tho  reader  will  soo  that  this    picture  is  well  calculated  to 
strike  tho  imagination  of  a  child.     It  is  carefully  taught  that 


r.NGLANl),    AND    TIIi:   TTXITHD    GTATKH. 


VI 


tlio  ri','lit  way  t;)  pray  i4  jjaziuf?  at  a  (^nioilix.     On  pago 
tho  fsaino  littlo  book  wo  Imvo  this  cut  and  lesson  :  — 


51 


of 


going 
Should 


to 


"Hero  is  a  lit- 
tle orphan-girl 
rest. 
I  call 
her  an  orphan? 
Sec  I  she  is 
kneeling  before 
a  statue  of  Our 
Blesf3ccl  Mother. 
She  is  asking 
her  to  be  her 
mother  now  and 
forever." 

Wc  liavo  in  this  illustration  tho  crucifix  over  tho  horl,  aud  tho 
imago  of  tho  Virgin  Mary,  with  tlio  girl  kncciling  beforo  it ;  an(' 
tlieu  the  pvayor,  "Sho  is  asking  her  to  bo  hor  mother,  now  and 
forever,'  is  calculated  to  teach  all  pujjils  who  uso  tho  book  to 
kneel  beforo  an  imago  of  Mary,  and  to  pray  and  trust  in  her. 
It  is  not  for  nio  to  condemn,  cnly  to  chronicle  this,  that,  even 
centuries  i'rom  the  present  time,  thoso  who  succeed  us  may  bo 
informed  concerning  these  things.  I  write  for  tho  instruction 
of  future  generations.  Let  us  tako  another  lesson  from  tho 
same  "  Reader  "  :  — 

"TVe  are  very  sad 
when  our  friends  die, 
and  it  is  painful  to  see 
those  wc  love  laid  in  the 
cold  gi-qund,  but  it  is  very 
sweet  to  think  about 
the  death  of  those  who 
die  as  Alice  did.  She 
could  not  remember  the 
time  she  had  not  ])i'ayed 
to  Our  Blessed  Mother, 
and  she  was  so  devoted 
to  her  that  when  taken 
very  sick  she  had  noir 
lear  oi  cieatii  ...     oiie  death  of  little  alice. 


I! 


_£, 


32 


1II3T()1:Y   oy    DOMINION   01-'   CANADA, 


had  n  dear  little  altar  at  her  hcdsijc,  with  a  rrucirix 
given  her  by  her  kind  confess;)!*,  Father  Kecnan,  and 
a  jirotty  white  statue  of  the  Blessed  A'irgin  upon  it. 

One  evening  at  Bunset  dear  little  Alice 

had  junt  finished  saying  her  beads,  when  elio  asked 
her  mother  t )  change  her  pillow  and  smooth  her  hair. 

.     .     .     .     Please  send  for  Father  Iveenan 

She  saw  Oar  Holy  M  )lher  with  the  Divine  Child 
in  her  arms,  waiting  to  take  her  home.  The  ])rie;jt 
came  and  little  Alice  received  Our  Blessed  Lord  into 
her  heart,  and  was  anointed;  then  she  fell  asleep  iu 
death  like  a  lily  closing  its  petals  at  nightfall." 

I    Avill    d  tain    tho    ro;i(l(>r   with   l)ut  a  siu'xlo  lesson   more, 
taken  irv)in  tU  j  "  Sl'coikI  Kciidcr,"  entitled  "  The  Confcsoiou  "  ;  — 


"1.  Idonotlmow 
why  it  is  that  s;) 
many  little  girl:i  and 
boys  have  a  iK^rror 
of  going  to  the  con- 
fession. Surely  they 
must  forget  that 
confession  is  like  a 
]dank  throAvn  into 
tiie  seatothcdrown- 


sion,  I 
I  once 


ing  mariner,  that 
is  the  only  means 
\  whereby  we  can  ob- 
i  tain  foigiveness  of 
sin  coininittcd  after 
ba|)tism. 

"2.  If  our  dear 
f  Lord  and  kjaviour 
had  not  established 
this  sacrament  in 
his  great  com  pas- 
do  not  know  what  we  should  have  done.  Now, 
heard  of  a  little  girl  who  was  so  dreadfully  afraid 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


88 


of  going  to  confession  that  she  quite  fainted  away  when 
she  found  licrself  in  the  confessional.  On  the  pre- 
ceding page  is  a  picture  of  her,  with  her  sister  by  her 
side  trying  to  encourage  her, 

"  3.  Do  you  know  why  that  little  girl  was  so  horri- 
fied at  the  thought  of  confession?  Why,  because  her 
father  and  mother  had  been  so  negligent  of  their  duty 
as  to  allow  their  children  to  grow  up  to  the  age  of  ten 
or  twelve  years  before  they  sent  them  to  c  '  i!'  ssion. 
If  they  had  been  sent  earlier  they  would  have  iiad  no 
such  dread  of  confessing  their  sins. 

"4.  If  you  ask  one  of  the  silly  little  people  why  they 
arc  so  much  afraid,  the  answer  will  perhaps  be,  ^  Why, 
how  can  I  tell  my  sins  to  the  priest?  Who  knows  but 
he  may  speak  of  them  to  somebody  else?'  Foolish 
little  girl  or  boy,  have  you  never  heard  that  one  of 
the  saints  suffered  martyrdom  rather  than  reveal  what 
had  been  told  him  in  confession? 

"  5.  A  wicked  emperor,  who  suspected  his  wife  of  a 
great  crime,  wished  to  have  her  confessor  tell  whether 
she  was  guilty  or  not,  but  the  saint  replied  that  no 
priest  could  speak  to  any  one  of  what  was  told  him  in 
confession,  and  that  he  could  not  even  tell  whether  the 
empress  was  innocent  or  not. 

"6.  Hearing  this,  the  tyrant  was  so  enraged  that 
he  ordered  the  holy  man  to  be  thrown  into  the  Muldaw, 
which  was  the  name  of  the  sea  near  his  palace.  It  was 
done  accordingly,  and  the  good  St.  John  Nepomucine 
went  cheerfully  to  death  rather  than  disclose  the  secret 
of  confession.  xVnd  so  it  is  to-day.  The  ministers 
appointed  by  Jesus  Christ  to  reconcile  the  sinner  with 
him  are  never  known,  never  have  been  known,  to  tell 
what  they  hear  in  confession." 


wm 


M 


I  'I 


n 


1 


m 


™ 


34 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  NORSE  DISCOVERIES. 

1.  Turning  now  to  the  narraiive  before  me,  it  is  all  im- 
portant that  I  should  insert  in  this  place  a  chapter  or  two  on 
the  discovery  of  America,  and  more  particularly  of  that  part  of 
America  included  within  the  boundaries  of  British  America. 
In  my  unabridged  history  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  I  have 
given,  at  considerable  length,  an  account  of  the  discovery  of 
America  by  the  Norsemen,  the  Spaniards,  the  French,  and  the 
English.  In  this  work  it  will  be  expedient  only  to  note  some 
of  the  principal  landmarks  in  the  same  narrative.  Some  time 
in  1877,  a  Toronto  (Ont. )  journal,  in  reviewing  some  of  the 
earlier  inmibers  of  my  previous  history,  indulged  in  some  remarks 
intended  to  be  humorous,  criticising  my  account  of  the  Norse 
discovery  of  America,  and  wetit  so  far  iiS  to  volunteer  the  in- 
formation to  its  readers  that  the  author  of  the  history  of  Canada 
had  mistaken  faljlo  for  fact.  In  this  instance,  however,  the 
editor,  and  not  the  author,  was  in  error.  There  is  still  a  vast 
amount  of  scepticism,  especially  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  concerning  Norse  literature,  and  many  people  of  con- 
siderable scholarship  fall  into  the  mistake  of  regarding  the  tales 
of  the  sagas  as  mere  traditions,  or  fables,  unworthy  the  least 
degree  of  confidence ;  but  light  is  rapidly  breaking  over  this 
problem,  and  beneath  its  generating  power  Norse  literature  is 
growing  some  grand  historical  fruit,  and  none,  perhaps,  more 
interesting  than  that  regarding  the  discovery  of  America. 

2.  A  few  people,  mostly  of  Norse  extraction,  rush  to  the 
extreme  fallacy  of  claiming  the  authenticity  of  the  early  Ameri- 
can explorations  by  the  Norsemen  to  mean  something  detri- 
mental to  the  glory  of  Columbus.  This  idea  should  not  bo 
tolerated  for  a  single  minute.  There  is  nothing  in  all  the  Norso 
expeditions,  granting  even  ah  that  the  most  enthusiastic  Nor- 
wegian claims  for  them,  which  can  take  one  jewel  from  the 
bright  crown  of  Columbus.  The  only  connection  they  can  pos- 
sibly have  with  the  great  explorer  is  to  indicate  that  knowl- 
edge, industriously  and  honorably  acquired,  rather  than  In- 
tuition or  revelatioD,  guided  him  in  his  westward  voyages  of 
discovery.     For  my  own  part,  I  believe  that  recent  historical 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


35 


research  has  sufficiently  shown  Columbus  to  have  been  in  pos- 
session of  what  knowledge  the  Norsemen  could  give  him  before 
his  final  resolution  to  explore  the  West  was  unalterably 
formed. 

8.  The  Norsemen  were  the  descendants  of  a  branch  of  the 
Gothic  race  that  in  early  times  emigrated  from  Asia  and 
travelled  north-west  and  settled  in  what  is  now  the  central 
part  of  Norway.  They  were,  in  early  times,  an  exceedingly 
bold  and  independent  people.  The  rulers  of  England  arc  de- 
scendants of  the  Norsemen.  At  an  early  date  they  became  re- 
nowned in  all  Europe  for  their  feats  of  navigation ;  but  their 
enterprising  voyages  were  by  no  means  confined  to  Europe. 
In  the  year  860  they  discovered  and  settled  in  Iceland,  estab- 
lishing on  this  island  a  Republic  which  flourished  about  four 
hundred  years.  Not  long  after  the  settlement  of  the  island  it 
contained  a  population  of  50,000,  and  became  the  key,  in  con- 
nection with  Greenland,  to  unlock  the  secret  of  the  w'estern 
continents.  These  bold  Norsemen,  pushing  their  course  west- 
ward, settled  in  Greenland,  and,  in  an  adventurous  voyage, 
siffhtcd  the  shores  of  America.  \^ 

4.  But  let  us  glance  at  the  chain  of  events,  link  after  link, 
in  this  account  of  the  discovery  of  America  by  the  Norsemen. 
In  the  year  98G,  a  bold  adventurer,  named  Erik  the  Red, 
moved  from  Iceland  to  Greenland,  that  wretched  land  which  ho 
had  miscalled  by  that  name,  to  induce  emigration.  He  was 
accompanied  by  numerous  friends,  among  whom  was  an  Ice- 
lander, named  Herjulf ;  the  latter  had  a  son  named  Bjarne,  a 
man  of  great  enterprise,  the  owner  of  a  ship,  and  a  large  for- 
tune. Ho  Tv^as  on  a  voyag o  to  Norway  when  his  father  moved 
to  Greenland,  and  on  his  return  ho  resolved  to  follow  him  with- 
out unloading  his  ship.  His  men  were  eager  to  accompany 
him ;  so  away  they  sailed  and  soon  lost  sight  of  Iceland.  But 
the  wind  failed.  Subsequently  a  north  wind  and  a  heavy  fog 
set  in,  and  they  knew  not  whither  thoy  were  drifting.  This 
condition  of  the  weather  continued  many  days,  during  which 
the  alarmed  crew  drifted  far  out  into  the  sea,  to  the  south-west. 
At  length  the  eun  appeared,  tho  storm  subsided,  and,  lo !  in  tho 
horizon,  not  many  leagues  distant,  they  beheld  tho  well-deli ncd 
outlines  of  an  unknown  land,  the  continent  of  North  America. 
Approaching  nearer,  they  saw  that  it  was  without  mountains, 
and  covered  with  wood.  Ljarne  was  satisfied  that  this  was  not 
Greenland,  ho  knew  that  he  was  too  far  to  tho  south ;  so  ho  left 
tho  laud  on  tho  larboard  side,  and  sailed  northward  for  two 


36 


HISTORY  Ot  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


days,  when  again  he  discovered  land.  But  still  this  was  not 
Greenland;  turning  the  ship  from  the  land,  they  continued 
their  course  northward  for  three  days.  Then  land  wms  seen  for 
the  third  time  ;  but  Bjarne  refused  to  go  ashore,  knowing  that  it 
did  not  answer  to  the  description  of  Greenland.  So  they  sailed 
on,  and  after  four  days  they  reached  Greenland,  landing  not  far 
from  where  the  father  of  the  unfortunate  navigator  had  settled. 
It  is  supposed  that  the  laud  Bjarne  saw  on  this  involuntary  voy- 
age in  086  was,  iirst,  the  present  Nantucket,  one  degree  fciouth 
of  Boston  ;  second.  Nova  Scotia;  and,  third,  Newfoundla  d. 

5.  Bjarne  was  censured,  by  his  countrymen  of  Norway,  for 
not  going  ashore  and  exploring  the  land  to  which  the  tempest 
had  driven  him.  Nevertheless,  the  imperfect  description  which 
he  was  enabled  to  give  seemed  to  arouse  the  mind  of  Lief  Erik- 
son,  who  determined  to  make  fartht  i  in  ligation.  He  bought 
Bjarne's  ship,  set  sail  with  thirty-fir  f'  n;  .,  and  found  the  lauds 
just  as  they  had  been  described  to  him,  A.D.  1000.  Erikson 
landed  his  crew  in  Hellerland  (Newfoundland),  and  in  Mark- 
land  (Nova  Scotia),  explored  these  countries  somewhat,  named 
them,  and  then  proceeded  to  discover  the  la/,d  which  Jiad  first 
been  seen  by  Bjarne.  After  two  days  they  came  to  laud,  and 
sailed  into  the  sound,  which  was  so  shallow  at  ebb  tide  that 
their  ship  grounded.  But  so  much  did  they  desire  to  reach 
the  land,  that  they  sprang  into  the  Avater  and  waded  ashore  at  a 
place,  as  the  translation  has  it,  "  where  a  river  flows  out  of  a 
lake."  This  lake  is  undoubtedly  Mount  Hope  Bay.  At  flood 
tide  they  brought  their  ship  into  the  bay,  and  cast  anchor. 
Taking  their  skin  cots  ashore  they  soon  raised  tents,  after 
which  a  council  was  held,  at  which  they  resr  v^d  to  remain 
through  the  winter,  and  build  a  large  house;  i  >  :  >taincd  an 
abundance  of  fine  salmon,  both  in  the  river  ai  '  .i'  he  bay. 
From  the  account  of  this  expedition,  preserved  b^v  iie  Norse- 
men, we  learn  that  they  quartered  in  latitude  41°  24',  which 
places  their  tents  at  the  mouth  of  Fall  River,  Massachusetts. 
Lief  Erikson  called  the  country  Vinland. 

6.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1001,  Lief  Erikson  returned  to 
Greenland] ,  vhere  the  news  of  his  discovery  created  great 
commotion.  Thorwald,  Lief's  brother,  desired  to  explore  the 
land  more  extensively,  and  solicited  his  brother's  ship  for  that 
purpose,  which  the  generous  Lief  readily  granted.  Another 
expedition  was  accordingly  fitted  out  in  the  year  1002,  by 
Thorwald  Erikson,  who  sailed  to  Vinland,  where  he  remained 
three  years,  and  where  he  fell   in  a  battle  with  the  Indians, 


111 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


m 


I 


pierced  by  tin  jvrrow.  He  was  buried  in  Vinland,  and  two  crosses 
were  raised  above  his  grave.  The  exact  location  of  this  grave 
could  not  now  bo  ascertained,  but  it  in* 
indeed  hallowed  ground  that  contains 
the  dust  of  the  lirst  European  who 
died  and  Avas  buried  in  America.  In 
1831  there  was  discovered,  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Fall  River,  Massachusetts,  a 
skeleton  in  armor,  and  many  of  the  cir- 
cumstances connected  Avith  it  arc  such 
as  to  leave  room  for,  at  least,  the  con- 
jecture that  it  Avas  the  skeleton  of  this 
very  Thorwald  Erikson.  This  skeleton 
was  the  subject  of  ni'ich  learned  dis- 
cussion at  the  time,  ai  d  the  American 
poet,  Longfellow,  wrote  a  poem  on  it, 
years  after,  beginning  Avith  these  Avords, — 


TOWER  AX  NEWPORT, 


"  Speak !    Speak!  thou  fearful  guest." 


that 


at  a 


The  poem  makes  the  skeleton  tell  the  story  of  his  adA'entiires 
as  a  A'iking,  sing  of  the  pine  forests  of  Norway,  of  the  voyage 
across  the  Atlantic,  and  of  the  discovery  of  America.  The 
tower  delineated  by  the  above  cut  is  the  famous  Newport  tower,  in 
lihodo  Island,  Avhich  Avas  undoubtedly  built  by  the  Norsemen. 
When  the  Norsemen  had  biu'icd  their  chief  and  leader,  Thor- 
Avald,  they  returned  to  their  tefits  at  the  bay,  loaded  their  ships 
Avith  the  products  of  the  land,  and  returned  to  Greenland  in 
1005. 

7.  Next  we  are  told  by  the  Sagas,  that  Thorstein,  the 
youngest  son  of  Erik  the  Red,  resoh^ed  to  A^isit  Vinland,  and 
procure  the  body  of  his  brother  Thorwald.  "  lie  Avas  mtirriod," 
say  the  Sagas,  "to  Gudrid,  a  Avoman  remarkable  for  her  beauty, 
her  dignity,  her  prudence,  and  her  good  discourse.  Thorstein 
fitted  out  a  vessel,  manned  it  Avith  twenty-five  men,  selected 
for  their  strength  and  stature,  besides  himself  and  Gudrid." 
This  party  put  to  sea,  and  Avere  soon  far  from  Greenland  ;  but, 
being  overtaken  by  a  storm,  they  Avere  tossed  and  driA^eti,  they 
knew  not  Avhither,  for  many  a  day.  Finally  they  reached  land, 
Avhich  proved  to  bo  the  Avestern  coast  of  their  own  (rrecnland. 
Here  Thorstein  and  several  of  his  men  died,  and  Gudrid 
returned  to  Eriksfjord. 

8.  Thorfinn  Karlsefne  Avas  the  most  distinguished  explorer 


38 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


!     (I 


of  Vinland.  Being  a  wealthy  and  influential  man,  and  de- 
scended from  the  most  famous  families  of  the  North,  ho  was 
able  to  command  the  means  necessary  to  a  successful  expedi- 
tion. In  the  fall  of  10.)6  he  emigrated  from  Norway  to 
Greenland,  with  two  ships,  Avhere,  at  Eriksfjord,  he  met  Lief 
Erikson,  who  ofi'ered  the  Norse  navigator  the  hospitalities  of 
Brattahlid  during  winter.     ThOrfinn  soon  began  to  treat  with 


Lief  for  the  hand  of  Gudrid,  Lief  being  the  person  to  whom 
the  right  of  betrothment  belonged.  In  the  course  of  the  winter 
they  were  married  with  due  ceremony.  Gudrid,  full  of  bold 
resolve,  urged  her  second  husband  to  undertake  an  expedition 
to  Vinland,  in  which  her  first  husband  had  perished.  Accord- 
ingly, in  the  spring  of  1007,  Thorlinn,  accompanied  by  his 
wife,  sailed  to  Vinland,  where  he  remained  three  years.  The 
Sagas  emphasize  the  fact  that  Gudrid  was  the  heart  and  soul 
of  this  expedition,  and  represent  her  as  addressing  her  husband 
in  the  following  language  :  "I  wonder  that  you,  Thortinn,  with 
good  ships  and  many  stout  men,  and  plenty  of  means,  should 
choose  to  remain  in  this  barren  spot  instead  of  searching  out 
the  famous  Vinland  and  making  a  settlement  there.  Just  think 
what  a  splendid  country  it  must  be,  and  what  a  desirable 
change  for  us,  — thick  and  leafy  woods,  like  those  of  old  Nor- 
way, instead  of  these  rugged  cliffs  and  snow-clad  hills ;  fields 
of  waving  grass  and  rye,  instead  of  moss-covered  rocks  and 
sandy  soil ;  trees  large  enough  to  build  houses  and  ships,  in- 
stead of  willow-bushes,  that  are  fit  for  nothing  except  to  save 
our  cattle  from  starvation  when  the  hay  crop  runs  out ;  besides, 
longer  sunshine  in  winter,  and  more  genial  warmth  all  the  year 
round,  instead  of  howling  winds  and  ice  and  snow.  Truly,  I 
think  this  country  has  been  wofully  misnamed  when  they  called 
it  Greenland." 

9.  This  expedition  was  on  a  much  larger  scale  than  any 
that  preceded  it.  It  is  plain  that  Lief  and  Thorwald  and 
Thorstein  had  not  intended  to  make  their  permanent  abode  in 
Vinland.  They  brought  neither  women  nor  flocks  nor  herds 
with  them.  Karsefne  and  Gudrid,  on  the  other  hand,  came 
forth  with  all  the  equipage  for  colonization.  The  party  con- 
sisted of  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  men  and  seven  women.  A 
number  of  cattle  and  sheep  Avere  also  brought  to  America  with 
this  expedition.  They  all  arrived  safe,  and  remained  in  Vin- 
land three  years,  when  the  hostilities  of  the  Indians  compelled 
them  to  give  up  the  colony.  During  his  three  years'  stay  in 
Vinland  Thorfinn  was   not    inactive.      On  the    contrary,    he 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


39 


conducted  an  extensive  and  profitable  trade  with  the  Indians, 
and  began  to  develop  the  resources  of  the  country.  Tho 
year  after  their  arrival  a  son  was  born  to  Thorfinn  and 
Gudrid,  who  was  named  Snorre  Thorfinnson.  He  was  born 
within  the  limits  of  the  present  State  of  Massachusetts,  at 
Buzzard's  Bay,  in  the  year  1008,  and  was  tho  first  man  of 
European  blood  of  whose  birth  in  America  wo  have  any  record. 

10.  The  Sagas  give  elaborate  accounts  of  other  expeditions 
by  the  Norsemen  to  Vinland.  There  is  one  by  Freydis,  1011, 
and  in  the  year  1121  the  Bishop,  Erik  Upsi,  came  as  a  mission- 
ary to  tho  colony.  There  are  also  accounts  of  expeditions  by 
the  Norsemen  to  Great  Irland  (North  and  South  Carolina, 
Georgia,  and  Florida) .  Tho  last-mentioned  was  in  1347,  but 
this  was  in  the  time  of  the  Black  Plague,  which  raged  through- 
out Europe  with  unrelenting  fury  from  1347  to  1351,  and  also 
reached  Iceland,  Greenland,  and  Vinland,  and  cut  off  com- 
munication between  these  countries.  This  plague  reduced  the 
population  of  Norway  alone  from  two  millions  to  three  hundred 
thousand  ;  and  this  fact  gives  us  some  idea  of  tho  terrible  rav- 
ages of  this  fearful  epidemic,  which  may  be  regarded  as  th,e 
inunediate  cause  for  the  withdrawal  of  Norse  settlements  j;i 
America. 

11.  We  may  now  trace  the  chain  of  circumstances  which 
connects  the  discovery  of  America  by  tho  Norsemen  with  that  by 
Christopher  Columbus,  which  is  more  recent  and  better  known. 
In  Washington  Irving's  biography  of  Columbus  wo  learn  from 
a  letter,  written  by  the  explorer  himself,  that  while  the  design  of 
attempting  the  discovery  in  tho  AVest  Avas  maturing  in  his  mind 
he  made  a  voyage  to  Iceland.  This  was  in'/hs  spring  of  1477 . 
We  have  the  right  to  assume  that  in  his  conversations  with  tho 
Bishop  and  other  learned  men  of  Iceland,  he  must  have  been 
informed  of  the  discovery  of  Vinland.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  this  visit  of  Columbus  to  Iceland  was  only  fifteen  years 
before  he  discovered  America,  and  only  one  hundred  and  thirty 
years  after  the  last  Norse  expedition  to  Vinland.  Another 
link  is  furnished  in  the  fact  that  Gudrid,  the  Avife  of  Thorfinn, 
after  the  death  of  the  latter,  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Rome,  where 
shj  was  well  received,  and  where  she  certainly  related  the  story 
of  her  transatlantic  voyage  to  Vinland,  and  her  three  years' 
residence  there.  Rome  paid  much  attention  to  geographical 
discoveries,  and  took  pains  to  collect  all  new  charts  that  were 
brought  there.  They  must  have  heard  of  Vinland  before,  but 
Gudrid  brought  them  personal  evidence.     Again,  that  Vinland 


^ 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


I      S^  I 


was  actually  known  to  the  Vatican  is  manifest  by  the  fact  that 
Pope  Pascal  II.,  in  the  year  1112,  appointed  Erik  Upsi,  Bishop 
of  Iceland,    Greenland,  and   Vinland,    and  this  same  Bishop 
visited  the  latter  place  in  1121.     It  should,  of  course,  be  borno 
in  mind  that  Columbus  lived  in  an  age  of  discovery  ;  England, 
Franco,  Portugal,  and  Spain  were  vying  with   each  other  in 
their  discoveries.     Hence  it  would  be  astonishing  to  believe 
that  Columbus,  in  the  midst  of  these  evidences,  with  his  nautical 
knowledge,  did  not  hear  of  America  years  before  his  ship  left 
Palos.     We  have  also  a  remarkable  record  of  the  early  discovery 
of  America  by  the  Norsemen,  in  the  writings  of  Adam  of  Bre- 
men.    He  visited  Denmark,  and  on  his  return  homo  he  wrote  a 
book  "  On  the  Propagation  of  the  Christian  Religion  in  the 
North  of  Europe,"  and,  at  the  end  of  this  book,  he  added  a 
geographical  sketch  of  the  country  of  the  Norsemen.     In  his 
treatise  he  speaks  of  Vinland  at  considerable  length,  closing- 
with  the  remark,  "This  we  know,  not  by  fabulous  conjecture, 
but  from  positive  statements  of  the  Danes."     Adam  of  Bremen's 
work  was  lirst  published  in  the  year  1073,  and  was  read  by  in- 
telligent men  in  many  parts  of  Europe.     Columbus  being  an 
educated  man,  and  so  deeply  interested  in  geographical  studies^ 
especially  when  they  treated  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  must  have 
read  and  studied  this  work.     These  are  facts,  and  the  biography 
of  Columbus  will  show  that  he  always  maintained  a  firm  con- 
viction that  there  was  land  in  the  West,  aijd  he  honestly  adds, 
that  he  based  this  conviction  on  the  authority  of  the  learned 
writers.     He  stated,  before  he  left  Spain,  that  he  expected  ta 
find  land  soon  after  sailing  about  seven  hunared  leagues  ;  hence 
he  was  acquainted  with  the  breadth  of  the  ocean.     A  day  or 
two  before  coming  in  sight  of  the  New  World,  he  agreed  with 
his  mutinous  crew  that  if  he  did  not  discover  land  within  three 
d-xys  he  would  return.     In  fact  the  whole  history  of  his  discovery 
is  iViught  with  evidence  of  his  previous  knowledge  of  America. 
12.     Such  is  an  account  of  the  Norse  discovery  of  America, 
which  I  have  repeated  in  this  volume,  in  order  that  it  may 
become  as  widely  known  as  any  other  equally  well-authenticated 
historical  narrative  concerning  the  discovery  and  exploration  of 
the  shores  of  America.     I  have  not  given  the  sources  of  my 
own  information  on  this  subject,  deeming  it  unnecessary,  since, 
to  avoid  expense,  the  foot-notes  requisite  to  such  a  course  are 
not  included ;  but   the  authority  upon  which  this  account  is 
given,  as  also  all  other  statements  in  this  work,  is  ample  and 
authentic. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


41 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  DISCOVERY  OF  COLUMBUS  —  OTHER  DISCOVERIES. 

1.  I  HAVE  but  little  space  in  this  work  to  repeat  what  is 
already  well  known  concerning  the  more  recent  voyages  of  dis- 
covery to  America,  but  will  sketch  them,  briefly,  in  their  order. 
On  the  3d  of  August,  1492,  Colum- 
bus, under  the  Avise  patronage  of  the 
Spanish  rulers,  with  a  flotilla  of  three 
small  vessels,  set  sail  on  his  first  voy- 
ajre  to  the  Western  World.  I  slii'll 
not  give  the  particulars  of  the  voyage  ; 
they  are  already  well  known.  The 
empty  days  and  nights  wore  on,  when 
at  length,  at  a  critical  moment,  the 
great  heart  of  Columbus  beat  witL  ueep 
emotion ;  as  the  dove  announced  the 
appearance  of  land  to  the  great  navi- 
gator of  Mosaic  history,  so  was  it  the 
sight  of  land-birds  that  first  sent  the  colu^ibus. 

waves  of  emotion  coursing  through  the  great  soul  of  Columbus. 
These  feathered  messengers  jsroclaimed  his  rear  approach 
to  land  by  the  eloquence  of  their  inspiring  presence. 
Then  came  the  sight  of  sea-weed,  as  a  confirmation  of 
that  which  the  birds  foreshadowed,  at  which  the  heart  of 
Columbus  beat  still  faster.  As  night  came  on,  the  keen  eyes 
of  the  great  commander  were  greeted  by  the  faint  glimmer  of 
distant  lights.  In  these  last  and  dreadful  hours  of  suspense  he 
was  not  left  without  a  sign  by  day  and  by  night.  The  birds, 
sea-weed,  and  faintly  glimmering  lights  were  indeed,  to  the 
heart  of  Columbus,  as  full  of  assurance  as  were  the  pillar  of 
cloud  and  the  pillar  of  fire  to  the  weary  Israelites  in  their  long 
and   painful  marches  to    discover  the  Land  of  Promise.     At 


length,  as  the  morning  twilight  advanced,  joy  filled  the  hearts 
of  the  whole  crew ;  and  the  rising  of  the  sun  on  the  ever 
memorable  lltli  of  October,  1492,  was  greeted  with  continued 
shouts  of  "  Land  !  "  "  Land  !  "  from  the  little  Spanish  fleet. 
Before  the  weeping  eyes  of  Columbus,  whose  heart  could 
not  keep  from  sending  its  crj'stal  tokens  of  joy  upward,  there 


i 


42 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OP  CANADA, 


lay,  in  all  the  grandeur  of  tropical  magnificence,  the  Island  of 
San  Salvador ! 

2.  On  landing,  Columbus  bowed  with  duo  reverence,  and 
kissed  the  soil  with  deep  religious  fervor.  Nor  should  we  too 
lightly  treat  this  ceremony.  Well  miglit  the  lips  of  the  great 
discoverer  press  the  virgi.  of  this  island  of  the  "Western 
World  I  He  raised  the  flag  ^ .  Spain  on  the  island;  and,  in  a 
spirit  of  thankfulness  for  what  had  been  achieved,  the  congre- 
gated crews  chanted  the  Te  Deum.  'J'he  aborigines  of  the 
country  were  not  less  moved  by  the  appearance  of  the  Span- 
iards than  the  voyagers  themselves,  though  in  a  different  way. 
Almost  naked,  they  flocked  around  the  explorers,  being  struck 
with  awe  and  curiosity  at  the  odd  ceremony  enacted  before 
them.  It  is  no  great  wonder  that  these  simple  natives  regarded 
the  strangers  as  children  of  the  Sun  on  a  visit  to  the . earth. 
But  while  the  Indians  were  astonished,  the  Spaniards  were 
overjoyed ;  they  beheld  the  animals,  the  trees,  the  plants, 
which  were  so  different  from  any  they  had  seen  in  Europe. 
The  soil  was  plainly  fertile,  but  nowhere  was  there  a  single 
trace  of  cultivation.  After  making  quite  an  extended  survey 
of  the  island,  Columbus  withdrew  to  his  ships  to  continue  his 
discoveries. 

3.  After  visiting  several  islands,  he  reached  Cuba,  where 
he  also  took  possession,  in  the  name  T)f  their  Spanish  Majesties. 
After  exploring  the  island  for  some  time,  and  obtaining  all  the 
information  possible  from  the  natives,  Columbus  weighed 
anchor  and  sailed  eastward,  discovering  Hnyti,  Avhere  ho  was 
kindly  received  by  an  Indian  chieftain.  While  on  this  coast 
one  of  his  ships  was  wrecked,  and  out  of  the  pieces  of  the 
wreck  he  constructed  a  rude  fort,  to  protect  his  crew  and  his 


new  native  allies  against  the  fierce  Caribs.  He  mounted  the 
little  fort  with  the  guns  of  the  ship,  and  left  a  considerable 
portion  of  his  crew  to  garrison  it.  Shortly  after  he  sailed  for 
Spain,  and  reached  Palos  on  the  15th  of  March,  1493.  There 
was  great  commotion  and  rejoicing  in  Spain  on  the  arrival  of 
Columbus.  He  was  ennobled  by  the  monarchs,  and  tn-ated 
^vith  great  respect  by  all  the  people.  He  made  three  other 
voyages  to  America ;  but  we  have  already  followed  his  discov- 
eries quite  far  enough  for  the  purposes  of  this  work. 

4.  A  distinguished  Florentine  navigator,  named  Americus 
Vespucius,  succeeded  Columbus  in  the  great  work  of  western 
discoveries,  making  four  voyages.  In  an  elaborate  work  on 
his  discoveries  he  managed  to  set  himself  forth  in  such  a  light 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES.  ' 


43 


aa  to  temporarily  overshudow  Columbus,  and  in  this  way  he 
Buccceded  in  giving  his  own  name  to  the  western  continent. 
At  this  time  England  was  only  an  inferior  province,  but  her 
enterprising  heart  was  stirred  with  the  news  of  his  wonderful 
discoveries,  and  in  1496,  John  Cabot,  a  Venetian  merchant, 
residing  at  Bristol,  being  actuated  by  a  strong  desire  to  behold 
the  wonders  of  the  New  World,  obtained  a  commission  from 
King  Henry  VII.,  and  in  June,  on  the  following  year,  with  his 
son  Scl)aslian,  sailed  from  Bristol.  After  a  successful  voyage, 
he  reached  the  shore  of  Newfoundland  and  Nova  Scotia,  the 
latter  of  which  he  named  Prima  Vista.  On  St.  John's  day  he 
discovered  Prince  EdwLrd  -Island,  which  he  called  St.  John. 
In  141)7  Sebastian  Cabot  made  a  second  voyage  to  America, 
reaching  Hudson's  Bay,  in  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  find  a 
passage  to  China.  He  sailed  as  far  southward  as  Florida  after 
failing  in  his  original  design. 

5.  In  the  year  1500  the  King  of  Portugal  sent  out  Gas- 
pard  Cartereal.  Ho  discovered  Labrador,  and  visited  Green- 
land. He  made  a  second  voyage  in  the  following  year,  but 
perished  at  sea.  On  his  return  from  the  first  voyage  he  carried 
with  him  fifty  Indians,  whom  he  sold  as  slaves.  In  1502  his 
brother  Michael  made  a  voyage  in  search  of  him,  and  was  also 
lost. 

(3.  The  value  of  the  cod  fisheries  was  already  attracting  con- 
siderable attention  in  Europe,  especially  in  France,  and  in 
150()  Denys,  of  Honflcur,  explored  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence. 
In  the  following  year  Aubert,  of  Dieppe,  made  a  similar  voy- 
age, and  it  is  well  authenticated  that,  in  these  years,  a  number 
of  French  fishermen  visited  the  coast  of  Newfoundland.  In 
1518  the  Baron  de  Lery  made  a  voyage  to  America,  touching 


at  Sable  Island.  In  1524  John  Verazzani,  a  Florentine  navi- 
gator, made  a  voyage  to  America,  with  four  French  vessels, 
and  in  the  following  year  he  made  another  voyage,  under  the 
patronage  of  the  King  of  France,  and  explored  about  two 
thousand  miles  of  the  eastern  coast  of  America.  He  returned 
to  France  the  same  year,  and  is  said  to  have  made  still  another 
voyage  the  same  year;  but  nothing  was  ever  heard  from  this 
expedition. 

7.  For  nine  years  after  the  last  expedition  by  Verazzani, 
France  did  nothing  towards  making  western  discoveries,  which 
was  probably  due  to  the  sad  effects  of  his  supposed  fate.  But 
in  1534  events  became  more  promising,  and  a  scheme  of  ex- 
ploration and  discovery  was  set  on  foot  which  ended  in  sue- 


,#'■" 


I '  w 


u 


IIISTOnY  OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


1 


ccssful  coloninatioii.  In  that  year,  Philip  Chabot,  Admiral  of 
France,  urged  tho  King,  Francis  I.,  to  cstahlioh  a  colony  in 
America.  Ho  pictured  to  tho  mind  of  his  king  tho  Bucceoces 
of  Spain  and  Portugal  in  similar  enterprises,  which  arouccd 
his  jealousy.  When  ho  had  secured  tho  royal  favor  ho  recom- 
mended Jacques  Car- 
tier,  a  dif.itinguished 
navigator  of '3t.  Halo, 
as  a  euitablo  person 
to  conduct  any  ex- 
pedition v/hich  might 
bo  set  on  foot.  Pur- 
suant to  theco  plans 
Cartier  sailed  fcr  tho 
New  V/orld,  rcach- 
hig  tho  coasts  of 
Newfoundland  in 
twenty  days.  Paosing 
through  tho  straits  of 
Bello  IdIc,  he  reached 
tho  coasts  of  New 
Brunswick,  vrhen,  on 
tho  9th  of  July,  ho 
entered  a  ba}^  v>hich,, 
on  account  of  the  in- 
tcnso  heat,  ho  named 
"Baio  des  Chalcurs." 
On  tho  24th  of  July 
ho  sailed  out  of  tho 
bay  and  rounded  tho 
headland  of  Gaspe, 
where  ho  landed  and 
took  possession  of  tho 
country  in  tho  namo  of  his  king,  erecting  a  cross,  thirty  feet 
high,  on  which  he  placed  the  arms  of  France,  and  an  inscrip- 
tion emblematic  of  tho  sovereignty  of  Franco  in  America. 
Making  some  farther  observations,  ho  completed  his  work  and 
returned  to  France,  taking  with  him  two  Indians,  from  r/hom 
he  gained  considerable  information  concerning  tho  interior  of 
Canada,  particularly  the  river  St.  LaAvrence. 

8.  Cartier's  first  trip  only  lired  his  zeal.  Ho  desired  to 
make  farther  explorations,  to  enter  the  river  of  which  tho 
Indians  had  spoken.     Hence,  in  May,  1535,  ho  again  sailc^ 


JA.OQUSS  OABTIEB. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


45 


from  St.  Malo ;  this  time  with  thrco  ships.  Tho  voyage  was 
tempestuous,  but  ho  reached  Ncwtbuudhiiid  in  July,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  explore  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawronco,  wiiich  he  had 
visited  the  3'car  before.  On  tlie  10th  day  of  August  he  entered 
a  bay  at  tho  mouth  of  a  river,  now  called  St.  .John,  which  ho 
called  St.  Lawrence,  from  having  entered  it  on  the  festival  of 
that  saint,  which  was  a  usual  custom.  This  name  has  since 
been  applied  to  the  gulf  and  river  emptying  into  it,  which 
Cai-tier  was  the  first  to  discover  and  explore.  On  tho  1st  of 
September  ho  reached  tho  Saguenay ;  and  on  tho  7th,  tho 
Isle  of  Orleans.  At  this  place  he  sent  his  two  captive  Indians 
ashore,  and  commissioned  them  to  negotiate;  a  favorable  recep- 
tion for  himself  among  the  savages.  Thoy  Vorc  successful,  and 
on  tho  following  day  he  was  kindly  received  by  Donacona,  a 
powerful  Algonquin  chief. 

9.  Cartier  resumed  his  journey  and  proceeded  np  tho  river, 
where,  in  a  basin  formed  by  tho  junction  of  tho  St.  Charles 
with  tho  St.  Lawrence,  he  established  his  vessels  for  the  winter. 
Here  stood  the  Indian  village  of  Stadacona,  near  where  now 
stands  tho  old  city  of  Qucboc.  Being  now  located,  or  estab- 
lished, for  the  winter,  Cartier  set  himself  at  work  making 
observations,  and  gaining  what  knowledge  he  could  from  tho 
Indians.  Learning  of  tho  Indian  village  called  Kannatoe, 
located  some  seven  days'  journey  to  the  west,  ho  resolved  to 
visit  it;  but  before  venturing  among  tho  savages  he  thought  it 
prudent  to  advertise  his  power  and  importance  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, and  for  this  purpose  caused  several  of  his  cannon  to  be 
discharged.  The  performance  had  tho  desired  effect.  Taking 
one  of  his  ships  and  two  l)oats,  Cartier  sot  out  on  tho  19th  of 
September,  and  on  the  2d  of  October  ho  reached  Ilochclaga, 
an  Indian  village,  situated  on  the  island  where  the  metropolis 
of  the  Dominion  now  stands, — the  city  of  Montreal .  Here  he 
met  two  thousand  savages,  who  greeted  him  kindly,  and  with 
whom  he  exchanged  knives  and  beads  for  fish  and  maize.  Thus, 
in  1535,  Cartier  explored  the  site  of  Montreal,  making  a  visit 
to  the  summit  of  the  now  celebrated  Mount  Royal,  and  admir- 
ing the  beautiful  prospect  therefrom. 

10.  Cartier  and  his  crew  spent  the  winter  at  their  quarters 
before  mentioned,  near  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Quebec ; 
but  it  was,  in  every  sense,  a  wretched  winter  for  tho  adven- 
turers. Many  of  them  died  of  a  disease  contracted  by  inter- 
course with  the  natives,  and  all  would,  probably,  have  met  the 
same  fate  had  not  the  Indians  themselves  prescribed  a  remedy. 


Im^ 


46 


HISTORY  OP  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


AVliou  tho  long  winter  had  ended,  and  the  jco  had  disiippoarod 
from  tho  river,  Cartier  prepared  to  return  homo.  On  tho  3d 
of  May  ho  erected  a  cross,  with  tho  arma  of  France  upon  it,  — 
a  token  of  his  having  taken  possession  of  the  country  in  the 
mime  of  his  king,  and  on  the  (Ith  of  the  same  month,  having  cap- 
tured Donacona,  two  other  chiefs,  and  eight  warriors,  ho  saikid 
for  Franco,  reaching  St.  Mak)  on  tho  8th  of  July,  1536. 
These  Indians,  thus  cruelly  taken  to  Europe,  all  died  soon  after 
reaching  Franco,  nor  did  their  baptism,  with  great  pomp  and 
ceremony  in  tho  cathedral  of  llouen,  atone  for  tho  wrong  com- 
mitted upon  them. 

11.  On  Cartier's  return  to  France  ho  found  hks  king  too 
much  engaged  with  internal  religious  dissensions,  and  with  a 
war  with  Spain,  to  devote  much  time  or  means  to  farther  trans- 
atlantic schemes.  Thus  tivo  years  elapsed  before  anything 
farther  was  done  to  aid  Cartier's  return  to  Canada.  However, 
in  1541,  another  expedition  was  made  ready,  to  the  command 
of  which  tho  French  king  had  appointed  Jean  Francois  do  la 
Roque,  Sieur  do  Koberval,  a  native  of  Picardy.  The  royal 
commission  to  this  gentleman  created  him  tho  ilrst  viceroy  of 
Canada.  Jacques  Cartier  was  named  second  in  command  ;  but, 
through  some  delay,  M.  do  ^  Nerval  was  not  ready  to  embark 
at  tho  appointed  time,  and  tier,  in  May.  1541,  set  out  in 
advance.  Tho  viceroy  folio*. ou  his  lieutenant  in  April  of  the 
next  year ;  but  in  tho  mean  time  Cartier  had  reached  the  scene 
of  his  visit.  He  was  at  first  received  kindly  by  tho  Indians ; 
but  when  they  were  informed  of  the  death  of  their  chief,  Dona- 
cona, and  the  other  chiafs  and  warriors  whom  the  French  had 
taken  away,  they  became  very  hostile,  which  caused  Cartier  to 
move  farther  up  the  river,  to  Cape  Rouge.  Here  he  made  a 
little  settlement,  fortified  by  two  small  forts  or  stockades, 
which  he  named  Charlesbourg  Koyal.  Here  he  left  Beaupr6 
in  command,  and  sailed  up  tho  river  to  Hochelaga,  where  ho 
made  an  attempt  upon  the  Sault  St.  Louis,  — Lachino  Rapids, 
—  but,  failing  in  tho  effort,  he  returned  to  Cape  Rouge,  whcro 
he  spent  the  winter.  In  the  following  spring,  1542,  ho  sailed 
for  France.  At  Newfoundland  he  met  M.  do  Roberval,  who 
ordered  him  to  return  to  Canada,  which  ho  avoided  by  weigh- 
ing anchor  in  the  night,  and  continuing  his  voyage  homeward. 
However,  Roberval  prc-.sed  forward  and  spent  the  winter  at 
Cape  Rouge.  Ho  explored  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Saguenay,  and  made  extensive  observations  in  the  vicinity  of 
Montreal;  but  after  suffering  many  hardships  he  returned  to 


IS. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


47 


Franco  in  tho  summer  of  1543.  Soon  after  Curticr's  return  to 
France  ho  died,  but  his  eminent  services  were  not  overlooked 
by  his  king>  Ho  hud  been  ennobled,  and  license  to  trade  in 
Canada  was  granted  to  his  heirs  for  twelve  years  after  his 
death. 

12.  Owing  to  tho  death  of  Cartier,  and  tho  continued 
internal  religious  troubles  in  France,  Canada  was  now  almost 
forgotten  by  tho  king  and  tho  nobility.  This  continued  for 
nearly  fifty  years.  Meanwhile,  however,  they  projected  col- 
onics in  i)ru;sil  and  Florida;  but  theso  fail(<d.  In  1508  tho 
Marquis  do  la  Rocho  was  constituted  tho  first  lieutenant-gen- 
eral of  tho  king,  and  vested  with  power  to  grant  leases  of 


lands  in  Now  Franco,  in  form  of  fiefs,  to  "men  of  gentlo 
blood."  This  may  bo  regarded  as  tho  origin  of  tho  feudal 
system,  afterwards  introduced  into  Canada,  and  subsequently 
modified  by  Cardinal  Richelieu  into  a  seigniorial  tenure,  which 
was  not  finally  abolished  until  1854.  Tho  marquis  sailed  for 
Nova  Scotia,  but  reached  only  Sablo  Island,  where  he?  landed 
forty  French  convicts,  with  tho  intention  of  leaving  them  there 
until  ho  should  select  a  site  for  a  permanent  settlement.  lie 
was  pre  ;nted  from  doing  this  by  a  fearful  storm.  Barely 
touching  tho  coast  of  Nova  Scotia,  ho  became  discouraged,  and 
returned  to  Franco,  leaving  tho  convicts  to  their  tato.  In 
1G05  tho  Icing  sent  out  a  ship  for  their  relief,  but  only  twelve 
men  were  found  alive.  Theso  wero  taken  to  France,  and 
granted  a  full  pardon  by  King  Henry  IV.,  on  account  of  their 
hardships.  Tho  marquis  was  unfortunate  in  his  finances,  lost 
all  his  fortune,  and  died  unhappily  ;  so  his  administration  of  tho 
affairs  of  Canada  was  fraught  with  no  good  results. 

But  during  La  Roche's  unfortunate  expedition  to  Canada, 
from  which  no  good  seems  to  have  come,  there  was  a  class  of 
peoplo  in  Franco  doing  nioro  to  demonstrate  tho  value  of  theso 
transatlantic  regions  than  either  king  or  nobility.  I  refer  to 
tho  merchants.  They  had  already  begun  to  profit  by  tho  trade 
in  fish  and  furs.  Tho  fishermen  continued  to  frequent  tho 
coasts  of  Newfoundland.  A  bold  adventurer,  under  tho  leader- 
ship of  Dupont  Grave  and  Chauvin,  made  several  voyages  to 
Tadousac,  carrying  homo  valuable  cargoes  of  rich  fnrs.  A 
stono  building,  which  was  tho  first  ever  put  up  in  Canada,  was 
erected  at  Tadousac,  and  from  that  point,  even  in  those  early 
(lays,  tho  fur  trade  was  for  a  long  time  prosperous.  Later, 
when  theso  random  expeditions  began  to  wane.  Do  Chaste, 
then  Governor  of  Dieppe,  formed  a  company  of  Rouen  mer- 


m 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


chants,  t )  prosecute  the  traffic  In  furs  more  successfully.  In 
this  step  the  colonization  of  Canada  may  be  said  to  have  had 
its  origin.  It  was  on  the  wings  of  commerce  that  French  civ- 
ilizi'tion  came  to  Canada,  after  all.  Talk  as  you  please  of,  and 
appliud  as  you  justly  may,  the  piety  and  privations  of  the 
Jesuit  missionaries,  yet  it  was  not  Roman  Catholic  zeal  which 
colonized  New  France.  It  was  for  valuable  cargoes  of  rish, 
and  more  particularly  of  fur,  which  induced  the  bold  expedi- 
tions of  the  French  westward,  rather  than  the  souls  of  the  red 
men.  The  priests  may  have  labored  hard  to  win  the  savages 
to  the  gospel  of  the  cross.  Indeed,  there  can  be  no  doubt  of 
this ;  but  their  efforts  were  not  more  futile  than  were  their 
maintenance  in  the  western  world  dependent  upon  the  enter- 
prising schemes  of  French  merchants,  which,  in  ctnijunction 
with  and  under  the  royal  patronage  of  the  French  king,  gave 
rise  to  the  permanent  French  settlements  in  America. 

14.  Do  Chaste's  company  of  Rouen  merchants  determined 
upon  active  measures,  and  in  1003  secured  the  services  of 
Samuel  Champlain,  who  had  just  returned  to  France  from  a 
voyage  to  the  West  Indies.  Champlain  proved  himself  to  bo 
just  the  man  to  whom  so  important  a  mission  as  that  of  found- 
ing the  first  French  settlements  in  America  should  be  intrusted. 
Accompanied  by  Dupont  Grave,  v/ho  had  been  associated  with 
Chauvin,  Champlain  set  sail,  with  three  small  vessels,  in  the 
same  year.  Passing  into  the  St.  Lawrence,  he  examined  the 
site  of  Three  Rivers,  with  a  view  of  establishing  a  trading-post 
there,  and  then  pushed  forward  to  Hochelaga,  which  he  found 
deserted,  except  by  a  few  scattering  aborigines.  He  ascended 
Mount  Royal,  and  stood  where  Carticr  had  stood  more  than  sixty 
years  before ;  but  after  making  some  observations  he  and  his 
comrades  returned  to  France. 

15.  However,  France  was  not  keeping  pace  with  the  other 
nations  in  the  contest  of  American  colonization,  but  she  was 
now  to  take  more  thorough  measures.  De  Chaste  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Sieur  de  Monts,  Governor  of  Pons,  to  whom 
King  Henry  had  accorded  a  monopoly  of  the  fur  trade,  Avhich 
had  now  become  the  chief  motive  power  of  all  French  expe- 
ditions. His  charter  included  all  parts  of  North  America  lying 
between  Cape  de  Roze,  in  Newfoundland,  and  the  fiftieth 
degree  of  north  latitude ;  it  farther  declared  that  all  French 
P''tcsvant8  should  enjoy  in  America,  as  they  then  did  in 
France,  full  freedom  for  their  public  worship,  with  the  one 


rcservaiion  that  the  work  of  convertiiisf  the  Indians  should  be 


4s    ■■->l 


i"    i 


EXGLAXD,   AXD   THE  UNITED  STATES- 


40 


left  exclusively  to  tho  Catholics.  Do  ISIonts  was  a  man  of 
great  ability,  who  had  diytinguishcd  himself  by  his  loyalty 
and  sagacity ;  henco  ho  Avas  just  the  man  to  succeed  Do 
Chasto  in  tho  manage- 
mout  of  tho  company's 
affairs.  I  refer  to  t)io 
company  of  mercliants 
organized  by  Do 
Chaste.  IIo  increased 
and  fully  revived  this 
company  by  including 
tiume  of  tho  principal 
merchants  of  Ilochclle 
and  otlior  cities. 
Four  ships  wore 
manned  and  provi- 
sioned ;  two  of  these 
were  designed  for  the 
fur  trade  at  Tadousac, 
whence  they  were  to 
search  tlie  entire  coast 
and  protect  the  com- 
pany in  their  fur-trad- 
ing monopol}^ ;  the 
other  two  vessels  were 
to  carry  the  colonists 
to  suitable  places  for^^pf 
settlement.  The  ships  ^^ 
which  were  now  ready 
sailed  from  Ilavrc-de- 
Grace  in  March,  1G04. 
Do  Monts,  preferring 
Acadia  to  Canada, 
sailed  Avitli  two  ships 
in  that  direction.  Ills  prefcronco  was  based  on  the  supposition 
that  tho  climate  was  milder  in  tliat  region.  Acadia,  or  Nova 
Scotia,  was  the  chief  centre  of  French  American  traffic  at  that 
time.  In  these  ships  wore  Roman  Catholic  priests,  Protestant 
ministers,  artisans,  agriculturalists,  nnd  soldiers.  Samuel  Cham- 
plain,  a  distinguishc<l  French  navigator,  and  ]\I.  Do  Poutrincourt, 
a  gentleman  of  wealth,  wlio  intended  to  settle  in  America,  also 
accompanied  Do  Monts  on  this  important  oxpcclition.  Do  Monts 
and  his  companions  made  a  prctt^''  general  exploration  of  the 


siErn  vn  monts. 


JO 


HISTORY   OP  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


Avcstcru  portion  of  Nova  Scotia,  antl  the  southern  part  of  New 
Brunswick,  Avith   some   portions    of  JNIainc.     Finally  ho    dis- 
covered a  l)eautiftd  spot,  near  an  enclosed  sheet  of  water,  which 
ho   called   Port   lloyal    (Annapolis).      Poutrincourt   was    de- 
lighted with  the  place,  and  decided  upon  it  as  suitable  for  a 
settlement,  and  De  Monts,  who,  by  his  patent,  owned  half  the 
continent,  made  him  a  grant  of  it.     This  grant  Avas  the  first 
made  in  America,  and  was  afterwards  contirnied   by  letters 
patent  from  Henry  IV.     Do  Monts  then  sailed  in  search  of  a 
place  for   his  own  settlement.     lie    discovered   the  St.  John 
river,  and  at  length  lixed  upon  a  rocky  islet,  at  the  mouth  of 
another  river,  which  he  named  St.  Croix.     "  Here  he  remained 
din"ing  the  winter,  while  Champlain  explored  the  coast  ns  far  as 
Penobscot.     In  the  following  sunmier  ho  went  in  search  of  a 
more  eligible  site  for  his  settlement ;  but,  an  untoward  accident 
having  occurred  at  Cape  Cod,  he  became  discouraged  and  re- 
turned to  St.  Croix.     Not  wishing  to  remain  another  Avinter  at  St. 
Croix,  De  Monts  remoA^ed  the  colony  to  Port  Royal .     Unpleasant 
news,  however,  induced  him  to  return  at  once  to  France,  Avherc 
he  found  strong  opposition  to  his  colonizing  schemes.    Through 
the  zeal  of  Poutrincourt  and  Marc  Lescarbot  (a  lawyer  and 
poet)  he  AA'^as  enabled  to  lit  out  another  ship,  and  to  despatch  it 
to  the  colony  in  charge  of  these  tAvo  friends.     In  the  mean  time 
Dupont  Grave,  Avho  had  employed  his  leisure  in  exploring  the 
neighboring   coasts,  returned  to  France;   Avhile  Poutrincourt 
and  Champlain  continued  the  explorations,  leaving  Lescarl)ot 
in  charge  of  the  colony.     Lescarbot  busied  himself  in  tilling 
the  soil,  and  in  collecting  materials  for  a  projected  history  of 
New  France.     Ilis  versatility  and  vivacity  infused  new  life  into 
the  sell-exiled  colonists  at  Pcn-t  Royal ;  but  in  the  midst  of 
th'iir  enjoyment  news  arrived  that  the  Do  Monts'  charter  had 
been  rescinded,  and  that  the  company  refused  any  longer  to 
bear   the   expense  of  the    colony.     There  Avas,  therefore,  no 
alternative  but  to  al)andon  it ;  and,  nuu;h  to  the  grief  of  Mcm- 
berton  (the  Acnerable  Indian  sagamore  of  Annapolis,  Avho  had 
been  their  fast  friend),  Poutrincourt,  Champlain,  Lescarbot, 
and  other  colonists,  quitted  the   settlement  and  returned  to 
Franco  in  1007." 

Leaving  Nova  Scotia  for  a  short  time,  let  us  turn  our  atten- 
tion to  Canada,  to  which  De  Monts,  in  1G07,  having  abandoned 
Nova  Scotia,  now  directed  his  etforts.  It  Avas  probably  through 
the  rcpi-esentations  of  Champlain  that  DeJNlonts  now  attempted 
to    establish   a    settlement    on    the   St.    Lawrence.      Having 


ENGLAND,   AND  TTTH  UNITED   STATES. 


51 


obtained   a   renewal   of  his   charter   for  ono   year,    ho   fitted 
out  two  vessels,  and  cominittcd  tho   expedition  to   tho   caro 
of    Champlain,    appointing    Dupont    Grav6    his     lieutenant. 
This  expedition 
sailed  from  Ilarlleur 
on    tho     13th     of 
April,    1608,    and 
arrived  at  Tadousao 
on  tho  3d  of  Juno. 
Hero  Dupont  Grav6 
remained   to   trado 
with    tho    In(li:uis, 
while       Champlain 
pushed  forward  up 
tlie    St.  Lawrence, 
looking  for  a  suit- 4^ 
able  placo  to  niako  ^"^/^ 

a   settlement.      lie  ^^^^^^h  .^^H^^^      ''i^a^^i^^^ 

arrived  at  tho  site 
of  tho  Indian  vil- 
lage of  Stadacona, 
on  the  3d  of  «Tuly.^ 
Here,  after  scru- 
tiny, his  choice  fell 
upon  a  hold  prom- 
ontory, cove  od 
by  a  luxuriant 
growth  of  vines, 
and  shaded  by  largo 
walnut  trees,  called  by  tho  natives,  most  of  whom  had  now 
deserted  tho  place,  Kebec  or  Qucl)cc.  Near 'iao  placo  Cartier 
had  erected  a  fort,  and  passed  a  winter,  sixty -three  years  before. 
17.  At  this  i)laee,  on  tho  3d  of  July,  1008,  Champlain  laid 
tho  foundation  of  tho  present  city  of  Quebec.  First  of  all, 
rude  buiklinjxa  were  erected  on  tho  elevation,  to  servo  as  a  tem- 
porary  protection  to  tho  colonists.  "  Nature  herself  would  seem 
to  have  formed  tho  table  land,  whoso  basc^s  aro  bathcxl  by  tho 
rivers  St.  Lawrence,  Capo  liouge,  and  St.  Charles,  as  tho  cradle, 
fu'st,  of  tlio  colony  ;  next,  tho  central  point  of  an  after  empire. 
It  Avas  not  to  bo  wondered  at,  therefore,  that  tho  tact  of  Cham- 
plain led  him  at  onco  to  pitch  i'moii  this  locality  as  tho  proper 
head-quarters  of  tho  projected  c.--.  iljlishment.  Having  fairly  set 
his  hands  at  work,  Champlain  soon  saAV  rise  bcforo  him  a  fort, 


BAMUEL  CnAUri^JH. 


52 


IIISTOUY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


Ir    il; 


of  some  extent  and  rcspect!i1)lc  strength,  while  several  hihorers 
were  busied  in  elearin<^  eontii^uous  hind  for  tilhige,  or  in  other 
useful  and  urgent  works.  The  foinidations  of  a  town,  3'et  to 
heoomo  one  of  the  most  famous  eities  of  tiio  New  World,  were 
now  being  laid  in  the  presence  of  wondering  red  men  of  the 
Avoods." —  Garneau.  When  the  tempoi'ary  buildings  Avcre 
erected,  an  extensive  embankment  was  formed  securely  above 
the  reach  of  the  highest  tides,  where  Mountain  street  was  af- 
terwards located,  on  which  the  more  permanent  dwellings  and 
fortitications  were  built. 

18.  It  should  be  observed  that  the  native  population  of  Can- 
ada, in  the  neighborhood  of  Quebec  and  Mount  Ko3'al,  Avas  no 
longer  what  it  Avas  in  the  days  of  Cartier.  The  Hirifty  villages 
of  Stadacona  and  Ilochelaga  had  fallen  into  ruiii>.  The  brave, 
athlete  AAarriors  no  longer  darted  Avith  a  nervous  agility  through 
the  Avoodlands  bordering  the  great  river,  but,  in  their  places,  a 
dAvarf,  shrunken,  sutfering,  conquered  race  stalked  moodil}',  in 
desultory  bands.  It  Avas  plain  that,  during  the  absence  of  the 
French,  the  furies  of  a  barbarous  Avarfare  had  raged  in  many 
quarters  along  this  fertile  valley.  The  Algonquins  had  been 
sorely  defeated  by  their  old  enemies,  the  Iroquois,  and  AAcrc 
glad  to  find  in  Champlain  a  possible  redress, of  their  grievarices. 
When  closely  pressed  regarding  the  country  to  the  south  and 
west,  and  urged  to  act  as  guides  to  an  ex'iloring  exjiedition  to 
that  region,  they  shrank  with  terror  from  entering  a  country  in 
which  they  Avould  be  under  the  merciless  Aveapons  of  their  ene- 
mies. Champlain  Avas  not  long  in  discovering  that  his  Indian 
friends  Averc  living  in  mortal  terror  of  the  Five  Nations,  Avho 
inhabited  the  coitntry  to  the  south  and  Avest  of  Lake  Ontario. 
Utterly  unable  to  hold  out  against  these  fierce  enemies,  they 
sought  the  aid  of  the  French  colonists  against  them.  Cham- 
plain, unaAvare  of  the  strength  of  the  Iroquois  confederacy, 
and  unacquainted  Avith  the  possibilities  of  an  Indian  Avarfare, 
entered  into  an  alliance  with  the  Indians  he  found  inhabiting  the 
LoAver  St.  Lawrence  against  their  foes,  perhaps  the  more  readily 
since  lie  hoped  to  be  able  thereby  to  establish  a  lasting  peace 
with  the  native  tribes  nearest  his  colonv.  But  in  this  the  srreat 
pioneer  committed  a  grave  error,  for  Avhich  ho  is  hardly  to  bo 
censured. 

19.  The  colonists  passed  the  Avinter  at  Quebec,  but  hap- 
pily Avithout  experiencing  the  hardships  of  their  predecessors. 
But  there  Avere  sufficient  reasons  for  this  difference.  They  had 
much  better  dvA'ellings,  Avarmer  clothing,  an  abundance  of  good 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


53 


of  the 

I  many 

1  been 

\  Avcrc 

'■1 

ances. 

th  and 

1 

tion  to 

i 

itry  in 

,} 

ir  eno- 

Inclian 

^ 

s,  Avho 

" "  ''/■ 

iitavio. 

<,  they 

Cliam- 

eracy, 

irfare, 

ng  the 

•eadily 

peace 

5  great 

to  be 

t  hap- 

)ssors. 

!y  had 

'  good 

provisions,  and  perhaps  a  more  enthusiastic  commandor.  But 
little  of  importance  occurred  during  tlu;  winter.  Friendly  re- 
lations were  maintained  between  the  whites  and  the  natives, 
not  only  among  the  Algonipiins,  but  even  the  distant  Iroquois 
sent  a  deputation  to  the  fort,  soliciting  the  friendship  of  Cham- 
plain,  and  offering  him  in  return  all  the  aid  within  their  power 
in  exploring  the  country  of  the  west. 

20.  Thus  was  Quel)ec  established,  in  IfnJS.  A' rude  fort 
was  erected  on  that  spot,  which  has  since  become  famous  in  the 
literary  annals  of  two  great  nations.  From  that  early  centre  of 
civilization  radiated  afterwards,  as  we  shall  see,  a  large  number 
of  French  settleanents,  embracing  those  in  Newfoundland,  Cape 
Breton,  Nova  Scotia,  Upper  Canada,  Michigan,  and  through 
the  AVabash,  Ohio,  and  Mississippi  vallej's,  as  far  south  as 
Louisiana.  Thus  I  have  trticed,  brielly,  a  complete  narrative 
of  the  early  explorations  and  settlonicuts  in  America.  These 
explorations  had  lasted  during  the  tifteenth  and  sixteen  cen- 
turies, and  at  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  the  only  permanent  settle- 
ments were  those  of  the  Spaniards  at  St.  Augustine  and  Santa 
F6.  At  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century  permanent 
settlements  multiplied.     They  were  made  by 

The  French  at  Port  lioi/al,  JV.S.,      m  160 fi ; 
The  English  at  Jcnneatown,  in  1607 ; 

The  FuENCH  at  Quebec,  in  1608; 

The  Dutch  at  New  York,  m  1613; 

The  English  Vi^iiiiKS^  at  Plymouth,  in  1620. 

21.  Now,  to  reca[)itidato  the  whole  subject,  by  way  of 
chronology,  so  far  as  1  have  pursued  it,  we  have  the  following 
valuable  result :  — 

1492.     Columbus  discovered  the  Now  World,  October  12. 
1 1'J7.     The  Cabots  discovered  Labra(h)r,  July  3. 
1498.     The  Cabots  ex[)lored  the  Atlantic  Coast. 

.    South     America    Avas     discovered    by    Columbus, 
Auirust  10. 
Vasco  do  Gama  sailed  around  the   Capo  of  Good 
Hope  and  discovered  a  passage  to  India. 
ir)12.     Ponce  dci  Leon  discovered  Florida,  Ai)ril  0. 
ir)13.     Balboa  saw  the  Pacific  Ocean,  September  29. 
1519-21.     Cortez  conquered  Mexico. 

ir)20.     Magellan  discovered  and  sailed  through  the  straits 


54 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


i'^f'li 


which   bear   his  name,  into    the   Pacific  Ocean ; 
and  his  vessel,  retnrnin*^"  home  hy  the  Capo  of 
Good  Hope,  had  made  the  iiist  circunuiavigation 
of  the  globe. 
1524.     Verrazani  explored  the  coast  of  North  America. 
1528.     Nnrvacz  explored  part  of  Florida. 
1534-35.     Cartior  discovered  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  and  as- 
cended the  river  to  Montreal. 
1539-41.     Do  Soto  rambled  over  the  Southern  States,  and  in 

1541  discovered  Mississippi  river. 
1540-42.     Cabrillo  explored   California  and  sailed  along  the 

PaciHc  coast. 
1541-42.     Robcrval  attempted  to  plant  a  colony  on   the  St. 
Lawrence,  but  failed. 
15G2.     Ribaut  attempted  to  plant  a  Huguenot  colony  at 

Fort  Royal,  but  failed. 
15G4.     Laudonniero  attempted  to  plant  another  Huguenot 
colony  on  St.  John's  river.     It  was  destroyed  by 
the  Spaniards. 
15G5.     Melcndez    founded    a    colony   at    St.    Augustine, 
Florida ;  first  permanent  settlement  in  the  United 
States. 
1576-7.     Frobisher  tried  to  find  a  north-west  passage  ;  entered 
Baflin's    Bay,    and   twice   attempted  to  found   a 
colony  in   Labrador,  but  failed. 
1578-80,     Drake   sailed  along  Pacific  coast  to  Oregon,  Avin- 
tered  in  San  Francisco,  Jind  t-ircumnavigated  the 
gh^be. 

1582.  Espejo  founded  Santa  Fe  ;  second  eldest  town  in  the 

United  States. 

1583.  Gilbert  attempted  to  reach  the  continent,  but  was 

lost  at  sea. 
1583-7.       Raleigh  twice  attempted  to  plant  a  colony  in  Vir- 
ginia, but  failed. 

1602.       Gosnold  discovered  Cape  Cod,  May  14. 

1605.  De  Monts  established  a  colony  at  Port  Royal,  Nova 
Scotia ;  first  permanent  French  settlement  in 
America. 

1607.  The  English  settled  Jamestown ;  first  permanent 

English  settlement  in  America,  Llay  23. 

1608.  Champlain  planted  a  colony  at  Quebec  ;  first  per- 

manent Fi-ench  settlement  in  Canada. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


55 


IGOD.     Hudson  discovered  Hudson  llivor. 

Champluiii  discovered  Lake  Clianiplain. 
1G13.     Settlement  of  New  York  by  the  Dutch. 
1G20.     Puritans  settled  at  riyniouth  ;  iirst  Kuglish  settle- 
ment in  New  England,  December  21. 


« » « 


CHAPTER   V. 

AMERICAN  EXPLORATIONS. 


EXPLORATIONS    BT    THE    SPANISH,    ENGLISH,    AND    DUTCH  —  FIRST    SETTLEMENTS  — 

1000   TO    ICOO. 

1.  More  than  a  century  had  nbw  elapsed  since  Columbus 
discovered  America,  yet  in  no  part  of  the  present  Dominion  of 
Cauada  had  a  permanent  settlement  been  eficcted  ;  but  this  was 
not  the  case  with  other  i)ortions  of  America.  Hence  we  will  turn 
for  a  moment  and  trace  the  current  of  events  in  those  (juarters, 
and  in  this  short  diversion  "wc  will  return  to  the  beginning  of 
the  sixteenth  century.  First,  then,  as  to  the  operations  of  the 
Spaniards,  Avho  were  foremost  among  the  earliest  Avestern  ex- 
plorations. "  America,  at  this  time,"  says  one  writer,  "  was  to 
the  Spaniard  a  land  of  vague  but  magniticent  promise,  where 
the  siuiple  natives  wore  unconsciously  the  costliest  gems,  and 
the  sands  of  the  rivers  sparkled  with  gold.  Every  returniug 
ship  brought  fresh  news  to  quicken  the  pulse  of  Spanish  enthu- 
siasm. Now,  Cortez  had  taken  Mexico,  and  revelled  in  the 
wealth  of  the  Montc'zumas  ;  now,  Pizarro  had  conquered  Peru, 
and  captured  the  riches  of  the  Incas ;  now,  ^Magellan,  sailing 
through  the  straits  w^hicli  bear  his  name,  had  crossed  the  Paciiic, 
and  his  vessel,  returning  home  by  the  Capo  of  Good  Hope,  had 
circunmavigated  the  globe.  jNIcu  of  the  highest  rank  and  cul- 
ture, warriors,  adventiu'crs,  all  Hocked  to  the  New  AVorld.  Soon 
Cuba,  Ilispaniola,  Porto  liico,  and  Jamaica  were  settled,  and 
ruled  by  Spanish  governors.  Among  the  Spanish  explorers  of 
the  sixteenth  century  was,  first,  Ponce  de  Leon,  a  gallant 
soldier,  but  an  old  man,  and  in  disgrace.  He  coveted  th<'  ^lory 
of  eoncjuest  to  restore  his  tarnished  reputation,  and,  besides,  he 
had  hoard  of  a  magical  fountain,  in  this  fairy  land,  where  one 
might  bathe  and  bo  young  again.     He  accordingly  equipped  an 


!«;  '-'A 


56 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


expedition,  aiul  sailccl  in  scjirch  of  this  fahlcci  troasuro.  On 
Kiistor  (Sunday,  1512,  ho  came  in  sight  of  a  land  gay  "willi  sprinj^ 
flowcu'H.  In  honor  of  tho  day  he  call(>d  it  Florida,  lie  sailed 
along  the  coast,  touching  several  points,  but  returned  homo  at 
lust,  having  found  neither  youth,  gold,  nor  glory." 

2.  Tho  second  of  these  ^Spanish  explorers  was  Balboa,  who 
crossed  tho  Isthmus  of  Darien  in  1513,  and  from  tho  summit  of 
tho  Andes  beheld  tho  wide  expanse  of  tho  Paeitio  Ocean.  Wad- 
ing into  its  waters  with  his  naked  sword  in  ono  hand,  and  tho 
banner  of  Castilo  in  the  other,  he  solemnly  declared  that  the 
ocean,  and  all  the  shorea  which  it  might  touch,  belonged  to  tho 
crown  of  Spain  forever.  Tho  third  of  these  Spanish  explorers 
was  l)o  Narvac'i,  who  received  a  giant  of  Florida,  and,  in  1528, 
with  three  luni' a  cdmen,attenij)ted its conijuest.  Striking  into  tho 
interior,  they  wandered  about,  allured  by  tho  prospect  of  gold. 
Finally  they  reached  tho  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Hero  they  constructed 
somo  boats  and  put  to  sea,"  but  after  six  weeks  of  peril  they 
were  shipwrecked.     Do  Narvaez  was  lost.     Six  years  later  tho 


SS  SOTo's  MAKCU, 


only  four  survivors  of  the  ex;  edition  reached  tho  Spanish 
settlements  on  the  Pacitic  coast.  Tho  next  was  Ferdinand  do 
Soto,  who,  undismayed  by  these  failures,  resolved  upon  tho  con- 
quest of  Florida,    ilo  set  out  with  six  hundred  choice  men,  amid 


$.   ''  i 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


67 


the  llultcring  of  Naniior.s,  tho  poaliiiijj  <)t'tninii)cts,  jukI  the  <^leain- 
iiig  of  ht'lmet  and  lanee.  For  month  after  month  thits  procession 
of  cavaliers,  priests,  soldiers,  and  Indian  cai)tives  strolled 
through  the  wilderness,  wherever  they  suspected  a  pros|)e('t  of 
gold.  They  traversed  Georgia,  Alabama,  and  Mississippi. 
In  the  third  year  of  their  wanderings  ( 1541)  they  emerged  upon 
the  hanks  of  tho  Mississippi,  Here  l)e  Soto  died  (1")42).  At 
dead  of  night  his  followers  sank  his  body  in  the  river,  and  tho 
sullen  waters  buried  liis  hopes  and  ambition.  "He  had  crossed 
a  large  part  of  the  continent,"  says  Bancroft,  "and  found  nothing 
so  remarkable  as  his  burial-place."  Do  Soto  had  been  tho  soul 
of  the  couipan3%  When  he  died  the  other  adventurers  were 
only  anxious  to  get  homo  in  safety.  They  constructed  boats, 
and,  descending  the  river,  little  over  half  of  this  gallant  array 
reached  the  sellleincnts  in  Mexico. ' 

3.  Melendez,  the  next  of  the  Spanish  explorers,  followed 
Do  Soto,  but  was  wiser  than  he.  On  landing,  in  UICo,  he  at 
once  laid  tho  foimdations  of  a  colony.  In  honor  of  the  day  ho 
named  the  place  St.  Augustine.  This  is  the  oldest  settlement 
in  the  United  States.  Fort  ]\Iarlon,  built  near  this  spot,  by  tho 
Spaniards,  in  175(5,  still  exists,  and  is  full  of  interest. 

4.  But  tho  Spanish  explo:'ution3  on  tho  Pacific  coast  are  also 
full  of  interest.  California,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  was  a 
general  term  applied  to  all  the  region  north  of  JNIexico,  on  the 
western  coast.  It  is  said  to  have  originated  in  a  romance 
p()[)ular  in  the  time  of  Cortez,  in  which  appeared  a  character 

•illed  Calefornia,  queen  of  the  Amazons.  Tho  INIexicans  in- 
formed tho  S[)aniards  that  most  of  their  gold  came  from  these 
northern  regions,  and  Cortez,  therefore,  turned  his  attention  in 
that  direc^tion,  and  sent  out  several  expeditions  thithersvard ; 
but  all  these  expeditions  were  fruitless.  Cabrillo,  in  1542, 
made  the  tirst  voyage  along  the  racitic  coast,  going  as  far  north 
as  tho  present  limits  of  Oregon.  New  Mexico  was  explored 
and  named  by  Espejo,  in  1582,  Avho  founded  Santa  Fe,  which 
is  the  second  oldest  town  in  tho  United  States.  Thus  Spain,  at 
tho  close  of  tho  sixteenth  century,  held  possession  not  only  of 
tho  West  Indies,  but  of  Yucatan,  Mexico,  and  Fk  'la;  and  it 
is  a  curious  fact,  that  a  writer  of  that  time  locates  vouchee  in 
Floridii,  and  a  map  in  the  time  of  Henry  II.  gives  tho  name 
of  Florida  to  all  North  America.  The  Spanish  explorers  had 
traversed  a  large  portion  of  tho  present  Southern  States  and 
tho  Piu-itic  coast. 

5.  1  will  mention,  in  this  place,  that  the  French  sent  out  cor- 


il'H  "7 


II 


WfwfuS 


ir 


58 


IIISTOTIY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


tiiln  oxpcditioiis  to  Aincrica,  in  tho  sixtocnth  ceulurv,  Avhifh  have 
no  particular  fonnccliou  witli  Canada  or  Acadia.  .lean  Kihaidt, 
lui  oxfL'lIrnt  scainaii  and  a  stanch  I'lotcstant,  led  an  expedi- 
tion, in  l')")2,  under  the  auspices  of  ('o!i<;ny.  The  party  hmded 
at  Port  Koyal,  S.  C.  They  were  ^neatly  ca[)tivated  by  the 
prospect,  and  erected  a  fort,  which  they  named  CaroliiiM,  in 
honor  of  ('harles  IX.,  King  of  France.  The  lU'ct  de[)arted, 
und  th(;  little  party  of  thirty  wore  left  alone  on  the  continent. 
'J'hey  were  the  only  civilized  men  from  Mexico  to  the  North 
Pole.  Finally  they  became  discourageil,  built  a  rude  ship,  and 
put  to  sea.  Famine  overtook  them,  and  they  killed  and  ate  one 
of  their  number.  At  last  ii  vessel  took  them  on  board,  but 
only  to  carry  them  captives  to  England.  Thus  i)erished  the 
French  colony  of  Carolina,  but  its  name  still  survives.  Two 
years  after,  Ladonniero  built  Ji  fort,  also  called  Carolina,  on 
the  river  8t.  John.  Soon  the  colonists  were  reduced  to  the 
verge  of  starvation.  Their  sufferings  were  horrible.  Weak 
and  (>maciated,  they  fed  themselves  with  roots,  sorrel,  pounded 
lish-boncs,  and  even  roasted  snakes.  "Oftentimes,"  says  La- 
donniero, "our  poor  soldiers  were  constrained  to  give  away 
the  very  shirts  from  their  backs  to  get  one  tish.  If  at  any  time 
they  shewed  unto  the  savages  the  excessive  price  which  they 
tooke,  these  villaines  would  answer  them  roughly  :  If  thou  make 
80  great  accoimt  of  thy  merchandise,  cat  it,  and  wo  will  oat  our 
fish :  then  fell  they  out  a  laughing,  and  mocked  ns  with  open 
throat."  They  were  on  the  point  of  leaving,  when  they  were 
reinforced  by  Kibant.  The  French  seemed  now  fairly  tixed  on 
the  coast  of  Florida.  The  Spaniards,  however,  claimed  the 
country.  jNIolendez,  about  this  time,  had  made  a  settlement  in 
St.  Augustine.  He  led  an  expedition  northward,  through  the 
wilderness,  and,  in  the  mid^t  of  a  fearful  temi)est,  attacked 
Fort  Carolina.  Almost  the  entire  po[)ulation  Avcrc  massacred. 
6.  It  is  necessary,  before  returning  to  the  Canadian  nar- 
rative, that  I  should  speak  of  the  English  explorations  in 
America  during  the  sixteenth  century.  The  Cabots,  stiiling 
under  an  English  Hag,  discovered  the  American  continent, 
exploring  its  coast  from  I^abrador  to  Albemarle  Sound. 
Though  the  English  claimed  the  northern  part  of  the  continent 
by  right  of  this  discovery,  yet,  during  the  sixteenth  century, 
they  paid  little  attention  to  it.  At  the  close  of  that  period, 
however,  maritime  enterprise  Avas  awakened.  British  sailors 
cruised  on  every  sea.  Like  the  other  navigators  of  the  day, 
they   Avere   eager  to   discover  the  Avestern  passage  to  Asia. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


no 


Frobislicr  made  tlio  first  of  Uicso  nttcmpts  to  «;o  iioith  of 
Amorloiito  Asia,  - — Cabot's  [)laii  i'('[)cat('(l.  lie  pushed  tlirouj^di 
slniiiije  watiTs,  Ihrcadinji^  his  jx'rihtiis  way  amon^jf  towcrini:;  icc- 
horirs,  until,  in  loTli,  h(^  ciitcivd  JJatKu's  Hay.  Hero  he  set  u[) 
a  pile  of  stones,  and  took  possession  of  the  country  in  tho 
name  of  tlio  British  Crown,  after  which  ho  returned  home. 
"One  of  the  saih)rs  brouf^ht  back  a  stone  which  was  thought 
to  contain  gohl.  A  ileet  of  lifteen  vessels  was  forthwith 
C(]uipi)c(l  for  tliis  new  El  Dorado.  The  north-west  passaji'e  to 
Cathay  Avas  forifotten.  After  iniuunerabie  jxirils  incident  to 
Arctic  regions,  the  ships  were  h)a<h'd  with  the  [)rcci()us  ore 
and  returniKl.  I'nfortunately,  history  nejrh'cts  to  tell  us  what 
became  of  the  cargo  !  "  Sir  Francis  Drake  was,  perhaps,  one  (^f 
the  most  famous  of  the  English 
explorers.  In  on<;  of  his  expedi- 
tions, Avhilo  on  the  Isthnms  of  (' 
Panama,  he  climbed,  as  repr(>-fy 
scuted  by  the  accompanying  en- 1 
graving,  to  the  top  of  u  tree," 
whence  he  beheld  the  waters  of 
the  broad  Pacitic  Ocean,  lie 
was  delighted  with  the  inspiring 
prospect,  and  while  enjoying  it 
inwardly  resolved  to  sail  an 
English  ship  on  those  waters. 
Kclurninif  to  his  country,  lie 
c(jui})pcd  a  fleet,  sailed  through  — 
the  Straits  of  JNlagcdlan,  and 
coasted  along  the  J*acilic  shore  to 
the  southern  i)art  of  Oregon.  He 
repaired  his  ships  in  San  Fran- 
cisco harbor  ;  thence  sailing  west- 
Avard,  he  returned  to  England 
by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in 
!()")!).  Hence  ho  Avas  the  first 
Englishman  Avho  ex|)lored  the 
Pacitic  coast,  and  tho  second 
European  Avho  cinnnnnavigated 
the  globe.  Sir  Humphrey  Gil- 
bert, Avho  carefully  studied  the 
accounts  of  American  discov- 
eries, resolved  to  send  out  companies  to  form  permanent 
settlements,   but  his  attempts  at  colonization  Ave  re  futile  and 


SKAKB  BEHOLDS  THE  FACIEIC. 


1-    1' 


60 


IIISTOllY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


fatal.  Sailin<>;  hoiucwanl  In  a  small  and  iiisuflicii'ut  vessel,  ho 
went  down  in  a  tearrul  stoini,  and  neither  .shi[)  nor  crew  was 
ever  seen  a<rain. 

7.  Sir  \\'aUer  lvah'i<j;h  wa.s  a  halt'-hrother  of  Sir  llunii)hrey 
Gilbert,  and  sncceeded  him  in  tiu^  work  of  colonization.  He 
was  a  ^reat  favorite  with  (^neen  Eli/ahelh,  and  readily  obtained 
ji  royal  |)alent  to  a  lar<;e  extent  of  lerrit(»ry  in  America,  which 
ho  called  Vir<j^inia,   in  honor  of  Kli/abeth,  the  virjjfin  (jnt-en. 

lie  lirst  uttonipted  to 
l)lant  a  colony  on  lioan- 
oko  Island  ;  bnt  his  set- 
tlers made  no  ell'ort  to 
cultivate  the  soil,  rather 
spendinjij  their  time  hunt- 
inji^  for  gold  and  pearls. 
Their  condition  soon  be- 
came wretched, and  linally 
they  were  narrowly  res- 
cued by  Drake,  while  on 
one  of  his  e.\plorin<^  ex- 
peditions, who  carried 
them  home.  They  had 
lived  long  enouuh  in 
America  to  learn  the  nso 
of  tobacco  and  the  potato. 
These  they  introduced  in- 
to Kngland.  But  Sir  W'al- 
terwas  not  discouraged  by  this  failure.  The  next  time  he  sent 
out  families  instead  of  single  men,  and  John  White  was  ap- 
pointed Governor  of  tlu^  city  of  Kaleigh,  which  they  were 
to  found  on  the  Chesapeake  Bay.  A  granddaughter  of 
Governor  White,  born  soon  after  they  arrived  at  Jvoanoke 
Ivsland,  is  said  to  bo  the  tirst  English  child  born  in  America. 
After  the  settlement  was  made,  the  governor  returned  to 
England  for  su[)plles,  where  l:e  found  his  country  engaged 
ill  a  threatened  attack  of  the  Spanish  Armada  ;  and  it  was 
three  years  before  he  was  able  to  return  to  his  American 
home.  Meanwhile  the  colony  and  his  family  had  perished 
completely,  no  one  being  left  to  tell  the  story  of  their  suffer- 
ings, lluleigh  had  now  si)ent  a  largo  sum  on  his  American 
colony,  and,  being  quite  out  of  courage,  transferred  his  patent 
to  others. 

8.  But  as  with  the  French  in  respect  of  trading  expeditions, 


8IU    Ill-MI'IinEY     CILUEIIT. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  TXITED  STATES. 


Gl 


80  with  the  Enirlisli,  —  thoy  wero  nioro  siurcst^ful  than  at 
otrorts  Jit  coloni/alioii.  "En<jfIiHh  vessels  tVcciiicnted  the  hanks 
of  N(^wt'()Uii(lhiii(l,  ami  i)r()hahly  occasionally  visited  \'ir<;inia. 
(losnokl,  a  master  of  a  small  hai'k,  in  1(>02  discovered  and 
named  Cape  Cod,  Martha's  \'ine\ard,  and  other  n(M<;hl)orin<:^ 
localities.  Loadinjj^  his  vessel  with  sassafras-root,  which  was 
tjicn  hi;j;hly  est(>emcd  as  a  medicine,  he  retnrned  home  to  puh- 
lish  tlu!  most  favorable  reports  of  the  re<rion  he  had  visited. 
Some  IJritish  merchants  accordin<;ly  sent  ont,  the  next  year,  a 
c(>ui)le  of  vessels,  under  Captain  I'rinjj^.  lie  discovered  several 
li.irbors  in  ]Maine,  and  I)rou<rht  hack  Ins  shi|)s  loaded  Avith  furs 
and  sassafras.  As  the  result  of  thes(!  vaiious  ex|)lorations, 
uiiuiy  felt  an  earnest  desire  to  coloni/e  the  New  World.  James 
I.  accordiu<j^ly  granted  the  vast  territory  of  Virj^inia,  as  it  was 
called,  to  two  companies,  the  London  and  the  Plymouth.  The 
London  Com[)any,  whose  principal  men  resided  at  London,  had 
the  tract  hetueen  the  tliirty-fourlh  and  thirty-eighth  degrees  of 
latitude.  This  was  called  South  Virginia.  They  sent  ont  a 
colony,  in  1G07,  under  Captain  Newport.  He  made  at  James- 
town \\\(\  JifKf  ix'niiancnf  EixjIisJt  scftloncut  In  the  Unlled  tifdtes. 
The  JMymouth  Com})any,  whose  ])rincipal  m(Mi  resided  in  Plym- 
outh, had  the  tract  between  the  forty-tirst  and  forty-tifth 
degrees  of  latitude.  This  was  called  North  Virginia.  The 
charter  granted  to  these  companies  was  the  lirst  under  which 
English  colonies  were  planted  in  the  United  States.  It  is 
therefore  worthy  of  careful  study.  It  contained  no  idea  of  self- 
government.  The  peo[)le  were  not  to  have  the  election  of  a' . 
officer."  The  king  and  his  coniu'il  appointed  at  his  own  pleafeure 
niei/  to  have  entire  control  of  these  colonies,  and  the  Church  of 
England  was  the  established  religion  ;  moreover,  for  five  years 
the  entire  proceeds  of  the  colonies  were  to  constitute  a  common 
fund,  and  no  one  was  to  have  any  of  the  product  of  his  own 
lahor. 

9.  The  Dutch  manifested  no  interest  in  the  New  World 
during  all  these  years,  but,  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  Capt.  Henry  Hudson,  an  English  navigator  in  the 
Dutch  service,  entered  New  York  harbor.  In  KJOO,  Hudson, 
in  attempting  to  reach  the  Pacific,  ascended  the  grand  river 
which  bears  his  name.  On  this  discovery  the  Dutch  based 
their  claim  to  the  land  extending  from  the  Delaware  river  to 
Cape  Cod,  and  called  it  New  Netherland. 

10.  The  full  extent  of  the  discoveries  and  explorations  which 
I  have  enumerated  in  the  foregoing  pages  may  be  summed 


^mm 


62 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


li^l 


up  513  follows  :  1.  The  Spaniards  confined  their  settlements 
and  explorations  to  the  AVest  Indies  a;/'  the  adjacent  niainhuid, 
and  in  the  United  States  made  scttlenv  s  only  in  Florida  and 
New  jNIexico.  2.  The  French  cli  _d  the  whole  of  New 
France,  and  made  their  first  settlements  in  Acadia  and  Canada. 
3.  Th.c  English  explored  the  Atlantic  coast  at  various  points, 
and  claimed  this  vast  territory,  which  they  termed  Virginia, 
having  made  their  tirst  sett'jmcnt  at  Jianestown.  4.  The 
Dutch  laid  claim  to  Xew  Netlierland,  but  made  no  settlement 

till  loia. 

11.  Tlicsc  four  claims,  of  course,  conflicted  with  each  other, 
and  produced  some  confusion  ;  but  so  long  as  the  few  settle- 
ments were  separated  J>y  hundreds  of  miles  of  savag<"  forests 
this  conflict  of  claim  to  territory  was  of  little  account.  How- 
ever, the  settlements  increase!  and  grew,  and  strife  as  to 
boundary  began  ;  l)ut  the  contests  were  for  the  most  part  decided 
by  an  appeal  to  arms. 


♦  ♦  ♦ 


I  ■  lii 


P  ill;     ' 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ENGLAND  FROM    1500   TO    IGOO. 

THE   REIGNS    OF    'IEN'aY   VIII.,    E.OWAUD   VI.,    MART,  AND    ELIZABETH. 

1.  AVe  have  now  come  to  a  period  in  our  account  of  the  early 
history  of  America,  or  rather  of  that  portion  of  America  now 
embraced  n^thin  the  limits  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  and  the 
United  S  ates,  and,  in  accordance  wi'th  the  plan  of  this  work, 
I  must  go  hack  and  bring  forward  a  brief  narrative  of  the  events' 
hi  English  history  during  the  same  period,  which  embraces  the 
sixteenth  century.  But  first  let  me  remark  that  my  reierence 
to  alTairs  in  England  previous  to  the  conquest  of  Canad'i,  in 
17G(),  will  be  vei-y  brief.  The  reason  is  obvious.  Canada, 
previous  to  that  date,  was  a  French  colony ;  hence,  during  that 
period,  events  in  England  have  nothing  in  common  with  those 
in  Canada.  However,  the  peojile  of  the  Dominion  of  the 
present  day  have  a  deep  interest  in  English  history  (jf  any  and 
all  periods,  and  this  fact  tdonc  is  (piite  sufficient  to  explain  the 
aj)p!,'rent  inharmony  of  connecting  the  history  of  an  English 
kingdom  with  i  lat  of  a  French  colonv.  If  anything  more 
were  needed  to  justify  this  plan,  it  nxay  be  found  in  a  contem- 


./■  . 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


63 


pliition  of  the  fact  that  Franco  was  only  shedding  the  nncertain 
light  of  Christianity  upon  a  country  wliich  was  destined,  in  the 
eternal  order  of  things,  to  receive  the  more  complete  bounty  cf 
Enii^lish  institutions  and  Anglo-Saxon  civilization. 

2.  Decidedly  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  history  of 
England  previouc  to  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
in  tiiis  volume,  yet  I  may  construct,  in  this  place,  a  brief 
tabular  statement  of  the  history  before  that  time,  as  a  mere 
guide-board  to  prevent  any  confusion  in  the  minds  of  young 
readers  :  — 


ENGLAND   FROM  B.C.  54  TO  A.D.    17G0. 


England  under  Roman  Rule,  B.C.  54  to  A.D.  412. 


SAXON  HISTORY  OF  EN(iLAND. 


The  Reign  of  Alfred  the  Great 
The  Reigii  of  Ethvard  the  Ehlor   , 
Tlie  Reign  of  Athelstan  ... 
The  Reigns  of  the  Six  Boy  Kings 


from  871  to 

901  . 

.  hxsted  no  vrs 

from  901  to 

Q-2o  . 

.  histed  t>4  yrs 

from  9l^)  to 

941  . 

.  lasted  1(J  yrs 

from  941  to 

lOlG  . 

.  lasted  75  yrs> 

THE  DANES,  AND  THE  RESTORED  SAXONS. 

The  Reign  of  Canute from  10 IG  to  1035  .     .  lasted  19  yrs. 

The  Reign  of  Harold  IJarefoot  .  .  from  lOiJo  to  1040  .  .  lasted  5  yrs, 
The  Reigh  of  Ilardieanate  .  .  .  .  from  1040  to  1042  .  .lasted  2  yrs. 
The  Reign  of  Edward  the  Confessor,  from  1042  to  10G6  .  .  lasted  24  yrs. 
The  Reign  of  Harold  the  Second  and  the  Norman  Conquest  were  also 
within  the  year  lOGG. 


THE  NORMANS. 

The  Reign   of  William  the  First,  )  <.„ .^^^  .     ^«o_ 

oalied'the  Conquerer     .     .     .     !  j  f^m  10G6  to  1087 

^'talle'f  Rufus^^'I'''!"'  ."'^  ^''''."'':  \  <'''°'"  1^87  to  1100 

The    Reign    of   Henry    the    First,  )>        unnj.    hok 

called  Fine  Seholar.     .     .     .     .'[  ^""1  1100  to  1135 

The  Reigns  of  Matildaand  Stephen  .     from  1135  to  1151 


.  lasted  21  yrs. 

.  lasted  13  yrs. 

.  lasted  35  yrs. 
.  lasted  19  yrs. 


The  Reij^n  of  Henry  the  Second 
Reijrn 


THE  PLANTAGENETS. 

from  1154  to  1189 
The  Refgn  of   Richard  the    First,  ?  ^         non^     -unn 
calledlho  Lion-Heart     .     .     .    '  J  ^om  1189  to  1199 
The  Reign  of  John,  called  Lackland,    from  1199  to  1210 
The  Reign  of  Henry  the  Third    .     .     from  121G  to  1272 
Reign 


The 


e  Reign   of   Edward  the  First,?-        ,,,-,-,«.     ^.-,^-r 
called  Longshauks \  f''««»  1^72  to  1307 


lasted  35  yrs. 

lasted  10  yrs. 

lasted  17  yrs. 
lasted  56  yrs. 

lasted  35  yrs. 


G4  IILSTOHY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 

Tho  Hoi^^n  of  Edward  tho  Second    .     from  1307  to  i;]27  .     .  lasted  20  yrs. 

'lilt!  l{ci<iii  of  Kdward  tlu!  Tliird      .     from  i;527  to  i;577  .     .  lasted  50  yrs. 

The  ru!i;;ii  of  Hichani  the  Seeond    ,     from  1377  to  VM'J  .     .  lasted  12  yrs. 

The    Keijiii  of  HiMirv  tho   Fourth,?/. lonnt     iiio  i     *    i  ii 

,,,    1  u  r      1      I  >  tro™  133J  to  1413  .     .  lasted  14  vrs. 

eallcd  lS()lin<!:l)roke ^  ■^ 

The  Kei<,ni  of  llenrv  the  Fifth     .     .     from  1413  to  14'>2  .     .lasted    9  yrs. 

The  Reign  of  Henry  tho  Sixth,  |  ^'|y  "^WJ;*"^"'  ''"'^'''^  '"  ^^^^'  '""'  ^''"^"'^ 
Tho    Reign    of    Edward    the  /  began  in  14G1,  ended  in  1483,  and  lasted 

Fourth \      22  years. 

The    Reign    of    Edward    tho  ?  bo;z;an  in  1483,  ended  in  1483,  and  lasted  a 

Fifth \      few  weeks 

The     Reign    of   Richard    the  /  began  in  1483,  ended  in  1485,  and  lasted 

Third ^      2  years. 

THE  TUDORS. 

The     Reign    of    Ilonry  ■  the  ?  began  in  1485,  ended  in  1509,  and  lasted 

Seventh \      24  years. 

rp,    „  .        PTT         ti    !?■  wi    ?  began  in  1509,  ended  in  1547,  and  lasted 
The  Rcign  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  >      -Tvi  ,-„.,,. = 


3.  Tho  foregoing  table  represents  that  period  of  English 
History  concerning  which  I  have  to  say  nothing  whatever  in 
this  volume.  It  was,  however,  during  tiic  reign  of  the  last- 
named  sovereign,  Henry  VHI.,  that  Cartier  visited  and  ex- 
plored the  8t.  Jiawrence  ;  but  it  Avas  not  until  the  reign  of  James 
1.  thtit  any  permanent  settlements  were  eft'ccted  in  Canada  or 
the  United  States.  Tho  following  ta])le  represents  that  portion 
of  English  history  Avith  which  we  have  to  do  in  this  volume, 
and  1  shall  take  occasion  to  intersperse  it  logically  or  chrono- 
logically, us  the  circumstances  seem  to  demand  :  — 

The    Reign    of    Edward    tho  ?  began  in  1547,  ended  in  1853,  and  lasted 

Sixtii .  t      (i  years. 

Tu    1}  •         i-  HT  f  bofjan  in  1553,  ended  in  1558,  and  lasted 

The  Reign  ot  Mary    .     .     .     .[      p^  ^.^,^^,^^ 

began  in  1558,  ended  in  1603,  and  lasted 


llie  Reign  of  Elizabeth  . 


45  years. 


lit 

mi; 


THE    STUARTS. 

rri     T»  •         p  T  n     -T"    t  ?  began  in  1G03,  ended  in  1025,  and  lasted 

The  Reign  of  James  the  Fu-st,  >      .7.  ,.,.„,.„         '  ' 

^^  ^       J  J  V  e*ii  £. 

of    Charles    the  )  began  in  1G25,  ended  la  1G19,  and  lasted 

'S. 


The    Reign 
First     . 


}  began  in 
\     24  years 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE   UNITliD   STATES. 


G^ 


TIIK  COMMON  WEALTH. 

The    Council    of     State    iind  )  began  in  1040,  ended  in  165:5,  and  lasted 

Covernnient  by  Parliament .  \  4  years. 
The    rrutectorate    of    Oliver  /  bej,^aii  in  1G5;?,   ended  in  1658,  and  lasted 

Cromwell ^      h  years. 

Tl.e  i'roteetorate   of   lliehard  j  hi:<:;:\n  in  16o8,  ended  in  1G59,  and  lasted  7 

Cromwell ^      montlis. 

Tiie  Council  of  .State  and  (iov-  /  resnnuMl  in  IGol),  ended  in  1060,  and  lasted 

ernmeut  by  rarliament   .     .  j|      1.)  montlis. 

THE   STUAIITS  IlESTOKED. 

The    Reign    of    Charles    the  f  began  in  IGGO,  ended  in  1G85,  and  lasted 

Second ^      'J''>  years. 

The      Ueign    of    James    the  /  jjegan  m  1085,  ended  in  1G88,  and  lasted 

Second ^      '<i  years. 

THE   IIEVOLUTION,   AND   SLNCE. 

Tlie    Ueign   of    William    (ho  }  began  in  1681),   ended  in    1695,  and  lasted 

Tliird  antl  Marytiu^  Second,  ^    0  years. 
Till'   Kcigu    of    William    the  5  ,  ended  in  17Ul',  and  lasted 

Thi  a \      13  years. 

The  Reign  of  Anne     .     .     .     .  |  beg^ij^  in  J702,  ended  in  1714,  and  lasted 

Tlu^     Reign     of    Ccorgo    the  M)egau  in   171 1,  ended  in  1727,  and  lasted 

Firi«t     '.' S      ^•'  yfiJii'-"^- 

The     Reign     of   (jeorge    the  )  began  in   1727,  ended  in  17G0,  and  la.sted 

Second S      '••'  y^'^'S- 

Tlie    U(!ign     of    Cieorgo    the  f  began  in  17G0,  ended  in  1820,  and  lasted 

Tiiird I      (iO  years. 

The    Ivrign     of    Ceorge     the?beg;i':  in    1820,  ended  in  18o0,  and  lasted 

Kouith ^      10  ye:n-£;. 

Tiie    Reign   of    William    the  (  began  ir    1830,  ended  in   18o7,  and  lasted 

Fourth \      7  years. 

The  R(!    11  of  Victoria    .     .     .     began  in  18:37,  and  still  continues.  (1878.) 

4.  Fii'Ht,  llion,  let  lis  notice  some  of  tin;  principal  cv(>n(s 
in  the  histoiy  of  Eniilnnd  diirini^  the  .si.xlctMith  ccntm-y. 
The  sovereigns  wcvo  Henry  ^'ill.,  rviward  W.,  JNIniy,  uiid 
Klizalx'th.  At  th(;  ln-gi lining  of  this  conliiry,  England  was  a 
h'oinun  Catholii!  coimtn',  the  power  of  tiie  l*o[)e  and  tlie  cKu'gy 
hciii;;  vet  ill  the  ascendant.  Diiriiii^  the  tirst  nineteen  years  of 
(lie  reign  of  Henry'  X'lll.  he  was  a  devoted  servant  of  the 
pa[)al  eliurch.  WluMi  he  aseeiuU-d  the  throne,  the  l'o[)e  sent 
liim  a  consecrated  golden  rose,  dipped  in  holy  oil,  and  perfumed 
with  niiisk,  and  accompanied  hy  the  apostolic  IxMicdiction. 
.Viul  wIkmi  Luther  coinmeiicecl  the  Ivcformalion,  Henry  wrote 
a  hook  opposing  it,  wiiicli  the  Pope  received  with  expressions 


rm 


66 


IIISTOEY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CAX.VDA, 


f  m  ™  {] 


of  AViinn  {i[)pr()V!il,  Miul  in  coiisideratiou  of  avIu<-1i  he  heslowod 
oil  its  royal  author  the  title  of  "Defender  of  the  Faith."'  Little 
did  the  Pope  imagiiio  that  from  this  yanic  ruler  was  to  eonie  the 

death-l)low     to     the 
„vv^,  ;    :.^  papal     poAver     iii 

Enjiland.  But  iu 
li')i)\:  this  same 
Henry  declared  him- 
self the  "Head  of 
the  Church "  iu  his 
dominions.  lie 
caused  most  of  the 
relinious  institutions 
to  1)0  abolished,  and 
their  Avealth  conlis- 
eatcd  to  the  crown. 
>my  Some  of  the  most 
beautiful  biiildiui^s 
Ave  re  turned  into 
schools  and  colleg'cs. 
f).  The  most  novul 
character  Avho  fig- 
m'ed  during  the  rcigu 
of  II(Miry  \'III.  Avas 
C  a  r  d  i  n  a  I  "Wolscy . 
The  rule  of  England, 
both  at  homo  and 
abroad,  Avas,  in  a  great  measure,  given  into  his  hands.  The 
greatest  sovereigns  of  the  time,  as  Avell  as  the  English 
sul)ject,  did  Avilling  homtige  to  this  great  potentate.  lie 
was  the  son  of  a  Aveallhy  butcher ;  Avas  educated  at  Oxford ; 
and  rose  so  rapidly  that  ho  soon  become  u  member  of  the 
court.  "lie  Avas  made,  successively,  Bi;Jiop  of  Lincoln,  Arch- 
bishop of  York,  Cardinal,  Lord  Chancellor,  and,  iinally,  Papal 
Legate.  lie  Avas  also  Al)b()t  of  St.  Alban's,  Bishop  of  Bath 
and  Wells,  Avhieh  See  ho  sul)scquentl3^  exchanged  for  that  of 
Durham,  and  the  latter  again  for  AVinchester.  His  ecjuipago 
and  attire  exceeded  in  magniiiccnec  that  of  Thomas  a  Beckct, 
Avhosc  S[)lend()r  had  dazzled  a  ntition  in  a  former  age.  The 
cardinal's  line  ligure  Avas  set  olf  Avith  silks  and  satins  of  the 
tinest  texture,  and  richest  scarlet  or  crimson  dye  ;  IiIg  neck 
and  shoulders  Avere  covered  Avith  a  tip[)et  of  costly  sables  ;  his 
gloves  Avere  of  red  silk  ;  his  hat,  of  a  cardinal,  Avas  scarlet ;  his 


KING    IIEXKY   Alir. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


67 


shoes  wore  of  silver-gilt,    inlaid  with   pearls  and    diamonds. 

He    kept   a   train  of   eight   hundred   persons, 

amongst  whom  were  nine  or  ten  lords,  the  beggared  de- 
scendants of  proud  barons.  He  had  iiiteen  knights  and  forty 
sijuires.  All  his  domestics  AV(>r(!  sjjlendidly  attired  ;  his  eoolc 
wore  a  satin  or  velvet  jaeket,  and  a  chain  of  gold  around  his 
neck.  When  Wolsey  appeared  in  pul)lic,  his  cardinal's  hat  was 
borne  Ix'foi'c  him  by  a  person  of  rank.  Two  priests,  the 
tallest  and  best-looking  that  could  be  found,  inunediately 
preceded  him,  cari-ying  two  ponderous  silver  crosses ;  tw^ 
gentlemen,  each  l)earing  a  silver  stall',  walked  before  the  two 
priests,  and  in  front  of  all  went  his  pursuivant-at-arms,  l)earing 
a  huge  mace  of  silver-gilt.  Most  of  his  followers  were  mounted 
upon  spirited  horses,  perfect  in  training,  and  richly  caparisoned  ; 
hut  he  himself,  as  a  priest,  rodo  on  a  mule,  with  saddle  and 
saddle-cloth  of  crimson  velvet,  and  stirrups  of  silver-gilt.  At 
his  levee,  which  he  held  every  morning  at  an  early  hour,  after  a 
very  short  mass,  ho  always  ai)peared  clad  all  in  red."  But  tliis 
great  man  was  doomed  to  a  wretched  fdl,  Avhich  was  rai)id  and 
sudden.  From  the  king's  displeasure  he  came  liually  to  be 
charged  Avith  treason,  lie  was  arrested.  This  was  his  death- 
blow. He  lived  not  to  pass  through  the  Traitor's  Gate  into  the 
Tower.  Keaching  Leicester  Abbey,  on  his  journey  to  liondon, 
ho  grew  too  ill  to  go  farther.  Dismounting  from  his  mule  at  the 
door  of  the  convent,  where  stood  the  monks  with  lighted  tapers 
to  receive  him,  he  said  to  the  abbot:  "Father,  I  am  come  to 
lav  mv  bones  among  you."  Among  Wolsey's  dving  Avords 
Avas  the  sad,  remorseful  confession  :  — 

"  Had  I  Imt  served  my  Giid  with  luilf  tlio  zeal 
I  served  my  liiii.;;,  He  would  not  in  mine  age 
Have  left  me  naked  to  mine  enemies." 

f).  The  lirst  Avife  and  queen  of  Henry  VIII.  was  Katherine 
of  Arragon,  his  brother's  AvidoAv.  The  sons  Avho  had  been 
born  to  the  king  by  his  marriage  Avith  Katherine  had  died  at 
tlieir  birth,  or  Avithin  a  few  days  or  hours  after  it.  This  cir- 
cumstance aAvakened  in  the  mind  of  Henry  doubts  concerning 
the  lawfulness  of  his  marriage  Avith  his  brother's  widow,  and, 
to  use  his  own  Avords,  "  being  troubled  in  AvaA'cs  of  a  scrupu- 
lous conscience,  and  partly  in  despair  t)f  any  male  issue  l)y  her, 
it  drove  me  at  last  to  consider  the  estate  of  this  realm,  and  the 
dn'uger  it  stood  in  for  lack  of  issue  male  to  succeed  me  in  this 
imperial  dignity."     Finally,  in  1527,  he  laid  the  ca.se  before 


(38 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


i.        I 


the  Pope,  applying  for  a  (Hvoito.  Tho  king  had  already 
selcc'ted  the  prclly,  l)ut  unscrupulous,  Anne  Boleyn,  and  estab- 
lished her  at  court  as  his  intended  wife.  lie  avms  secretly 
married  to  Anne  in  1583,  and  in  tlu;  following  year  an  eccU;- 
siastical  court  pronounced  his  marriage  with  Katherinc  null  and 
void. 

7.  A  lari>;c  number  of  executions  clouded  the  rei<;n  of 
Henry  VIIT.  Among  the  most  prominent  of  these  were  those 
of  Sir  Thomas  Moore,  Bishop  Fisher,  and  his  own  wife,  Anne 
Boleyn.  The  latter  left  one  child,  Elizabeth.  Jnmiediat(!ly 
after  Anne's  execution  the  king  married  Jane  Seymour,  of 
AVolf  Hall,  in  ^Viltshire.  In  I'/M ,  a  few  days  after  the  birth 
of  her  son,  Prince  Edward,  the  queen,  Jane  Seymour,  died. 
The  king  next  married  Anne  of  Clevcs,  who,  turning  out  to 
be  not  so  handsome  as  he  was  lirst  impressed,  procured  a 
divorce.  lie  next  married  Katherino  Howard,  and  this  mar- 
riage also  proved  unhappy.  In  less  than  two  years  she  was 
found  guilty  of  crimes  similar  to  those  which  procured  Anno 
her  deatli,  and  she,  too,  was  condenmcd  to  die.  She  suffered 
the  sentence  on  the  Llth  of  Fcbruar}',  1542.  Henry's  sixth 
and  last  Avife  was  Lady  Katherino  Parr,  the  widow  of  Lord 
Latimer.  She  proved  a  good  mother  to  Henry's  three  children, 
Mary,  Elizabeth,  and  Edward.  Tho  king  died  in  January, 
1547. 

8.  Although  Henry  VIH.  had  thrown  off  the  supremacy 
of  the  Pope,  he  retained  mau}^  of  the  papal  doctrines ;  but 
from  his  marriage  with  Anne  r>oleyn  to  the  death  of  Jane 
Seymour  he  was  inclined  to  support  tho  Ileformation  ;  so  much 
so  that  Archl)isliop  Cranmcr  succeeded  in  getting  his  consent 
to  an  English  translation  of  the  Bible.  He  then  employed  the 
most  learned  scholars  he  could  find  to  make  a  new  translation 
of  the  AVord  of  (iod.  "This  was  finished  in  April  of  tho  year 
1539.  It  was  printed  partly  at  Paris  and  partly  in  London. 
The  new  Bible  was  a  large  folio,  ;;dorned  with  a  wood-cut,  tho 
dcsiirn  of  the  celebrated  iiainter,  Hans  IIoll)ein.  The  eni2;rav- 
ing  represents  the  distributing  of  tho  Scrii)tures  to  the  people, 
and  is  beautifully  executed.  AA''hen  Cranmer  received  the  first 
copies  of  the  holy  book,  he  declared  they  gave  him  more  joy 
than  if  he  had  received  ten  thousand  pounds.  'Cranmer's,'  or 
'The  Great  Bible,'  is  the  name  usually  given  to  this  transla- 
tion." 

9.  Edward  VI.,  the   young  prince    spoken   of,   succeeded 


i..;    ... 


Henry   on   the    throne    of  England. 


During   his    reign. 


and 


ENGLAND,   AND   THE   UNITED    STATES. 


69 


mfiinly  through  the  cfTorts  of  Cranmcr,  the  foundation  of  the 
Protestant  church  in  Enghuul  was  completed.  The  Latin 
Mass-Book  gave  place  to  the  English  Book  of  Comn.on  Prayer; 
the  worship  of  images  and  pilgrimages  to  shrines  were  forhid- 
den  or  discouraged,  and  linally,  in  1552,  the  Thirty-nino 
Articles  of  lieligion  (at  first  only  thirty-two)  were  established. 


miZXBEtO'a  UtOSRSSIS  to  LO^DOK 

"  When  Mary  succeeded  her  brother,  the  end  and  aim  of  her' 
government,  almost  of  her  existence,  was  to  restorer  Eonianism. 
The  result,  however,  of  this  cruel  and  persecuting  reign  was 
to  render  Ensrland  more  decidedly  Protestant  than  it  had  ever 
been  before.  When  Elizabeth  came  to  the  throne  the  great 
mass  of  the  people  had  abandoned  the  old  religion.  This 
queen  herself  held  many  of  the  views  belonging  to  the  Churc^h 
of  lv(mie.  She  had  a  great  aversion  to  married  priests,  and  to 
the  day  of  her  death  she  kept  a  crucitix  in  her  chamber.  She 
was  not  a  religious  persecutor,  but  slu;  checked  the  spirit  of 
Protestant  reform,  and  maintained  the  church  as  Cranmer  had 
left  it.  A  large  class  of  English  subjects,  during  the  i)ersecu- 
tions  of  Queen  Mary's  reign,  had  tied  to  the  coiitinent.  There 
Ihey  adopted  the  opinions  of  Calvin  and  Zwinglc;,  Avho  carried 
the  I?rotestant  Reformation  to  a  far  greater  length  than  the 
Engli:;h  reformers  had  done.  When  these  exiles  returned 
to  their   native   land,   on  the  accession  of  Elizabeth,  they  ob- 


70 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OP  CANADA, 


:.i'l 


jectod  to  the  conservative  policy  of  the  catabli.shcd  diuich,  jind 
refused  to  observe  many  of  the  forms  of  Avorship  retained  in 
its  ritual.  In  l.'j.VJ  a  law,  called  'The  Act  of  Uniformity,' 
was  passed,  ()l)ii<j^iiig  all  English  sul)Jects  to  celebrate  divine 
Avorship  according  to  the  forms  [)rcscribed  in  tho  Book  of 
Common  Prayer.  The  Puritans  (as  they  were  named  in  deri- 
sion) refused  to  obey  this  law,  and  in  the  year  l')G(!  sei)arated 
from  the  csiablished  church.  Thev  were  called  non-conformists 
and  dissenters,  and,  as  we  shall  see,  the  acts  against  them,  and 
the  persecutions  they  endured,  increased  in  severity'  for  the 
next  hundred  years." 

10.  Many  distinguished  scholars  flourished  in  England  dur- 
ing the  sixteenth  century.  The  great  Cardinal  \Volsey  was  a 
lil)eral  patron  of  learning  and  the  tine  arts.  Of  the  twenty  col- 
leges now  at  Oxford,  six  were  fou'ided  during  this  period  ;  and 
of  the  seventeen  at  Cambridge  no  less  than  eight  owe  their 
origin  to  the  piety  or  liberal  patronage  of  learning  which  pre- 
vailed at  this  time.  Later  in  the  century  Trinity  Colh^ge, 
Dublin,  was  founded  by  Queen  Elizabeth.  Christ  Church, 
"Westminster,  and  the  Merchant  Tailors'  Schools,  were  al^) 
established.  The  iirst  was  founded  in  1553  by  King  Edward 
VI.;  the  second  by  Queen  Elizabeth,  in  1560;  and  the  last 
by  the  Merchant  Tailors'  Company  in  1508. 

11.  This  period  was  also  the  ago  in  Avhich  commcrco  flour- 
ished. It  was  the  age  also  of  nautical  adventure.  Barlholomev,' 
Columbus  presented  himself  at  the  court  of  Henry  VII.,  to 
plead  for  the  discovery  of  a  !New  World.  His  brother,  the 
illustrious  Christopher  Columbus,  was  invited  to  England;  but 
his  long  suit  at  the  Spanish  court  at  last  ended  in  success,  and 
before  Bartholomew  returned  with  the  invitation  Columbus  had 
discovered  America  for  the  King  of  Spain. 

12.  The  discoveries  in  America  were  not  overlooked  by 
EHzal)eth.  It  was  through  her  patronage  that  the  brave  Sir 
Walter  Ktdeigh,  and  other  distinguished  navigators,  explored 
the  Atlantic  coast  of  the  new  continent,  and  took  possession  of 
it  for  England.  The  queen  named  the  country  Virginia,  in 
honor  of  herself,  and  made  many  attempts  to  colonize  these 
new  possessions.  They  were  unsuccessful,  and  Elizabeth  died 
before  the  first  permanent  settlement  had  been  made  in  the 
colony  of  the  virgin-queen. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


71 


CIIArTEU  All. 

CANADA    AND  ACADIA,    1000   TO    171.^. 

1.  In  ortlcr  that  I  may  liavc  tlu,'  more  sikico  Ibr  tho  liistiny 
of  English  rule  in  Canuila,  and  still  nioro  for  an  account  of 
atlains  since  the  confederation  of  18157,  the  account  of  French 
ride  (tho  toUowing)  will  l)e  condensed  as  nuieh  as  p()ssil)le  con- 
sistent with  a  proper  recital  of  all  the  facts.  V>  o  have  seen 
how  Chaniplain  founded  (Quebec  in  1008.  lie  found  the 
country  in  possession  of  a  powerful  abori^rinal  nation,  called  the 
Al<i:on(]uins.  During  the  lirst  winter  which  lu;  passed  tit  his 
newly  estal)lished  post,  he  engaged  in  tl\e  work  of  concluding 
a  treaty  Avith  the  natives,  in  which  ho  was  successful.  Tho 
Indians  agreed  to  assist  Chan)plain  in  conducting  an  expedition 
through  tie  country  of  th(!  Iroquois,  and  the  powerful  Indian 
nation  with  which  the  newly  made  friends  of  Chan)plain  were 
in  constant  war,  on  the  conditions  that  the  French  would  lend 
a  helping  hand  in  their  general  cause.  In  agreeing  to  their 
l)roposals,  Chami)lain  seemed  not  to  have  dreamed  of  provoking 
a  war  Avilh  the  Iroquois,  hut,  in  the  spring  of  l(>Oil,  when 
he,  with  two  of  his  countr3'men  and  a  strong  guard  of  his 
Indian  allies,  penetrated  their  country,  ho  war,  met  with  a  bold 
front.  In  the  battle  which  followed  the  enemy  was  routed, 
l)eing  awed  at  the  havoc  made  by  the  uidvnown  instnnnents 
of  destruction  in  the  hands  of  tho  French.  AVhen  Chaniplain 
returned  from  this  expedition  ho  met  sad  news.  The  mer- 
chants of  France  had  declaimed  against  tho  monopoly  of  the 
fur  trade  vested  in  Do  ]\Ionts,  by  which  tho  commission  of  the 
latter  was  revoked,  and  Chaniplain  was  recalled.  On  reaching 
Franco  he  gave  a  full  and  satisfactory  account  of  the  new 
country  to  the  king,  but  was  unable,  oven  through  persistent 
urgi'ney,  to  obtain  a  renewal  of  the  monopoly.  But  his  zeal 
tor  extending  his  colony  was  not  cheeked  by  this  refusal.  He 
formed  a  league  with  some  traders  of  Kochelle,  in  KilO,  and 
returned  to  America  Avith  considerable  r<_Mnforceinent  and 
with  fresh  sujiplies. 

2.  Upon  his  return  to  tho  newly  founded  colony,  ho  again 
set  out  with  a  party  of  Algonquins  against  the  Iroquois,  in 
which  ho  repeated  his  former  success.     "  Before  taking  leave 


72 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


of  his  iiWwH  he  [irov.aih'd  on  (liciu  to  !ilh)W  one  of  their  young 
UKMi  to  af(;()iui)iiny  him  to  Fimiico,  \vhih>,  at  the  same  time,  a 
Fronehmaii  remained  to  k'ani  the  hiugiiagc!  of  the  Indians. 
Having  again  visited  France,  in  Kill,  he  returned  with  the 
Indian  yontli,  whom  lie  dcjsigned  to  employ  as  interpreter 
hetweei\  the  French  and  their  allies.  While  awaitin<r  an 
appointment  which  he  had  made  with  his  savage  friends,  ho 
passed  tho  time  in  selecting  a  place  for  a  new  settlement, 
liigher  up  the  river  than  (^nehec.  After  a  careful  survey,  he 
lixed  upon  a  spot  on  the  southern  border  of  a  beautiful  island, 
inclosed  by  the  divided  channel  of  tho  St.  Lawrence,  cleared 
a  considerable  space,  inclosed  it  by  an  earthen  wall,  and  sowed 
some  grain.  From  an  eminenco  in  the  vicinity,  Avhich  he 
named  Mont  Koyal,  t\w  place  has  since  Ixen  cnlled  jNIontreal."  ' 
3.  But  tho  great  pioneer  again  found  it  necessary  to  visit 
his  native  country,  —  this  time  for  the  purpose  of  laying 
a  secure  foundation  for  tho  execution  of  his  ffiffantic 
plans  of  ef)l()uization,  which  he  rcconnn(>nded  to  his  Jndian 
allies.  '  •  was  so  fortunate,"  says  Marcus  AVillson,  '*as 
almost  immediately  to  gain  the  favor  of  tho  Count  do  Sois- 
sons,  who  ol)tained  the  title  of  Lieutenant  General  of  Now 
France,  and  who,  by  a  formal  agreement,  delegated  to  Cham- 
plain  all  the  functions  of  that  high  ollice.  Tho  count  dying 
soon  after,  tho  Prince  of  Condo  succeeded  to  all  the  privileges 
of  the  deceased,  and  transferred  them  to  Champlain,  on  terms 
eijually  liberal.  As  his  commission  included  a  monopoly  of 
the  fur  trade,  the  merchants  wore,  as  usual,  loud  in  their 
complaints  ;  but  he  endeavored  to  remove  their  principal  ob- 
jections, by  allowing  such  as  chose  to  accompany  hnn  to  engage 
freely  in  the  trade,  on  condition  that  each  should  furnish  six 
men  to  assist  in  his  projects  of  discovery,  and  contribute  a 
twentieth  of  tho  protits  to  defray  tho  expenses  of  settlement." 
But,  on  Champlain's  return  to  New  France,  he  was  diverted 
from  his  grand  scheme  by  an  effort  to  discover  the  long-hoped- 
for  passage  to  China  in  tho  n(n'th-west.  "  A  Frenchman,"  says 
the  same  author,  "  Avho  had  spent  a  winter  among  tho  northern 
savages,  reported  that  tho  river  of  the  Algonquins  (tho  Ottawa) 
issued  from  a  lake  which  was  connected  with  tho  North  Sea, 
that  he  had  visited  its  shores,  had  there  seen  tho  wreck  of  an 
English  vessel,  and  that  one  of  tho  crow  Avas  still  living  with 
the  Indians.     Eaijer   to   ascertain  the  truth  of  the  statement. 


^  TuUJc's  History  of  the  Countries  of  America. 


li 


ENGLAND,   AND   TIIK   UNITED   STATES. 


73 


Chtimpliiin  (lotormincd  to  devote  a  season  to  the  prosecution 
of  this  grand  object,  and,  with  only  tour  of  his  countrymen, 
among  whom  was  the  author  of  tlie  report  ijud  one  native,  iie 
commenced  his  voyag<?  hy  the  dangerous  and  ahnost  impassable 
route  of  the  Ottawa  rlv(>r."  This  party,  after  travelling  to 
Avithin  eight  days'  journey  of  the  lake  upon  which  the  ship- 
wreck was  said  to  have  occurred,  dis(!Ovei-ed  tlu^  falsity  of  the 
Frenchman's  report  through  the  testimony  of  the  frii-ndly  tribe 
with  whom  he  had  prciviorsly  lived,  and,  fearing  just  punish- 
ment, he  confessed  that  all  he  had  said  was  untrue.  His 
motive  in  making  the  statement  \pis  to  giv(;  notoi'iety  to  him- 
s(>lf,  believing  that  the  party  could  not  penetrate  the  country 
and  dis(!0ver  his  deception. 

4.     ('hamplain,  having  once  more  visited  France,  and  re- 
turned to  the  colony  with  additional    fo''ces,  and  l)cing  ever 
ready  to  euijage  in  warlike  (niterprises  with  his   Indian  allies, 
planned,  in  connection  with  them,  another  expedition  against 
the  lro(|Uois.     This  time  it  was  determined  to  march  against 
them  in  the  lake  region.     The  party  started  from  Montreal,  and 
traversed  the  course  of  the  (3ttawa  for  some  distance,  thence 
overland  to  Lake  Huron,  where  they  were  reinforced  by  some 
Huron  bands,  who  regarded  the  Iroquois  as  a  eonunon  (memy. 
On  the  banks  of  Lake  George  they  found  the  Iroquois  hi  their 
i'ortiiications.     "TIk;  Iroquois  at  tii'st  advanced  and  met  their 
assailants  in  front  of  the  fortitications,  l)ut  the  whizzing  balls 
from  the  fire-arms  soon  drove  them  within  the  ramparts,  and, 
tinally,  from  all  the  outer  defences.     They  continued,  however, 
to  pour  forth  showers  of  arrows  and  stones,  and  fought  with 
such  bravery  that,  in  spite  of  all  the  exertions  >f  the  few  French 
and  their  allies,  it  Avas  found  impossible  to  drive  them  from 
their  stronghold."      In  the  first  assault  Champlain  lost  some 
of  his  nati\'o  Avarriors,  and  he  AA'as  himself  severely  Avounded 
tAvice.    After  several  days  spent  in  fruitless  attempts  to  dislodge 
the  Iro(piois,  the  French  and  Indians  Averc  compelled  to  retire  ; 
but,  from  the  dishonesty  and  indisposition  of  his  allies,  Cham- 
plain  was  obliged  to  spend  the  Avinter  in  the  country  of  the 
IIuron.g,  being  unable  to  obtain  guides  and  facilities  to  make 
the  return  journey.      But  in  the  folloAving  spring  (1G15)  he 
Avas  enabled  to  leave  that  rearion.     He  sailed  for  France  soon 

CI? 

after,  and  reached  his  native  country  in  September  of  the  same 
year.  "The  interests  of  the  colony  AA'cro  noAV  for  some  time 
much  neglected,  OAving  to  the  unsettled  state  of  France  during 
the  minority  of  Louia  XIII.,  and  it  AAas  not  until   1620  that 


7t 


IIISTOIIY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


C'h.'iinpliiiii  AVMs  omiblcMl  io  return,  with  a  new  <'(|iiij)iiicut,  (lltcd 
out  hy  i\n  iis.s()fiali(JU  of  lucrcliiiufs.  Duriiiij^  his  aliscuce  {\\^^ 
sottlcnu'nt.s  liad  Ik'cii  considcriiljly  iK'jrIoclcd,  and  after  all  lliat 
had  been  done  for  tlus  colony  then;  renjained  when  winter  sot 
in  not  more  than  sixty  inhabitants,  of  all  a_<^es." 

T).  In  thesprin*;  of  l(i21  thi^  association  of  merchants  which 
had  littcd  out  the  last  exjx'dition  was  (lei)rive(l  of  all  its  i)rivi- 
Icfrt's.  Do  Caen  was  sent  out  as  governor  of  the  colony,  ami 
the  power  of  Champlain  was  for  a  time  suspended.  "  i'ho 
violent  and  arbitrary  [)roceedings  of  the  new  p)Vernor,  how- 
ever, caused  nnich  dissatisfaction,  in  conse(juencc  of  which  ii 
great  part  of  the  population  connected  with  the  Kuropean 
traders  took  their  dei)arture.  J)e  Caen  soon  after  returning  to 
France,  the  powers  of  g(n-(!rnment  again  fell  into  the  hands  of 
Champlain,  Avho  turned  his  attention  to  discoveries  and  settle- 
ments in  the  interior."  Chami)lain,  soon  after  his  restoration, 
negotiated  a  treaty  between  the  Jro(|ii()is  and  Ilui'ons,  which,  for 
a  short  time  only,  put  u  sto[)  to  the  war  between  those  nations. 
From  1(522  to  li;27,  and  even  later,  the  progress  of  the  colony 
in  Now  Franco  Avas  checked  by  the  war  between  the  Catholics 
and  l^rotestants  in  Europe,  Avhich  exteude<l  also  to  America. 
In  th(^  latter  year,  however,  war  broke  out  between  England 
and  France, and  two  Calvinists, — refugees  from  France, — l)avid 
and  Lewis  Kirk,  enlisted  in  the  British  service,  and  engaged  in 
an  expedition  against  the  French  settlements  in  Anierica.  The 
squadron,  under  the  connnand  of  these  men,  sailed  to  the  mouth 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  ca[)tured  several  vessels,  and  cut  oil'  all 
connnunication  between  New  France  and  the  mother  country. 
Port  Ivoyal  and  other  French  settlements  in  that  vicinity  soon 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English,  and,  in  duly,  1021),  Sir  David 
Kirk  demanded  the  stu-render  of  Quebec.  The  post,  being 
weakened,  yielded,  and  now  the  French  possessions  in  America 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English.  But  these  events  ha^^ 
scarcely  taken  place  in  the  New  \Vorld  when,  in  tlieT5Td,  atTiclcs_ 
of  peace  had  been  signed  which  promised  the  restitution  of_all__ 
jElIo~cu)i(pi(\'<ts  made;  [)revious  to  April  11.  1<S2!)  ;  ami,  by  thc_ 
tinal  treaty  of  March,  1032,  Frajice  was  restored  to  a  possession 
of  her  American  colonies,  —  not  only  of  Now  France,  but  of  all 
Acadia. 

G.  No  sooner  Avas  the  French  authority  peacefully  rec'X- 
tonded  over  New  France,  than  Champlain  was  reinv(?sted  with 
his  former  jurisdiction,  which  he  worthily  maintained  till  his 
death,  in    1030.     Ho   was   succeeded    l)y   Montmagny,   whoso 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


rs 


situation  was  rciulercd  cilticul  by  the  tliingcvoiis  attitiulc  of  tlio 
liuliiiiis.  'J'lic  war  witli  the  iiidoiiiilahic!  Ir()(|ii()is  liad  broken 
out  with  /^ivjitei'i'iirv  than  over.  Tiic  French,  l)<'in<f  tiicniselves 
■wcak'iieil,  wci'e  unable  to  render  their  Ai<^()n(|iiin  iViends  any 
assistance;  hence  they  were  hunil)h'd  ;  the  lluron.s  wito  also 
sorel"^  pressed,  and  ot"  course  the  French  setlienients  wei'e  in 
dan<.!er.  The  •rovernor,  however,  succeeded  in  elt'ectinu:  another 
treaty,  and  lor  a  time  it  was  observed  in  eoinpariitive  peace. 
DiM'iii";  this  partial  peace  on  the  borch-rs  the;  missionaries 
formed  estal)lishnu'nts  not  only  at  Quebec  and  Montreal,  but 
penetrated  far  into  tiio  interior,  estal)lishin^  missionary  posts, 
collectinj^  the  natives  in  villages,  and  converlini>"  them  to  the* 
Catholic  faith  by  thousands,  L'pwards  of  three  thousand 
llurons  are  recorded  to  have  been  bai)lized  at  one  time,  and 
though  it  was  easier  to  make  converts  than  to  retain  them,  yet 
many  were  for  a  time  reclaimed  from  their  savage  hai)its,  and 
very  favoral)l(>  prospects  were  opened,  lint  this  period  of  re- 
pose; was  soon  ended,  the  Irocjuois  liaving,  in  H\i^,  again  de- 
termined to  renew  the  war,  and,  as  it  is  asserted,  without  any 
known  cause  or  pretext  whatever. 

7.  However,  the  blow  was  elfectnal,  and  the  fmy  of  the 
invincible  Irociuois  was  felt  throughout  Canada.  "The  frontier 
settlements  of  the  French  were  attacked  with  the  most  fatal 
precision,  and  their  inhabitants,  without  distinction  of  age  or 
sex,  involved  in  indiscriminnte  slaughter.  The  llurons  were 
everywhere  defeated  ;  and  their  country,  lately  so  peaceabU'  and 
flourishing,  became  a  land  of  horror  and  of  blood.  The  whole 
Huron  nation,  with  one  consent,  dispersed,  and  lied  for  refuge 
in  every  direction.  A  few  afterwards  reluctantly  united  with 
their  conquerors  ;  the  greater  number  sought  an  asylum  among 
the  Cluppewas  of  Lake  Superior;  while  a  small  renn\ant  sought 
the  protection  of  the  French  at  Quebec.  The  Iroquois  having 
completely  overrun  Canada,  the  French  were  virtually  blockaded 
in  the  three  forts  of  Quebec,  Thrcic  Ivivers,  and  ^lontreal ;  and, 
almost  every  autunm,  bands  of  hostile  invaders  swept  away  the 
limited  harvests  raised  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  these  places. 
Yet  again  this  lierce  people,  as  if  satiated  with  blood,  began  of 
their  own  accord  to  make  overtures  of  peace,  and  to  solicit  the 
missionaries  to  teach  them  the  Christian  doctrine.  In  10')()  a 
French  settlement,  connected  with  a  mission,  was  actually  es- 
tablished in  the  territory  of  the  Onondagas.  This  establish- 
ment, however,  was  of  short  continuance,  for,  as  the  other 
confederate  tribes  disapproved  of  the  measure,  the  French  were 


i 


I       ! 


76 


HISTORY  OP  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


o1)li<^('(l  It)  wilhdraw.  In  1058,  the  French  were  compelled  to 
accept  huiiiiliiiling'  teriiis  of  peace  ;  }'et  even  by  these  means 
they  ohlaiiied  hut  litthi  repose.  Often,  while  peace  was  pro- 
claimed at  one  station,  war  raged  at  another.  At  length,  in 
1()(5;},  it  was  announced  that  deputies  from  the  different  cantons 
of  the  Iroquois  were  on  their  way  tt>  Montreal,  with  the  pro- 
fessed intention  of  burning  the  hatchet  so  deep  that  it  should 
never  again  be  dug  up,  and  of  i)lanting  the  tree  of  peace, 
whose  branches  shoidd  overshadow  the  whole  land.  lint,  un- 
happily, a  parly  of  Algonijuins,  stung  by  accumulated  wrongs, 
and  resolving  on  vengeance,  determined  to  violate  ever,  the 
sacred  character  of  such  a  mission,  and,  having  an  ambuscade, 
killed  nearly  all  the  party."  V\'ilhthis  indiscreet  blow  all  hopes 
of  peace  disappeared,  and  the  Jrcfcpiois  renewed  the  war. 

8.  Everywhere  before  them  ihoy  sent  dismay,  and  behind 
them  they  left  only  devastation  and  conquest.  The  Algonquin 
allies  of  the  French  either  lied  or  were  slain,  Avith  not  so  nnicli 
as  an  attempt  at  resistance.  While  these  Indians  were  extend- 
'  ;g  tiieir  conquest,  the  French  Avere  helpless  within  their  forts, 
fearing  to  venture  out  in  defence  of  their  allies.  At  length, 
liarasscd  by  the  menaces  of  the  savages,  the  governor  visited 
France  to  procure  aid,  but  Avas  able  to  obtain  but  one  hundred 
men.  During  these  extreme  hardships  a  series  of  earthquakes 
occurred  in  N^w  France,  connnencing  in  February,  10()3,  and 
contimiing  for  about  six  months,  (Spreading  consternation  and 
alarm  throughout  the  colony.  In  1(305  the  Marquis  de  Tracy 
came  to  Canada  as  governor,  bringing  with  him  quite  a  large 
iunnl)er  of  emigrants  and  a  regiment  of  soldiers.  lie  pro- 
ceeded to  erect  three  forts  on  the  river  liichelieu  (noAV  tho 
Sorel),  and  to  conduct  scA^eral  Avell-formed  expeditions  into  tho 
country  of  the  Iroquois,  eflectually  checking  their  insolence, 
and  for  a  time  the  colony  enjoyed  comparative  peace. 

9.  Do  Tracy  Avas  succeeded  by  M.  do  Courcelles,  during 
AA'hose  aduiinisti'ation  the  French  power  Avas  extended  to  tho 
interior  of  Canada  and  on  the  upper  parts  of  the  St.  Lawrence. 
"A  settlement  of  Ilurons,  under  the  Jesuit  Marquette,  Avas 
established  on  the  Island  of  Michilimackinac,  between  Lakes 
Huron  and  jNIichigan, — a  situation  very  favorable  to  the  fur 
trade  ;  and  the  site  for  a  fort  Avas  .lelected  at  Cataratjui,  on 
Lake  Ontario,  near  the  present  village  of  Kingston,  —  an  advan- 
tageous point  for  the  protection  of  the  trading  interests,  and  for 
holding  the  Five  Nations  in  awe.  Count  Frontenac,  the  suc- 
cessor   of   Do    Courcelles,    immediately   upon   his    accession 


ENGLVND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES, 


77 


ciuised  the  fort  at  Cattira([iil  to  l)o  conipletetl,  and  it  has  often, 
from  liim,  been  ealled  Fort  Fronteuae."  This  governor  con- 
ducted the  alfairs  of  the  eoh)ny  in  an  energetic  but  haughty 
manner  for  a  period  of  ten  years,  when  he  was  recalled,  and 
M.  Oc  la  Barre-appointed  in  his  stead,  in  1()«4.  The  latter  at 
first  made  a  show  of  carrying  on  the  war  with  considerable 
energy,  and  crossed  Lake  Ontario  with  a  largo  force,  when, 
being  met  by  depnties  from  the  Five  Nations,  he  thought  it  most 
prudent  to  3ncld  to  their  terms,  and  withdraw  his  army.  The 
home  government  being  di'osalislied  with  the  issue  of  this  cam- 
paign, the  fTovernor  was  innnediately  recalkHl,  and,  in  U)8'), 
was  succeevU'd  by  the  Marqnis  Denonville,  who  enjoyed  the 
reputation  of  being  a  brave  and  active  officer. 

10.  AVhatevcr  may  have  l>een  Denonville's  pretensions,  it 
is  evident  that  his  intentions  were  to  punish  the  hostile  savages. 
"  Having,  under  various  pretexts,  allured  a  number  of  chiefs  to 
meet  him  on  the  banks  of  Lake  Ontario,  he  secured  them  and 
sent  them  to  Fnuice  as  tro[)hi(>s,  and  afterwards  they  were  sent 
as  slaves  to  the  galleys.  This  base  stratagem  kindled  the  flame 
of  Avar,  and  each  party  i)r(>pared  to  carry  it  on  to  the  utmost 
extremity.  Denonville  was  already  pre[)ared,  and  with  a  force 
of  eight  Innidred  French  regulars,  and  one  thousand  three  hnn- 
dred  Canadians  and  savages,  he  embarked  from  Catara(|ui,  for 
the  entrance  of  the  Genesee  river.  Immediately  after  landing, 
ho  constructed  a  military  defence,  in  which  he  left  a  guard  of 
four  hundred  men,  while  with  the  main  ))ody  of  his  forces  he 
a-dvanced  upon  the  princi[)al  town  of  the  Senecas."  AN'hen  ho 
was  Avithin  a  short  distance  of  the  \  illage,  ap[)roaching  it,  he 
w  as  attacked  in  front  and  rear  by  a  heavy  force  of  the  enemy. 
His  troops  were  at  first  thrown  into  confusion,  and  for  a  time 
the  battle  was  fierce  and  bloody  ;  but  tiie  Iroquois  Avere  finally 
repulsed,  and  did  not  ag.iin  make  their  ;i[)pearance  in  the  field. 
Denonville  afterwards  nnirched  upon  tlu'ir  villages,  intending 
to  destroy  them^  but  they  had  already  been  laid  in  ashes  by 
the  retreating  Senecas.  Some  fields  of  corn  Avero  destroyed, 
but  Denonville  Avas  unable  to  do  the  enemy  much  damage. 
On  his  return  he  stoi)i)ed  at  Niagara,  where  ho  erected  a 
small  t'ovt,  in  Avhich  ho  left  a  garrison  of  one  huu'Ired  men. 
I'ut  f  ho  expedition  had  no  sooncn-  redu'ued  than  the  Indians 
besieged  forts  Niagara  and  Cataraqui.  The  former  was  aban- 
doned after  nearly  all  the  garrison  had  perished  from  hunger. 
The  Indian  cause  now  prospcMvd,  and  had  the  Indians  been 
acquainted  Avith  the  arts  of  war  they  a  ght  have  driven  the 


f 


IIISTOIIY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


French  from  tlic  colony.  As  it  v,;;^,  llio  governor  in  i«')88, 
was  compelled  lo  .siiljniit  to  iho  iiiosl  Innuilialiiiu;  terms,  juul  to 
send  a  ve(|Mest  to  Franco  for  the  return  of  the  chiefs  whom  ho 
had  captured  and  sent  to  that  far-olf  cotnitrv. 

11.  The  treaty  thus  niad(^  Avas  ahnost  innnediately  broken 
by  tlie  Iro(juois,  "who  were  now  so  exasperated  as  to  seize  ui)on 
the  slightest  ju'ctext  for  "vvar.  Amonjj:  their  more  des[)eratc 
onslaughts  Avas  that  upon  the  Island  of  IMontreal,  Avliich  tiioy 

devastated,  carry  ingotf 
two  hiuulred  i)risoners. 
In  the  most  critical 
hour  Denonville  was  re- 
called and  Cor.nt  Froii- 
tenae  rea[)[)ointed  gov- 
ernor, lie  I'eai'hed  the 
colony  in  KuS!),  iuul  at- 
tempted to  e(aielude  a 
peace  with  the  lro<[U()is  ; 
but  they  were  too  nuich 
elated  over  tlieir  own 
victori(>sto  listen  to  any 
proi)osal  ;  hence  the 
governor  pre[)ared  for 
Avar.  "As  France  and 
England,*'  say.^:  Marcus 
A^'ills()n,  ''were  mr.v  e;i- 
gaged  in  Avar,  in  con- 
,s(H]uenco  of  the  Eng- 
lish rc^volutiou  of  1(!88, 
Frontenae  n'solved  to 
strike  the  lirst  bloAV 
against  the  English,  on 
AA'hosc  support  the  en- 
emy so  strongly  relied. 
In'l(;i)0  he  "lit ted    out 


COLBERT. 


three  expeditions  ;  one  against  Ncav  York,  a  second  against  Now 
Hampshire,  and  a  third  against  the  proA'incc  of  jNlaine.  The 
party  destined  for  iSew  York  tell  upon  Corlaer,  or  Schenectady, 
and  completely  sui'prised,  pillag(>d,  and  bui'ued  the  place.  The 
second  partv  ])urned  the  villaijo  of  Salmon  Falls,  on  the  bor- 
ders  of  New  Hampshire,  and  the  third  destroyed  the  settlement 
of  Casco,  in  Ahiine.  The  old  allies  of  tine  French,  reassured 
l)y  these  suecesoes,  l)egan  to  resume  their  former  energy  ;   the 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UMTED  STATES. 


79 


ronioto  post  of  ISlic-hllimiickiimc  was  .slrengthencd,  and  the 
Fiviu'li  wcro  gradually  gaining  ground,  whou,  from  a  new 
quailer,  a  storm  arose  which  thrcaloncd  thu  very  existence  of 
tlu'ir  power  in  America.  The  iiurtliern  English  colonies, 
roused  hy  the  atrocities  of  the  French  mid  their  savage  allies, 
hastily  i)repai'ed  two  ex|)editi()ns  against  the  French,  one  by 
sea,  from  Boston  against  (Quebec;,  and  the  other  by  land,  from 
New  York  against  Alonlreal.  Th(!  lirst,  under  Sir  \\'illiani 
Phipps,  captured  ail  the  French  posts  in  Acadia  and  New- 
foundland, with  several  on  the  8t.  Lawrence,  and  had  arrived 
witiiiu  a  few  days'  sail  of  (Quebec  before  any  tidings  of  its 
a[)proach  had  been  received.  I'lie  forlilicaiions  of  the  city 
were  hastily  strengthened,  and  when  the  sunnnons  to  surrend;-!" 
was  received,  it  was  returned  with  a  message  of  deliancc. 
After  an  unnecessary  de!ay  of  two  days,  a  lancbng  was  elfected  ; 
but  the  attacks  both  by  land  and  l;y  wati-r  were  ahke  unsuc- 
cessful, and  the  English  Avere  tinally  reduced  to  the  mortifying 
necessity  of  aban(U)ning  tlu^  i)lace,  and  leaving  their  cannon  and 
annnunitiou  in  the  hands  of  the  eneiii}'.  The  expedition 
against  Montr<'al  was  ahke  unsuccessful.  In  1001  the  settle- 
ments on  the  Sorel  were  attacked  by  the  ^lohawks  and  Eng- 
lish, under  the  command  of  Major  Schuyler,  who.  after  making 
liai'd  attempts,  Avere  comptdled  to  withdraw.  This  left  the 
Governor  of  New  France  without  any  tetirs  for  the  safety  of  the 
colony. 

12.  Several  years  of  political  strife  now  ensued,  but,  when 
the  insolen-je  of  the  savages  could  be  endinvnl  no  longer,  Fron- 
tenac  ni'irched  a  large  tbrce  into  their  couiiti'v.  lie  left  .Mon- 
tr(>al  in  the  summer  of  HVJi],  and  pi-oceeded  to  Fort  Frontenac, 
from  whence  he  marched  to  the  country  of  the  Onondagas, 
when  \w  found  the  enemy  had  retreated,  having  lirst  burned 
their  villages.  He  was  sorely  harassed  in  theii'  retreat.  The 
Indians  (continued  the;  war  until  tlu;  conclusion  of  i)eaco  between 
France  and  England,  when  they  negotiated  a  treaty  with  the 
French.  Fror.tenae  died  in  1(51)8,  and  was  succeeded  l)y  Cal- 
lieres.  But  in  1702  war  again  broke  out  between  France  and 
England,  involving,  of  course,  the  Americsm  colonies.  The; 
French,  on  the  one?  hand,  in  Europe,  sulfered  defeat,  which 
rendered  it  impossible  ^'or  that  nation  to  send  the  needed  assist- 
ance to  \ew  France;  while,  on  th,;  other  hand,  tiie  JOnglish, 
elated  with  repeated  trium[)hs,  embraced  the  design  of  con- 
quering the  French  colony  in  America.  The  Iroquois,  although 
re{)eatedly    solioiied   l)y  both   parties,    maintained   neutrality. 


',1   to 


80 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


''y 


The  FroiR'li  diroctcd  their  oporalions  niiiinly  airainst  the  Xow 
Eniiland  colonics.     At  lfn<itli,  lionx'vor,  the  Kii<i-lish,  wearied 
of' 
nu 


un.succcss,  i)rei)ared  a  powcrfid  arnuiinoiit,  under  the  com- 
and  of  Sir  Ilorenden  AValker,  for  the  reduction   of  Canada  ; 
hut,   fortiniately  for  the    French,  the   s(|uadr()n    "wa.s  AvrecUed 
the  mouth  of  tiie  St.  Lawrence.     Meanwhile  the   French 


near 

were  havin":  a  terril^le  strujrjjrle  in  the  west  with  the  ()utai>:a- 
niies,  or  Foxes,  who  i)rojected  a  plan  for  the  destruction  of 
Detroit,  and  in  which  they  failed  only  after  many  siirns  of  suc- 
cess l\etrcating  from  Detroit,  the  Foxes  collected  their  forces 
on  the  Fox  river  of  (Jreen  Bay,  where  they  str(ui<rly  fortified 
themselves  ;  but  an  expedition  being  sent  against  them  they 
^V( 
nil 
w, 
nun 


'r<i    obliged   to    cai)itulate.      The    remnant    of    tlui    defeated 


lion. 


h( 


)wever 


h)nii" 


carried  on  u    ceaseless    ai 


id 


liarassin<r 


.11 


fare  against  the  French,  and  rendered  insecure  their  com- 

inication  with  the  settlements  on  the  Mississippi. 

13.     The  Treat}'  of  Utrecht,  in  1713,  put  an  end  to  hostilities 

in  America,  after  which,  or  until  the  wai-  in  which  Canada  fell, 

the  colony  enjoj'ed  comparative  peace.     Charlevoix,  who  visited 

the    princi[)al    settle- 


ments in  1720  and 
1721,  gives  the  best 
account  of  their  con- 
dition at  this  period. 


Quel 
tainec 


)ec 


1 


thei 
popu 


con- 


lat 


ion 


of  al)out  seven  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  but 
the  entire  population 
of  the  colonv  at  that 


pen 


)d 


is    unknown. 


The  settlements  were 


conlined     pruicipa 


Uv 


to  the  borders  of  the 
St.  Lawrence,  1h'- 
twx'en  Montreal  and 
Quebec,  extending  a 
short  distance  below 
the  latter  place. 
Al)ovc  Moiitr(>al  were 
only  detached  sta- 
cHARLEVDix.  tloiis  for  (li^fciice  and 

trade.     At    Fort  Frontenac  and  Niairara  a  few  soldiers  were 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


81 


^V^ 


stalioucd,  but  tlicro  were  apparently  no  traces  of  cultivation 
in  the  vicinity  of  cither  of  those  places.  A  feeble  settlement 
was  found  at  Detroit,  and  one  at  Michilimackinac,  surrounded 
by  Indian  villages.  On  the  whole,  however,  it  appears  that 
west  of  Montreal  there  was  nothing  at  this  time  which  could 
be  called  a  colony. 

14.  lint  let  us  turn  from  the  valley  of  the  St.  Lawrence  for 
a  few  moments,  and  bring  forward  the  history  of  Acadia.  Wo 
have  already  seen  how,  in  1005,  under  the  leadership  of 
Do  JNIonts,  the  iirst  permanent  settlement  Avas  made  in  Nova 
Scotia.  The  settlement  was  named  Port  KoAal,  and  the  v.holo 
country,  embracing  New  Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia,  and  the 
adjacent  i.slands,  was  called  Acadia.  The  settlement  at  Port 
Royal  was  invaded,  in  1(514,  by  Samuel  Argall,  under  the 
authority  of  the  colony  of  Virginia,  and  reduced,  which  com- 
pleted the  conquest  of  Acadia  by  the  British.  Franco  nr.ide  no 
complaint  of  Argnir,--  aggression,  beyond  demanding  the  restor- 
ation of  the  prisoners,  nor  did  Britain  take  any  immediate 
measures  for  retaining  her  coiKjuests.  Jjut,  in  1(521,  Sir  Wil- 
liam Alexander,  afterwards  Ftu-1  of  Stirling,  obtained  from  the 
king,  James  I.,  a  grant  of  Nova  Scotia  and  the  adjacent  islands, 
and  in  l{52o  the  commission  was  renewed  by  Charles  I.,  and 
extended  so  as  to  embrace  all  Canada  and  the  northern  portions 
of  the  United  States. 

15.  In  1(523  a  vessel  was  despatched  with  settlers;  but  they 
found  tlie  whole  country  in  the  possession  of  the  iVench,  and 
were  obliged  to  return  to  Fngland  without  fodnaing°y settle- 
nicn.t.„.Xu_1^28j  while  the  war  with  Franco  was  m  progress. 
Sir  David  Kirk,  who  had  "Feen  sent  out  For  that  purposc^^ 
succeeded  in  reducing  Nova  Scotia,  and  not  only  so,  but  in  the 
following  year,  as  we  have  seen,  succeeded  in  tlio  coiiquest  of 
all  Canada ;  but  the  whole  country  was  restored  to  the  FreuHi' 
by  the  treaty  of  1G32.  At  this  time  the  French  court  divided 
Nova  Scotia  between  three  individuals,  La  Tour,  Denys.  and 
Kozillai,  and  appointed  the  latter  connnander-in-chief  of  the 
colon}'.  He  was  succeeded  by  Charnise,  between  whom  and 
La  Tour  a  quarrel  arose,  which  caused  great  trouble.  At 
length  Charnise  died,  and  the  trouble  Avas  for  a  tinu!  suppressed 
by  La  Tour's  marrying  the  Avidow  of  his  enemy  ;  but,  not  long 
after,  a  creditor  of  Charnise  appeared,  named  La  Bargne,  and 
with  an  armed  force  endeavored  to  reduce  Denys  and  La  Tour. 
lie  overcame  several  important  posts,  and  was  marching  against 
St.  John  Avhen  a  formidable  opposition  put  a  stop  to  his  con- 


■  'pfti  £■'      ■' 

1 

.i        .^•,,.- ,;i.,; 

1 

fe    -V.I 

m 

Pt#C^iW'#''i"'''!|' 

».               .«ri 

■"I, 


i 


i 


■pa 


« 


82 


HISTORY   OF  DO.MI.VION   OF  CANADA, 


qtiosts.  Cromwell  liiid  assumed  the  reins  of  «^overinuenl,  jukI 
ill  l()r)4  Enj^laud  dcclai-ed  Avar  npiinst  Franee,  and  des[)atelied 
an  expedition  ai^aiiist  JS'ova  Scotia,  Avliieh  met  with  suecoss, 
bringing  the  Aviiole  country  under  Enghmd.  La  Tour  sub- 
mitted to  the  new  yoke,  and,  in  eonneetion  with  Sir  Thomas 
Zemple,  ol)tained  a  grant  of  the  greater  portion  of  the  penin- 
suhi.  Sir  Thomas  bought  out  J^a  Tour  soon  after,  and  spent 
thirty  thousand  dollars  in  fortitieations,  Avhieh  greatly  inii)r()vcd 
tile  eommeree  of  tiie  country.  15ut  all  his  fair  i)r()speets  Avere 
swept  away  by  the  treaty  of  Breda,  in  KK!?,  by  Avhich  Nova 
Scotia  Avas  again  ceded  to  France. 

16.  Tho  French  at  once  took  possession  of  the  colony, 
Avhich  as  yet  contained  no  \x'ry  largo  settlements,  the  po})u- 
lation  in  1()80  not  exceeding  nine  Innidred.  The  tisheries,  tho 
only  protitablo  industry,  were  conducted  by  the  English.     The 

forts  AA'crc  few  and  weak,  and 
1  wo  of  them  Avero  plundered 
by  pirates.  In  this  situation, 
when  the  nar  broke  out  in 
l()81t,  Acadia  ap})eared  an 
easy  con(juest,  and  tho 
MchieA^ement  of  this  was  given 
lo  iMassachusetts.  "In  May, 
ItiilO,  Sir  William  Phipps, 
with  seven  Inmdred  men,  ap- 
jieared  before  Fort  IJoyal, 
which  soon  surrendered  ;  but 
li(i  merely  dismantled  the  for- 
tress, and  then  left  the  country 
a  ])r(\v  to  ])irates.  A  French 
<  ()iinnan(l(>r  arriving  in  No- 
\ ember  of  tho  following  year, 
tho  country  Avas  vecon(|uered 
English  an,d  hoisting  the 
tho  ])Ostouians,  aroused  by  tho 
depredations  of  the  Fi-ench  and  Indians  on  the  frontiers,  sent 
out  a  body  of  fivo  hundred  men,  Avho  soon  regained  tho 
whole  coun»rv,  Avitli  tho  exception  of  one  fort  on  the  river  St. 
ffohu.  Acatlia  now  rcmaincfl  in  the  possession  of  the  English 
until  the  treut\  of  Ivvswick,  in  IHOT,  ^\hen  it  Avas  aijfain  restored 
to  France."' 

17.  The  peace  of  1()U7  was  soon  followed  by  Avar.  AVar 
Avas    declared    against   Franco    and    Spain,  and    it    Avas    again 


am  AViLLiAjr  vei'I'ijulxl. 


simply    1)y    pulling    down 
Freui  h    ilair.       Soon   after 


tho 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


83 


resolved  to  reduce  Nova  Scotia,  and  ai^aiii  llu;  undertaking  Avas 
intrusted  to  Massaduisetts.  Tills  time  the  inv.-.ding  party  was 
assured  tiiat  wliat  was  gained  by  arms  would  not  l)(;  .sacrilieed 
by  treaty.  "The  tirst  expedition,  despatched  in  1704,  met 
Avith  little  resistance,  but  di<l  little  more  than  ravage  the 
country.  ]n  1707  a  force  of  one  thousand  soldiers  Avas  sent 
against  Port  Koyal  ;  but  tlu^  French  commandant  conducted  the 
defence  of  the  jilaco  Avith  so  much  ability  that  the  assailants 
Averc  oldiged  to  retire  Avith  considerable  loss.  In  1710  a  nuieli 
larger  force,  nnder  the  connnand  of  (ien.  Nicholson,  appear«Ml 
before  Port  Ivoyal ;  but  the  Frcm.-h  commandant,  having  but 
a  feeble  garrison,  and  declining  to  attempt  a  resistance,  ob- 
tained an  lionora))le  capitulation.  Port  lioyal  Avas  now  named 
Annajjolis.  From  this  period  Nova  Scotia  has  been  perma- 
nently annexed  to  the  British  crown."  Cape  lireton,  lioweA^er, 
rcn:aincd  in  the  hands  of  the  French. 

18.  liut  to  return  to  Canada.  C^ount  Frontcnac  Avas  suc- 
ceeded by  JNI.  de  Callieres  in  tlu^  winter  of  1()1)8.  The  latter 
died  in  170;),  and  Avas  succeeded  b}-  the  iMarquis  dc  Vaudreuil. 
There  Avas  now  a  return  of  peace,  and  consequently  a  return  of 
prosperity.  I'hc  governor  set  himself  at  Avork  to  develop  the 
resources  of  the  coimtry,  and  to  encourage  education  among 
the  people.  lie  also  extended  tli(;  fortitications  of  (^uelx'c,  and 
put  Montreal  in  a  better  state  of  defence.  Thus  he  employed 
himself  till  his  death,  in  172.).  After  a  year,  din-ing  Avhichtimo 
the  governmcMit  Avas  administered  by  P>aron  de  Lorguenil,  he 
Avas  succeeded  by  the  Manpiis  de  Peauharnois.  '*  Py  order  of 
the  kinir,  and  Avith  a  view  still  further  to  counteract  the  elforts 
of  the  British  traders,  De  Beauharnois  strengthened  the  forts  at 
Frontenac  and  Niagara.  (Jovernor  Pm-jiet,  of  New  York  (son 
of  liishoi)  Burnet  of  England),  resolved,  in  1727,  to  neutralize 
the  design  of  tli(^  manjuis  by  erecting  another  fort,  midway  be- 
tween Frontenac  and  Niagara,  at  ()sweg(».  He  also  had  an  act 
passed  by  the  Assembly  of  New  Yoi-k,  sul)jecting  any  French 
trader  to  heavy  loss  who  would  supply  the  Iroquois  with  goods. 
As  an  act  of  retaliation  the  few  lOnglish  resi<l(Mits  at  INIontreal 
Avero  peremptorily  exiled  :  and,  contraiy  to  existing  treaties,  the 
new  French  fort  of  St.  Frederic  Avas  erected  at  Crown  Point,  on 
Lake  Chaui])lain.  and  a  settlement  formed  there.  With  a  vicAV 
to  punish  the  pnMlatory  acts  of  the  western  Indians,  M.  dc 
Ueauharnois,  in  1728,  clespatehed  a  large  force  to  Chicago,  by 
way  of  the  river  OttaAva,  Lake  Nipissing,  and  the  h^rcnch  river. 
The  expedition  Avas  highly  successful,  and  peuetr.ited  Avithin  a 


I! 


f-n 


p 


,;   If  'i 


84 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


coinpanilivoly  short  tlistiiiiec  oflho  upi)er  ]Mi.ssissi[)pi.  Kflbrts 
Avcrc  also  more  or  less  succossf'ully  made  ])y  French  agents  to 
(.letach  the  Jr()(Hiois  I'roni  the  English.  As  their  territory  Uiy 
between  the  Englisli  and  French  colonies,  and  formed  a  barrier 
between  them,  the  Irocpiois  conld  act  against  either.  It  was, 
therelbre,  important  for  both  colonies  to  secure  cither  their 
cooperation,  or  their  neutrality." 

ID.  Th(!  French  made  several  inroads  along  the  frontier  lino 
of  Canada  from  JJoston  to  Albany,  and  greatly  harassed  the 
English  settlements.  The  heroic  defence,  by  Sergeant  Hawks, 
of  one  of  the  English  posts  against  an  attack  from  Crown  Point  by 
De  V^audreuil,  called  forth  the  adiiiiratlon  of  both  sides;  Avhile 
the  barl)arous  treatment  of  the  Keith  faiuily  by  the  St.  Francis 
Indians,  at  lloosac,  near  Albany,  caused  a  feeling  of  the  deepest 
resentment.  The  colonists  were  roused,  and  each  one  vied 
with  the  other  in  setting  on  foot  an  exi)e(lition  for  the  conquest 
of  Canada.  Troops  wert^  promised  from  England  ;  but,  as  they 
never  came,  the  expedition  had  to  be  abandoned.  At  length 
the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  in  1748,  put  an  end  to  these 
desultory  contests,  and  both  countries  restored  the  respective 
territories  which  had  been  taken  by  them  during  the  war. 


« ♦  * 


CHAPTER  yill. 


CANADA  AND  ACADIA,   FROM   1748  TO   17G0. 

1.  The  Marquis  dc  la  Jonqui6rc  was  appointed  to  succeed 
Beauharnois  us  Governor  of  Canada,  but  being  captured  on 
his  way  out,  the  Count  de  la  Galissonniere  was  appointed 
in  his  stead,  and  administered  the  aflairs  for  about  two 
years ;  then  the  marquis,  being  released,  took  the  reins. 
The  latter  was  succeeded  by  tho  Marquis  du  Quesne,  in 
1752,  and  tho  latter  again  by  tho  Manpiis  dc  Vaudreuil,  in 
1755.  These  several  governments  were  marked  by  disturb- 
ances with  the  English  colonists,  which  cuhninated  during  the 
administration  of  tho  latter  in  the  linal  grand  struggle  in  which 
Caiuida  passed  permanently  into  tho  hands  of  the  English. 
Until  that  struggle  camo  there  was  nothing  very  remarkable 
in  tho  allairs  of  Canada.  In  Xova  Scotia,  in  1744,  when  war 
broke  out  again  between  France   and   England,  the  French 


ENGLAND,   AND   THK  UNITED   STATES. 


85 


Governor  of  Capo  lirctou  inmicdiiitoly  jittoinphMl  tlio  con- 
qiii'st  of  Nova  Scotia.  JIo  reduced  Caiiso,  .'uid  laid  siege  to 
Annapolis,  hut  wa.s  unsuccessful.  'I'lie  l*]nirlisli.  on  the  con- 
trary, succooded  in  taking  Louishurg,  the:  then  (Jihraltar  of 
America  ;  hut  Aviien  peace  was  concluded,  1)y  the  Treaty  of  Aix- 
hi-('ha[)elle,  in  174S,  the  island  of  Cape  I'reton  "was  restored 
to  France.  Al'ter  this  treaty  Kova  Scotia  hegan  to  he  thu 
ohject  of  attention  of  England.  The  peninsula  had  hitherto 
hcen  settled  ahnost  exclusively  hy  the  French.  In  order  to 
inlroduce  a  greater  proportion  of  Fnglish  settlers,  it  was  pro- 
posed to  colonize  in  Nova  Scotia  a  large  nuin))er  of  the 
soldiers  who  had  heen  discharged  in  consequ<'nce  of  the  dishand- 
ing  of  the  army;  and  in  the  lallcr  part  of  June,  1740,  a  com- 
pany of  nearly  four  thousand  adventurers  of  this  class  was  added 
to  the  population  of  the  colony.  To  every  soldier  wen;  given 
lifty  acres  of  land,  with  ten  additional  aenvs  for  every  memher 
of  his  family.  OfHeers  had  a  larger  alloAvance,  and  every 
person  ahovc  a  captain  received  six  hundred  acrcvs,  Avith  pro- 
portionate increase  for  the  menii)ers  of  families.  'J'hese  settlers 
Mere  conveyed  free  of  expense,  and  furnished  with  annnuni- 
tion,  and  with  utensils  for  clearimjj  their  lands  and  ereetimj; 
(Iwelliugs,  and  Avere  maintained  twelve  months  at  the  expense 
of  the  i^ovei'nment. 

2.  The  emigrants  Averc  landed  at  Ch(!l)ncto  Harbor,  under 
tlio  charge  of  the  Hon.  Edward  CoruAvallis,  Avhom  the  king 
li.ul  a[)i)ointed  their  governor.  At  this  place  they  at  once  com- 
inenccd  the  building  of  the  town  of  Halifax,  Avhicli  Avas  named 
ill  honor  of  the  nobleman  who  had  tiu;  great(>st  share  in  found- 
ing the  colony.  Tlie  place  selected  for  the  ncAV  toAvn  contained 
tlie  advantages  of  one  of  the  linest  harboi-s  in  America.  The 
colony  ''Avas  considered  of  so  great  im[)ortance  to  England 
that  Parliament  continued  to  make  annual  grants  for  it,  Avhich, 
in  1755,  had  amounted  to  the  enormous  sum  of  nearly  two 
millions  of  dollars ;  but,  although  the  English  settlers  aa'cto 
thus  tirmly  established,  they  soon  found  themselA'(>s  unpleas- 
antly situated.  The  limits  of  Nova  Scotia  had  never  been 
(Icfmed,  by  the  treaties  botAveen  France  and  England,  Avith 
sulllcient  clearness  to  jircA'cnt  disputes  about  boundaries,  and 
each  i)ai-ty  Avas  now  striving  to  obtain  possession  of  a  territory 
claimed  by  the  other.  The  government  of  Fi-ance  contended 
that  the  Jiritisli  dominion,  according  to  the  treaty  Avhieh  ceded 
Nova  Scotia,  extended  only  over  tlKi  pn\sent  peninsula  of  the 
same  name  ;  Avhile,  according  to  the  English,  it  extended  over 


I  If^ 


8G 


HISTORY   OF    DOMINION  OK  CANADA, 


ill  I  llijit  hu'jxo  tnict  of  country  fonnorly  known  as  Acadiii,  in- 
cluding tlic!  present  [)rovinee  of  Mow  J>i'uns\vick.  A(liniltin<( 
tho  Kn<;lisli  clain»,  Franco  woukl  bo  deprived  of  a  portion  of 
territory  of  <i"reat  value  to  her,  materially  alleclinix  lier  control 
over  tlio  river  and  <iulf  of  St.  Laurenci*,  and  /greatly  endan- 
gering the  fciccurity  of  her  Canadian  possessions." 

H,  No  sooner  "was  it  apparent  that  the  lOnglish  intended  to 
colonize  tho  avIioU;  ])eninsida,  than  the  French,  jealous  of  their 
former  enemies,  sought  to  i)rejudice  tlu;  Indians  a^"ainst  them, 
"in  the  hope  of  eliectualiy  preventing  the  Kngli.sh  from  ex- 
tending their  plantations,  and,  perhaps,  of  inducing  them  to 
abandon  their  settlements  entirely.  The  Indians  even  made 
attacks  upon  Halifax,  and  tho  colonists  could  not  move  into 
the  adjoining  woods,  singly  or  in  small  i)arties,  without  danger 
of  being  shot  and  scalpeil,  or  taken  i)risoners.  In  support  of 
the  French  claims,  the  (Jovernor  of  Canada  sent  detachments, 
which,  aided  by  strong  bodies  of  Indians  and  a  few  French 
Acadians,  erecte<l  the  fort  of  IJeau  Sejour  on  the  neck  of  tho 
peninsula  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  another  on  tho  river  St.  John, 
on  pretence  that  these  places  were  within  tho  government  of 
Canada.  Encouraged  by  these  deiiionstrations,  the  French 
inhabitants  siround  llu;  bay  (jf  Chignecto  rose  in  open  relxdlion 
against  tho  English  government,  and  in  the  spring  of  IToO  the 
Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  sent  Maj.  Lawrence  with  a  few  men 
to  re(bicc  them  to  obedience.  At  his  ap[)roach  the  FnMich 
abaudon(!d  their  dwellirigs,  and  placed  themselves  imder  the 
protection  of  the  connnandant  of  Fort  Beau  Sc>jour,  Avhen 
Lawrence,  finding  tho  enemy  too  strong  for  him,  was  obliged 
to  return  without  accomplishing  his  object.*'  Not  long  after, 
Maj.  Lawrence  was  again  sent  out  Avith  one  thousand  men  ;  but 
after  doing  the  enemy  but  little  harm  he  "was  obliged  to  retire. 
To  keep  tho  French  in  sul)jection,  the  English  built  a  fort  on 
the  narrow  strip  of  land  near  tho  istlnnus,  connecting  the 
peninsula  with  New  Lrunswick,  which  they  called  Fort  l^aw- 
reiicc.  The  French  erected  additional  forts  in  the  disputed 
tcrriiory,  and  vessels,  Avitli  troops  and  military  stores,  Aven? 
sent  to  Canada  and  Cai)o  lircton,  until  the  English  became 
alarmed  at  the  critical  situation  in  Avhich  they  Avere  placed. 

4.  But  in  IToo  Admiral  BoscaAVcn  commenced  the  Avar  Avhich 
had  long  I)ecn  anticipated  l)y  both  parties,  by  capturing  on  the 
coast  of  NcAvfoundland  two  French  vessels,  Avith  eight  com- 
panies of  soldiers  on  board,  and  about  thirty-live  thousand 
dollars  in  specie.     With  commencement  of  hostilities,  a  ibice 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


87 


was  sent  out  from  New  Kiighiiid,  under  Cols.  ^loncktoii  inul 
AVinslow,  to  (lislodirc  the  cucniy,  and  [)o.shos.s  their  ne\vly-l>uilt 
fortiliciitioiis.  Tlie  troi>|).s  ,set  out  iVoiu  IjosIoii  on  lli(>  2tltli  of 
JNlay,  and  after  a  safe  voyage  anchored  in  ("higneeto  Hay,  aliout 
livi^  ni'lp8  from  Fort  Lawrence.  On  arriving  at  tiie  river,  then 
called  iMarsatjuah,  they  found  their  |)rogress  opposed  by  the 
enemy,  four  hundred  and  lifly  of  wliom  occui)ied  a  block  liouso 
while  the  others  were  seiMM'ely  postecl  heliind  a  heavy  hi-eastwork 
of  timber.  Having  dislodged  both  of  these  forces.  Col.  Monek- 
ton  advanced  to  Fort  Beau  Sejour,  which  ho  sid)due<l  after  four 
days'  hard  lighting.  Ih)  changeil  (hi>  name  of  tlu^  lort  to  that 
of  Fort  Cumberland,  and  left  it  in  charge  of  a  British  gai-rison. 
lie  then  reduced  another  I'^rench  post,  on  the  (Jaspi-reau  river, 
which  flows  into  Bay  Veste.  Here  lu;  obtained  a  large  store 
of  provisions  and  stores.  'Flu*  success  of  this  expedition  was 
in  producing  tramiuillity  in  all  Acadia,  then  claimed  by  the 
English,  and  called  Xova  Scotia. 

5.  But  the  situation  of  tlus  [jeoplc  of  Nova  Scotia  at  thin 
time  Avas  full  of  danger.  The  war  in  Euro|>e  opened  adverse 
to  the  British  arms,  and  Iiraddock  had  been  (U'feated  in  his 
invasion  of  the  French  outposts  in  the  north-west.  The  I^rench 
cause  seemed  to  [)rosi)er,  and  it  was  believed  that  Nova  Seotia 
would  be  invaded.  At  this  time  the  French  Aeadians  amounted 
to  eighteen  thousand.  "The}'  had,"  says  an  eminent  writer, 
"cultivated  a  considerable  extent  of  Imid,  possessed  about  sixty 
thousand  head  of  eatlle,  had  neat  and  eomfortablo  dwellings, 
and  lived  in  a  state  of  plenty,  ])ut  of  great  simplicity.  They 
were  a  peaceful,  industrious,  and  amiable  race,  governed 
mostly  by  their  pastors,  who  exercised  a  i)arental  authority 
over  them  ;  they  cherished  a  deep  attachment  to  their  native 
country,  they  had  resisted  every  invitati(Mi  to  bear  arms  against 
it,  and  had  invariably  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
Great  Britain.  Although  the  great  body  of  these  peoi)Ie  re- 
mained tran(iuilly  occupied  in  the  cultivation  of  their  lands,5'eta 
few  individuals  had  joined  the  Indians,  and  about  thre(>,  himdi'cd 
were  taken  in  the  forts,  in  o[)en  rebellion  against  tlu;  govern- 
ment of  the  country.  Under  these  circumstance's,  Governor 
Lawrence  and  his  council,  aided  by  Admirals  Boscawen  and 
Mostyn,  asseml)led  to  consider  what  dis|)osal  of  the  Aeadians 
the  security  of  the  country  i-etjuired.  Their  decision  resulted 
in  the  determination  to  tear  the  whole  <  f  this  p(;ople  from  their 
homes,  and  disperse  them  through  the  dilferent  British  colonics, 
where  l hey  would  be  unable  to  unite  in  any  olfensive  measures, 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  672-4503 


88 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


and  where  they  might  in  time  bccoiuc  naturalized  to  the  gov- 
ernment. Their  lands,  houties,  and  cattle  were,  without  any 
alleged  crime,  declared  to  bo  forfeited  ;  and  they  were  allowed 
to  carry  Avith  them  only  their  money  and  household  furniture, 
both  of  extremely  small  amount.  Treachery  was  necessary  to 
render  this  tyrannical  scheme  effective.  The  inhabitants  of 
each  district  Avere  conmianded  to  meet  at  a  ceilain  place  and 
day  on  urgent  business,  the  nature  of  Avhich  was  carefully  con- 
cealed from  them ;  and  when  they  were  all  assembled  the 
dreadful  mandate  was  pronounced,  and  only  small  parties  of 
them  Avere  allowed  to  return  for  a  short  time  to  make  the 
necessary  preparations.  They  appear  to  ha\'c  listened  to  their 
doom  Avith  unexpected  resignation,  making  only  mournful  and 
solemn  appeals,  Avhich  Avere  AvhoUy  disregarded.  When,  hoAV- 
cver,  the  moment  of  embarkation  arrived,  the  young  men  avIio 
were  placed  in  front  absolut<>ly  refused  to  move ;  and  it 
required  tiles  of  soldiers,  Avith  lixed  bayonets,  to  secure 
obedience.  No  arrangements  had  been  made  for  their  location 
elseAvhcro,  nor  Avas  any  compensation  offered  for  the  property 
of  AA'hich  they  Avere  deprived.  They  Avere  merely  throAvn  on 
the  coast  at  dilFcrent  i)oints,  and  compelled  to  trust  to  the 
charity  of  the  iiihal)itants,  Avho  did  not  allow  any  of  them  to 
be  absolutely  starved.  Still,  through  hardships,  diiitress,  and 
change  of  climate,  a  great  proportion  of  them  perished.  So 
eager  AA^as  their  desire  to  return,  that  those  sent  to  Georgia 
had  set  out,  and  actually  reached  New  York,  Avhen  they  Avere 
arrested.  They  addressed  a  pathetic  representation  to  the 
English  government,  in  which,  (quoting  the  most  solemn  treaties 
and  declarations,  they  proved  that  their  treatment  had  been  as 
faithless  as  it  Avas  cruel.  No  attention,  hoAvcAxr,  AA-as  paid  to 
this  document,  and  so  guarded  a  silence  Avas  preserved  by  the 
government  of  Nova  Scotia  upon  the  sul)ject  of  the  removal 
of  the  Acadians,  that  the  records  of  the  province  make  no 
allusion  Avhatever  to  the  event.  NotAvithstandin<ir  the  bar- 
barons  diligence  AA^th  Avliich  this  mandate  Avas  executed,  it  is 
supposed  that  the  number  actually  removed  from  the  province 
did  not  exceed  seven  thousand.  The  rest  fled  into  the  depths 
o"  the  forests  or  to  the  nearest  French  settlements,  enduring 
incredible  hardships.  To  guard  against  the  return  of  tlu;  hap- 
less fugitives,  the  government  reduced  to  ashes  their  haliitations 
and  property,  laying  AA'aste  even  their  oAvn  lands  Avith  a  fury 
exceeding  that  of  the  most  savage  enemy.  In  one  district  tAvo 
hundred  and  thirty-six  houses  Avcre  at  once  in  a  blaze.     The 


ENGLVND,    AND   THE   UNITED   STATES. 


89 


Aciidiaiis,  from  the  heart  of  the  woods,  bchckl  all  they  pos- 
sessed consigned  to  destrnetion  ;  3'ct  they  made  no  movement 
till  the  devastators  wantonly  set  their  chapel  on  fire.  They 
then  rnshed  forward  in  desperation,  killed  abont  thirty  of  the 
incendiaries,  and  then  hastened  back  to  their  hiding-places." 

6.  At  the  close  of  the  French  and  Indian  War,  Franco 
was  compelled  to  yield  her  possessions  in  Xorth  America  to  the 
English,  and  now  the  English  government  of  the  Province  of 
Nova  Scotia  did  all  in  its  power  to  i)romote  the  general  pros- 
l)erity  of  the  settlements;  but,  after  the  fullest  exertions  had 
been  made,  the  dreadful  blank  made  by  the  banishment  of  the 
French  was  painfully  visible.  After  the  peace  tiie  French  were 
allowed  to  return  to  their  old  homes  andoccupy  lands,  on  taking 
the  customary  oaths  ;  but  no  compensation  Avas  offered  them  for 
the  property  of  which  they  had  been  plundered.  However,  a  few 
did  return,  and  in  1772,  out  of  a  French  i)opulalion  of  eigh- 
teen thousand,  that  once  occupied  portions  of  X(/va  Scotia,  but 
two  thousand  remained.  It  should  have  been  menti(»ned  befo"3, 
that  in  1758,  during  the  administration  of  Gov.  Lawrence,  a 
legislative  assembly  was  given  to  the  i)eoplo  of  Nova  Scotia ; 
and,  also,  that  in  17G1  a  treaty  was  made  Avith  the  Indians, 
by  which  they  agreed  to  forever  bury  the  hatchet,  and  to  ac- 
cept George  III.,  instead  of  the  King  of  France,  as  their  great 
father. 

7.  The  Marquis  de  Yaudreuil,  Avho  succeeded  Du  Quesno 
in  1755,  was  the  last  of  the  French  governors  in  Canada.  Ilis 
long  administration  Avas  brought  to  a  close  Avith  the  conquest 
of  the  English,  in  1759.  AVith  the  connnencc- 
ment  of  his  administration  atl'airs  between  the 
French  and  English  colonies  Avero  groAving 
serious.  In  the  crisis  England  aided  her  colo- 
nies Avith  men  and  money,  and  sent  out  Gen- 
eral liraddock  to  superintend  the  campaign. 
He  adopted  measures  for  the  capture  of  all 
the  Avestern  French  outposts,  but  the  French     ^ 

1.  till  ^1  m»    ^-x  Til  »J  .r.-  J 


prop 
arriv 


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Ap 
at  Ale 


C( 

Tl 


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signed 
recov 


assem 


MtlilM: 


90 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


Fort  du  Quesiio. 


to  oaptiiro  Fort  Ningara ;  and  the  fourth,  under  Johnson,  to 
take  Fort  St.  Frederic  (Crown  Point),  liraddoek  set  out  in 
Juno  with  twelve  hundred  men,  and  a  reserve  of  one 
thousand  more,  to  take  Fort  du  Quesnc,  in  Ohio.  lie  was 
accompanied  by  AVashiniiton,  as  colonel  of  his 
stall'.  It  Avas  a  month  before  ho  reached  the 
Ohio.  "When  uithin  a  few  miles  of  the  fort  ho 
Avas  attacked  by  ]\I.  de  IJeaujeu,  the  connnand- 
ant,  Avith  two  hundred  and  tifty  Canadians  and 
six  hundred  Indians  in  ambuscade.  A  panic 
ensued,  and  liraddock  "was  defeated  Avith  a 
loss  of  eight  hundred  out  of  his  twelve  hun- 
dred troops,  and  all  his  artilh'ry  and  stores.  Ilis  officers 
behaved  nobly.  lie  himself  had  Hvc  horses  shot  under  !»•  i, 
when  ho  received  a  mortal  Avound,  and  died  in  a  few  dayb." 
This  A'ictory  ended  that  campaign,  and  assured  to  the  French 
the  possession  of  the  valley  of  the  Ohio  for  the  time.  Gov* 
cnior  Shirlc}',  in  consecjuence,  abandoned  his  attack  on  Niagara. 

The  other  expeditions,  howcA'cr,  Avere 
prosecuted  with  considerable  vigor.  In 
tho  mean  time  France  Avas  preparing  to 
help  her  colony,  and  sent  out  General 
Dieskau  Avith  a  largo  force.  "Hoping  to 
rival  the  success  Avhicli  had  attended  the 
French  arms  in  Ohio,  ho  lost  no  time  in 
marching  from  Fort  St.  Frederic  (CroAvn 
Point)  to  attack  the  advancing  colunms  of 
tho  British  provincial  militia,  which  had 
been  collected  imdcr  Gen.  Johnson,  in  the 


Tort  Niagara. 


vicinity  of  Lake  George.  Leaving  half  of  his  force  at  Carillon 
(Tieonderoga),  (where  a  very  strong  new  French  foi-t  had  been 
erected  this  year),  Dieskan  camo  up  Avitli  a  detachment  of  Gen. 
Johnson's  men  nnder  Col.  Williams.  Forming  an  ambuscade, 
he  attacked  and  scattered  tho  British  force,  killing  its  leader, 
Col.  Williams.  Ho  then  pushed  on  to  attack  Johnson's  chief 
post,  at  Fort  Edward  (Hudson  river),  Avhich  had  just  been  con- 
structed by  Gen.  Lyman.  In  this  he  entirely  failed,  — eTolmson 
being  too  well  posted  at  Fort  AVilliam  Henry  (at  tho  head  of 
Lake  George),  and  his  own  force  being  too  small.  Dieskau,  in 
attacking  AVilliam  Henry,  Avas  Avounded  and  taken  prisoner,  and 
his  men  forced  to  retreat.  For  Col.  Johnson's  proAVcss  in  this 
battle  he  Avas  knighted  by  the  king." 

8,     As  the  contest  Avaged  hotter  tho  contestants   extended 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


91 


their  propiirations.  A  foiuu'il  of  wut"  was  hold  in  Xcw  York 
by  the  English,  jind  u  plan  adopted.  iMeanwhilo  the  Frcneh 
King,  Louis  XV.,  determined  to  despatch  M.  jMontealni,  one 
of  the  ablest  generals,  to  Canada  early  in  175G.  INlontealm  was 
aecouipanied  by  General  do  Levis,  M.  do  Bourgainville,  and 
fourteen  thousand'nien,  provisions,  Avar  materials,  and  money. 
George  IL  Avas  e(|ually  prompt.  With  Gen.  Abereromby  and 
a  large  reinforcement,  he  sent  oat  the  Earl  of  Loudoun  as 
Governor  of  Virginia  and  generalissimo.  The  House  of  Com- 
mons also  voted  one  hundred  and  tifteer*  thousand  pounds 
sterling  to  raise  and  equip  the  colonial  militia.  AVith  a  vicAv 
to  conciliate  the  Iroquois  and  secure  their  cooperation,  Sir 
"William  Johnson  Avas,  at  their  request,  appointed  "solo  super- 
intendent of  the  Six  A'ations  and  other  Northern  Indians,"  and 
the  A'arious  provinces  Avere  required  to  transact  all  business 
relating  to  the  Indians  through  him. 

9.  The  progress  of  the  Avar  Avas  not  Avithout  some  thrilling 
incidents,  among  other  things  a  daring  feat  Avas  i^erformed  by 
Capt.  liogers,  of  the  Eng'.isli  colonials.  Leaving  the  head  of 
Lake  George  Avith  fifty  men  in  five  boats,  ho  stealthily  glided 
doAvn  the  lake,  and  then  carried  the  boats  OA'erland  to  Lake 
Champlain.  Kowing  by  night,  and  lying  concealed  by  day 
(often  Avithin  hearing  of  the  passing  boats  of  the  French),  he 
passed  Forts  Ticonderoga  and  St.  Frederic,  until  he  came  to 
Avherc  the  supply  schooners  of  the  enemy,  on  their  Avay  to  the 
forts,  Avere  lying  at  anchor.  Rogers  suddenly  attacked  and  cap- 
tured them.  Then,  abandoning  his  boats  and  securing  his  pris- 
oners he  marched  them  by  land  to  Fort  William  Henry,  at 
the  head  of  Lake  George.  This  exploit  Avorked  considerable 
damage  to  the  French.  Meanwhile  Col.  Bradstreet  managed, 
in  a  A'ery  skilful  manner,  in  conducting  reinforcements  from 
Schenectady  to  Oswego.  However,  Col.  Bradstreet's  rein- 
forcements were  not  sutKcient.  jMontcahn  I'jarched  against 
the  fort  Avith  a  strong  force,  and,  after  a  brief  attack,  ho  com- 
pelled his  enemies  to  abandon  Fort  Ontario.  This  was  on  the 
12th  of  August.  The  English  retreated  to  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river,  to  Fort  Oswego.  This  fort  Avas  also  surrounded,  as 
its  connnandant.  Col.  ivlereer,  Avas  killed.  "  So  exasperated 
AA^ero  Ihe  Indian  allies  of  the  French  at  the  loss  of  so  many  of 
their  Avarriors,  that  Montcalm  had  to  shoot  doAvn  six  of  them 


before  they  would  desist  from  scalping  tho  prisoners.  To  con- 
ciliate the  Iroquois,  Avho  looked  with  jealousy  upon  the  British 
fort  ill  their  territory,  he  destroyed  the  fort,  and  returned  to 


111 


92 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


Hl'*'^ 


Frontonac  in  triumph,  Avith  ono  thousand  four  liundrcd  pris- 
oners (who  Averc  sent  to  ^Nroi.treul),  ono  hinidred  thirty-four 
cannon,  and  a  hirgo  amount  of  military  stores.  The  victory 
was  a  most  important  ono  for  the  French,  and  added  so  much  to 
tlioir  prestige  among  the  Ti()(|uois,  that  at  their  solicitation  a 
deputation  from  cacli  of  the  cantons  (except  the  Mohawk) 
Aveut  to  jMontreal  to  conchidc  a  treaty  of  peace  Avith  Do 
Vaudreuil,  tlie  governor.  Sir  William  John- 
son set  vigorously  at  Avork  to  couiiteract  this 
fatal  influence.  By  the  aid  of  his  faithful 
friends,  the  iNIohawks,  he  Avas  partially  suc- 
cessful, and  despatched  several  Avar  parties 
to  hai'ass  tlie  eneni}'.  The  capture  of  OsAvego 
had  the  farther  ellect  of  i)rcA'enting  any 
hostile  moA'ements  on  the  part  of  the  English 
conmiander  during  the  remainder  of  the 
Bit  WllUam  JohiiBon.      year." 

10.  The  campaign  of  175G  A\'as  still  more  successful  for  the 
French  arms,  and  in  that  of  1757  t!io  French  aa'ou  many  I)rill- 
iant  victories.  ]\[ontcalm  reduced  Fort  AVilliamllenr}'.  IIoav- 
ovcr,  the  campaign  of  17o8  paA'ed  the  Avay  for  the  final  victory 
to  English  arms.  "  Gen.  Lord  Lcuidoun,  the  commander-in- 
chief,  having  failed  to  act  cither  Avilh  judgment  or  energy,  AA'as 
suptu'seded  ])y  Gen.  Abercromby  ;  and,  in  other  respects,  the 
British  cabiiu^t,  muler  the  guidance;  of  the  elder  Pitt,  evinced 
its  determination  to  prosecute  the  Avar  Avith  unusual  vigor. 
Circular  letters  Avore  addressed  to  each  of  the  colonies  in  j\ larch, 
offering  royal  trcTops  and  Avarliko  material  in  al)undance,  pro- 
A'id<3d  they  Avould  select  officers  and  raise  such  additional  men 

among  themselA'cs  as  might;  bo  recjuired. 
Also,  as  a  mark  of  favor,  ])rovincial  colonels 
AA'cro  raised  to  the  rank  of  brijjfadicr-fjeiun-als 
and  lieutenant-colonels  to  that  of  colonels. 
So  heartily  Avcre  these  circulars  responded 
to  that  in  two  months  tAA'cnty  thousand  colo- 
nial troops  Avero  sent  to  Albany,  equip[)ed 
ami  officered,  ready  to  take  the  field.  On 
the  part  of  the  royal  forces  sent  out  from 
England,  tiic  campaign  in  1758  A\as  signal- 
ized by  the  gallant  and  memorable  capture 
of  Louisburg,  the  fortified  capital  of  Cape 
Breton  ;  l)ut  on  the  part  of  the  colonial  forces  and  the  regular 
troops,  under  Gen.  Abercromby,  it  proved  a  disgraceful  failure. 


QQueml  Abercrombft 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


93 


111  July  Ahcrcromby  decided  to  proceed  down  Lake  George  and 
attack  Montcalm  at  Ticonderoga.  The  youthful  and  gallant 
Lord  Howe  was,  however,  the  real  soul  of  the  expedition  ;"  hut 
ho  was  killed  in  a  slight  skirmish  soon  after  the  landing, 
which  so  disheartened  Abercromhy  that  he  withdrew  his 
whole  army.  But  the  rangers,  under  Col.  Bradstrect  and 
Capt.  liogcrs,  pushed  forward  and  gained  a  good  position. 
Abercromhy  now  advanced,  but  the  attack  was  inisinanaged 
and  proved  a  disgraceful  failure.  Col.  Bradstrect,  how- 
ever, importuned  the  general  for  a  sufficient  force  to  reduce 
Fort  Frontenac.  This  was  at  length  granted.  Bradstreet  lost 
no  time  in  joining  Gen.  Stanwix  at  the  new  fort  which  he 
was  then  erecting  at  the  Oneida  portage  (nowKome),  on  the 
jNlohawk  river.  With  two  thousand  seven  hundred  provincials, 
which  Gen.  Stanwix  had  given  him,  and  about  fifty  Iroquois, 
under  lied  Head  and  Capt.  J.  Butler,  he  crossed  the  lake  in  open 
l)oats,  and  in  two  days  after  reaching  the  fort  compelled  the 
commander  to  capitulate.  Thus  Avas  Col.  Bradstreet's  heroic 
entcrpvi.se  crowned  with  complete  success  ;  and  all  the  stores 
and  shipping  of  the  enemy  fell  into  his  hands.  Great  rejoicing 
followed  this  important  victory ;  for  It  was  felt  that,  with  the 
fall  of  Fort  Frontenac,  was  destroyed  ]\Iontcalm's  power  against 
the  English  on  the  great  lakes.  The  noble  Alontcalni  was 
chagrined,  but  not  discouraged;  for,  said  he,   "We  arc  still 


resolved  to  find  our  graves  under  the  ruins  of  the  colony."  On 
hearing  of  Abercromby's  disaster,  Gen.  Amherst  brought  five 
regiments  from  Louisbourg,  liy  way  of  Boston,  to  reinforce 
him.  lie  then  returned  to  his  army.  The  Remainder  of  the 
campaign  was  chiefly  favorable  to  the  British.  To  Gen.  Forbes 
was  entrusted  the  reduction  of  Fort  du  Quesno  in  the  Ohio 
valley.  Contrary  to  the  advice  of  some  provincial  officers, 
Forbes  sent  forward  an  advance  party  under  Col.  Bouquet, 
part  of  which  fell  into  an  ambuscade,  and  was  completely 
routed.  Forbes  himself  supposed  that  the  enemy  was  too 
strong  to  bo  successfully  attacked,  and  had  loitered  so  long  on 
the  Avay  that,  had  it  not  been  for  Col.  Washington,  no  attack 
on  the  fort  would  have  been  attempted  that  season.  The 
garrison,  however,  was  found  to  bo  so  weak  that  on  the  ap- 
proach of  the  Virginians  the  French  commander  destroyed  the 
fort,  and  retired  in  great  liaste  and  confusion  down  the  Ohio  to 
the  ISIississippi.  In  honor  of  the  British  premier,  the  fort 
abandoned  by  the  French  was  repaired,  and  named  Fort  Pitt 
(now  Pittsburg) . 


94 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINIO:^   OF   CANADA, 


lis    ;' 


Montcalm. 


11.  Our  irroatcst  interest,  liowever,  must  attach  to  the  final 
campaign  of  17')5).  General  Amheu'.st  liad  suecectlctl  Anibcr- 
cronihy.  The  French  busied  themselves  in  maicing  prepara- 
tions, and  makinu^  the  best  possibh)  disposition  of  their  forces. 
The  British  made  a  threefoM  plan:  lirst,  (leneral  Prideaux 
Avas  to  attiU'k  Niagara  ;  second,  General  Amherst  was  to  besic^go 
Ticonderoga ;    and,    thirdly,    General    ^^'olfo   was    to    attack 

Quebec.  General  l*rideaux  set  out  in 
July,  and,  aided  by  Sir  William  John- 
son and  a  body  of  Iroquois,  captured 
Fort  Niagara ;  and  by  this  stroke  fell 
the  hist  of  that  chain  of  forts  Avhichhad 
so  long  connected  Canada  with  Louisi- 
ana. General  vVmhcrst  was  successful 
without  a  battle,  the  enemy  fleeing  be- 
fore him.  lint  the  great  contest  was 
waged  between  (Jenerals  AVoll'e  and 
Montcalm,  at  Quebec.  The  former  was 
ably  supported  by  (xenerals  Monckton, 
Townsend,  and  Murray.  lie  had  a 
large  naval  foi'co,  and  eight  thousand 
troops.  It  is  needless  to  give  a  description  of  the  contest  here  ; 
the  battle  of  the  "  Plains  of  Abraham  "  is  too  well  known  to  need 
repetition  ;  hence  I  onn't  to  give  the  details  of  one  of  the  grand- 
est military  feats  in  the  Avhole  of  Canadian  history.  AVolfe, 
having  arranged  his  forces  in  battle  order,  (p.iietly  awaited  the 

enemy.  JNIontcalni  marched  against 
him  without  delay.  Wolfe  gave  his 
men  orders  not  to  fire  until  the  French 
were  within  forty  or  fifty  yards.  "  On 
the  brave  Frenchmen  came,"  says  a 
well-known  Canadian  writer,  "and  as 
they  neared  A\'olfe's  troops  the  rattle 
of  musketry,  at  a  given  signal,  ex- 
tended, as  if  by  magic,  along  the  whole 
of  his  lines.  As  the  French  wavered 
at  the  deadly  discharge  W'olfe  gave 
the  order  to  charire.  Although  al- 
ready  Avonnded  he  led  on  the  gren- 
adiers. He  had  scarcely  gone  more 
than  a  fcAV  paces  before  he  was  again  struck,  l)ut  this 
time  ho  Avas  mortally  Avounded.  Nevertheless,  Avith  a  Avild 
shout  his  men  still  pressed  on,  Avhilc  he  was  silently  carried  to 


"Wolfo. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


95 


Wolfa'i  old  Slanumont,  QuQl>Qe. 


the  roiir,  neiir  a  well.  The  charge  upon  the  advancing  lino 
of  French  troops  was  decisive,  though  they  were  cheered 
and  encouraged  to  stand  tirni  I)y 
the  voice  and  example  of  Mont- 
calm, who  had  already  been  twice 
wounded.  At  length  the  loud 
shouts,  'They  run!  T'-y  runl' 
fell  on  the  ear  of  the  hertuo  Wolfe, 
and  roused  for  a  moment  to  con- 
sciousness the  dying  hero.  '  Who, 
—  who  run?'  said  he.  'The 
enemy,  sir  ;  they  give  way  every- 
where,' Avas  the  eager  response. 
Then  gasping  a  hurried  message 
for  Col.  Burton,  he  turned  on  his 
side  and  said,  '  Now  God  be 
praised ;  I  die  in  peace  ! '  and  instantly  the  bravo  Wolf(^  ex- 
pired. Montcalm  himself,  with  noble  courage,  restrained  the 
retreating  soldiers ;  but,  struck  a  third  time,  he  fell  from  his 
horse  mortally  wounded,  and  was  carried 
into  the  city.  Do  Yaudreuil,  on  Avhom  now 
devolved  the  chief  command  of  Montcalm's 
army,  rallied  a  portion  of  the  troops,  and 
successfully  resisted  for  a  time  the  advance 
of  the  victorious  army  into  the  city  ;  ])ut  all 
in  vain,  for  the  l)attle  was  already  decided 
in  favor  of  the  advancing  columns  of  the 
enemy.  Thus  was  this  memorable  battle 
fought  and  won,  Avitli  a  loss  of  one  thousand 
five  hundred  French  and  seven  hundred* 
British  ;  and  thus,  in  the  memorrble  fall  of 
Quebec,  fell  also,  in  Canada  (although  the 
after-struggle  was  protracted  for  a  year), 
that  imperial  power  which  for  more  than  one 
hundred  and  fifty  .years  had  ruled  the  colo- 
nial destinies  of  New  France.  The  history  ^"^"rectlitoifiS"™** 
of  French  rule  in  America  is  full  of  heroic 
achievements,  of  touching  and  memorable  incident ;  and  its 
termination,  though  decisive,  was  still  Avorthy  of  that  great 
nation,  whose  history  is  parallel  to  our  own  in  noble  deeds  and 
chivalrous  renown.  The  death  of  Wolfe  and  Montcalm,  within 
so  short  a  time  of  each  other,  created  a  profound  feeling  of  re- 
grot.     Wolfe's  body  was  conveyed  to  England  and  buried  at 


00 


IIISTOUY  OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


T  I 


Jij    1 


GrccMnvicli.  A  inominiont  was  oivftod  to  hi.s  inoinorv  in  Wcst- 
niiii.slcr  Al)l)cj,  uikI  aaothcr  on  the  IMains  of  Al)rali:iiu  (wliifh 
v.as  replaced,  in  1849,  by  the  Brititsh  troops  serviii<;  in  Canada, 
by  u  handsomer  one),  on  the  very  spot  -wiiere  MVo'*b  died, 
victorious.'  iMontcabu  died  on  tho  i  iornjn>^  after  the  battle, 
aged  forty-seven.  He  Mas  buried  at  the  Ursulino  Convent, 
(Quebec.  A  noble  and  chivalnnis  soldier,  he  wis  re<^retted  l)y 
friend  and  foe.  A  inonuuKMit  to  tho  memory  of  himself  and 
Wolfe  Avas  erected  by  subscription,  at  Quebec,  in  1827,  chielly 
thi-oui5h  the  exertions  of  the  Earl  of  Dalhousie,  then  Governor- 
General  of  Canada." 

12.     The   fall  of  Quebec    before  AVolfe's   invincible    forces 
stinudated  the  English,  and  the  victory  -svas  followed  up  ^ith 

the  intention  of  possessing  Canada. 
The  English  l*arliament  freelv  voted 
men  and  money  for  this  purpose. 
In  the  face  of  these  additional  nie-'ts- 
nres  the  French  "were  ill-prepared  to 
make  farther  resistance.  The  small 
reinforcenKMits  desi)atched  by  Franco 
failed  to  reach  Canada  ;  nevertheless, 
the  governor  determined  to  make  a 
desperate  ctfort  to  retake  (Quebec. 
He  sent  General  de  Levis  from 
INTontreal  with  all  his  availaldc 
forces.  General  j\Iurray  marched 
out  of  the  fort  to  meet  him,  but  Avas 
compelled  to  retire.  HoAvever, 
WdXeaudMontciliD'a Monument    iMurray    Avas     reinforced     and     the 

French  were  compelled  to  abandon 
the  siege.  Tho  campaign  of  17()0  concluded  the  drama,  and 
Canada,  in  this  year,  became  a  British  province.  "General 
Amherst's  plan  of  the  campaign  for  17  GO  Avas  to  attack  the 
outlying  French  posts  of  Islc-aux-Xoix,  Os-Ave-gat-chic  (La 
Presentation,  now  Ogdensbnrg),  and  Fort  Levis  at  La  Gallettc 
(an  island  in  the  St.  LaAvrence)  ;  then  to  concentrate  all  the 
troops  and  rangers  for  a  coml)ined  attack  on  jMontreal.  jVIurray 
was  to  movo  up  from  Quebec;  Colonel  Ilaviland  Avas  to  attack 
Islc-aux-Noix ;  and  Amherst  himself  Avas  to  advance  against 
La  Galetto  and  OsA\'egatchio,  on  his  way  doAvn  the  river.  Li 
June,  Amherst  left  Schenectady  Avith  six  thousand  provincials 
and  four  thousand  regulars.  In  July,  he  was  joined  at  Oswego 
by  Sir  Wm.  Johnson   and  six  huudi'od  Iroquois,  afterAVj .rds 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


97 


increased  to  one  thoiisaiitl  three  hundred  and  thirty.  From 
this  phico  Sir  AVm.  Johnson  sent  friiMully  overtures  to  the 
Indians  near  Montreal,  ^.vhieh  were  accepted,  Ilavinf^  sent 
Col.  Ilaldimand  with  one  thousand  men  as  an  advance  ^uard, 
Amherst  proceeded  down  the  St.  Lawrence  in  August.  Oswe- 
gatchio  was  soon  taken,  but  Fort  Levis,  at  La  Galette,  held 
out  some  days,  but  at  length  surrendered.  In  August,  Col. 
Ilavihuid  ai)peared  before  Isle-aux-Xoix,  and  opened  iire  upon 
it.  M.  de  Bourgainville,  the  French  commandant,  did  not 
long  resist  the  attack  ;  but,  having  AvithdraAvn  with  his  main 
force,  the  rest  of  the  garrison  surrendered  to  the  British 
forces.  Thus  the  whole  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  Lake 
Champlain  region  passed  from  the  I  rench 
into  the  hands  of  the  English.  At  length 
the  British  forces  from  Quol)ec,  Lake 
Chami)lain,  and  Oswego,  converged  slowly 
yet  simultaneously  upon  Montreal ;  and 
early  in  September  Montreal  was  invested 
by  a  force  of  seventeen  thousand  men  under 
Gen.  Amherst.  Resistance  was  useless ; 
and,  {ifter  some  discussion,  De  Vaudreuil 
proposed    to    capitulate.       To    this    Gen.  Xord  Amherst 

Amherst  agreed,  and  on  the  8th  of  September,  1700,  was  signed 
that  memorable  document  by  which  the  whole  of  Canada  Avas 
solemnly  transferred  from  the  French  to  the  British  croAvn. 
Thus,  after  one  hundred  and  tifty  years  of  heroic  struggle,  Avith 
scant  means  of  defence,  against  powerful  rival  colonists  and  a 
relentless  Indian  enemy,  the  first  promoters  of  European  civil- 
ization and  enterprise  in  Canada  were  compelled  to  give  place 
to  a  more  aggressive  race.  But  they  did  so  Avitli  honor.  Thus 
concludes  our  account  of  French  rule  in  Canada. 


98 


IIISTOUY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


i  v 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  ANGLO-AMERICAN   C0L0NIF3. 


I   li 


AM    ACCOUNT    OK    THE    PniNCITAL    EVENTS    FUOM     THE    EaULIEST     8»;TTt,EMENT     OF 
THE    COLONIES    TO    Till;    CLOSE    OF    TUB    FRENCH    ANU    INJIAN    WAU. 

Early  Settlement.  Wc  will  now  tmcc  tho  history  jiiid 
developmont  of  the  colonies,  thirteen  in  nil,  that  united  in 
177G  to  cast  ofT  the  British  yoke,  after  remonstrances  had 
proved  vain  as  against  the  tyranny  of  t'lc  English  govemincnt. 
Virginia,  Massachusetts,  Delaware,  ^Maryland,  2s'e\v  Jersey, 
Connecticut,  Pennsylvania,  South  Carolina,  North  Carolina, 
New  York,  lihode  Island,  New  Hampshire,  and  Georgia  consti- 
tuted the  United  States,  when  the  Declaration  of  Indei)endenco 
was  signed ;  but  this  division  pauses  inmiedlately  before  that 
step  was  taken  by  the  y^mericans.  Tiicro  were  two  classes  of 
colonists  among  the  e.irly  settlers  :  the  tirst  comers  were  of  the 
class  afterwards  known  in  English  history  as  Cavaliers ;  they 
landed  in  Virginia  in  1007  ;  the  other  type,  the  Puritans,  after- 
wards known  as  Koundheads  in  history,  landed  on  Plymouth 
Rock  in  1(120,  and  colonized  Massachusetts.  The  early  records 
shov  but  little  intercourse  and  common  sympathy  among  these 
disti  nt  bands  of  men  striving  to  master  a  hard  destiny  ;  but  in 
the  end  the  contest  resulted  Avell  for  the  world,  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  new  h(mic  for  liberty. 

1.  ViUGixiA.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  is  credited  with  having 
given  the  name  of  Virginia  to  the  country  in  which  the  first 
English  settlement  was  made  on  this  co:itinent,  in  compliment 
to  Queen  Elizabeth.  The  success  of  the  Spaniards  in  procuring 
gold  from  the  native  population  in  Mexico  induced  many  to 
believe  that  all  America  was  auriferous,  and  in  consecpiencc 
men  Avho  Avoro  not  accustomed  to  daily  toil  came  as  birds  of 
passage  only,  intending  to  return  to  E:igland  as  soon  as  they 
had  realized  the  wealth  Avhicli  they  never  doubted  would  be 
found  in  abundance.  To  become  settlers,  in  the  better  sense  of 
the  term,  was  no  part  of  their  intention.  The  climate  was  very 
trying  to  such  persons,  and  their  endeavc      to  find  gold  assisted 


ENGLAND,   AND   TIIK   UNITKD   STATES. 


90 


to  break  down  (lu'li*  const  it  iil  ions,  so  that  durini^  the  first  suni- 
nicr,  lictwocn  A})ril  2()tli  and  autmnn,  onc-liiilf  of  the  colony 
had  died. 

2.  Captain  Sniitli,  an  adventurer,  who  published  an  aeiount  of 
his  hair-bn'adth  escapes  in  liondon  whiK^  Charles  1.  was  quarrcl- 
ini;  with  his  Parliament,  was  appar- 
ently the  ablest  man  in  tlu;  colony 
of  N'irginia.  His  experiences  in 
many  coimtries,  under  tryin<^  cir- 
cumstances, had  ^j^iven  him  some 
readin(>ss  and  eneriry,  and  he  pur- 
smided  the  <^entlemen  of  N'ir^imti 
to  become  foresters  and  worknicn, 
instead  of  idlers  and  gold-hiriters. 
At  iirst  a  pi-isoner  among  the  set- 
tlers, ho  was  afterwards  chosen  a 
councillor,  and  then  prosident  of 
the  council.  Under  his  direction 
a  fort  Avas  built,  and  log  huts  as  .a 
protection  against  wintry  rigors; 
l)esides  whii'h  ho  m-ulc  friends  of 
the  Indians,  and  procured  from 
them  sui)plies  of  provisions  during 
his  ex})!()ring  excursions.  lender 
his  guidance  the  colony  camo 
through  its  earliest  perils,  because  ho  made  the  rule  that 
none  shculd  eat  evcept  those  that  -would  Avork. 

i\.  The  book  pul)lish(>d  l)y  Capt.  John  Smith  contained 
many  proofs  of  his  ingeniousncss  as  it  was  full  of  perilous 
adventures,  and  bovond  all  doul)t  his  couraji^o  led  him  into 
many  ditlicidties,  from  Avhich  it  required  all  his  address  to  find 
an  escape.  While  striving  to  discover  a  passage  to  the  East 
Indies  up  the  Chickahominy  river,  one  of  the  feeders  of  the 
James  river,  the  adventurer  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians, 
and  Avas  detained  as  a  prisoner.  But  he  awakened  an  interest 
among  his  ca])tors  by  an  exhibition  of  his  acquirements  and, 
in  company  with  them,  passed  from  tribe  to  tribe  nearly  all 
over  the  i)eninsula  in  Avhicli  Gen.  McClellan  operated  against 
Richmond  in  18(i2.  The  great  chief,  Powhatan,  is  said  to  have 
conden)ned  him  to  death.  But  the  story  is  not  absolut(dy  beyond 
doubt,  oxee[)t  that  men  Avisli  to  believe  it  because  of  the  interest 
attaching  to  the  intervention  of  Pocahontas.  There  Avas  some 
foundation  for  the  story  that  the  beautiful  Indian  maiden  saved 


(.*-kj 


CAPTAIN  jons  Baiiin. 


iV] 


100 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


■■« 


>., 


his  life  ;  niid  Smitb  WaS  after  a  time  sent  back  to  the  settlement, 
witk  promises  of  friendship  from  the  Indians. 

4.  Pocahontas  continued  to  be  a  good  fiiend  to  the  white 
settlers  ;  l)ut  the  English  government,  under  the  incompetent 
direction  of  King  James  I.  and  his  favorites,  did  all  that  was 
possible  to  ruiu  tho  auventure.     The  colonists  had  ostablished 

a  council  to  secure  just  ad- 
ministration ;  but  the  com- 
pany under  whom  tho  first 
charter  for  settlement  had 
been  obtained,  procured  a 
second'  charter  in  1G09, 
vesting  the  government  in 
a  governor  only,  concern- 
ing whose  appointment  the 
settlers  were  never  con- 
sulted, and  in  the  jjrepara- 
tion  of  whose  laws  they  had 
no  voice.  1  hey  wei'o  treated 
as  dumb  cattle  by  their 
masters. 

5.  The  J) resident  of  the 
council  had  been  iu  effect 
governor  for  some  time,  and 
ill  that  capacity  the  adven- 
turer, John  Smith,  rendered 
good  service  ;  but  about  the 
time  that  the  new  charter  Avas  procured  he  was  severely  wounded^ 
and  returned  to  England.  Quarrels  with  the  Indians  became 
oonnnon,  and  many  of  the  settlers  were  killed  ;  besides  which, 
famine  and  disease  decimated  the  remainder  so  rapidly  that  in  six 
months  their  numbers  fell  from  four  hundred  and  ninety  to  sixty. 
Some  of  the  colonists  had  tried  to  tln-ive  as  pirates,  but  their 
opportunities  were  few,  and  they  abandoned  the  undertaking. 
The  misei'able  remnant  concluded  to  abandon  the  settlement ; 
but  at  tho  time  that  they  were  taking  their  departure  the  new 
governoi.  Lord  Delaware,  arrived,  with  abundant  supplies,  and 
many  emigrants.  This  event  changed  the  aspect  ofallairs,  and 
the  men  who  were  just  quitting  their  adopted  home  returned  to 
try  their  fort'jne  once  more. 

0.     Tho  river  on  which  the  first  settlement  was  established 
was  called   James   river,  and    the    settlement   Jamestow   ,  in 


SMITH    SlIOWIXO   HIS   COMPASS   TO   THE 
IXUIANS. 


honor  of  the  King  of  England. 


The  kinjj  sliowed  his  interest 


led 

in 

lest 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


101 


in  the  suffering  colony  by  issuing  a  third  charter,  in  1G12, 
aUowhig  stockholders  in  the  venture  to  regulate  their  own  af- 
I'airs,  initroubled  by  a  council  which  had  l)een  f.jrnied  in  London. 

7.  In  the  year  1613  Pocahontas,  the  beautiful  Indian  girl, 
who  is  said  to  have  saved  the  life  of  John  Smith,  became  the 
wife  of  Jf)hn  Rolfc,  a  planter.  Ilolfe  was  a  man  of  singular 
piety,  and  his  exhortations  had  induced  Pocahontas  to  receive 
Christian  baptism  before  they  were  joined  in  wec'lock.  They 
were  married  in  the  church  of  Jamestown,  and  turee  years 
later  Pocahontas  and  her  husband  were  in  London,  where  they 
were  received  at  court  and  in  society  Avith  every  mark  of  dis- 
tinction. The  child  of  the  forest  soon  tired  of  the  scenes  b'* 
which  she  was  surrounded  in  London,  but  she  died  suddenly, 
in  IG17,  just  aii  she  was  about  to  return.  Iler  infant  sou  is 
proudly  named  as  the  common  ancestor  of  many  of  the  first 
families  in  Virginia,  and  one  result  of  the  marriage  Avas  a  pro- 
longed peace  between  the  settlers  on  one  hand  and  the  Chicka- 
hominies  and  Powhatan  on  the  other. 

8.  The  year  before  the  Puritans  landed  in  Massachusetts, 
which  happened  in  December,  1G20,  Gov.  Yeardley  called  to- 
gether the  first  legislative  body  of  white  men  ever  convened  in 
Amcricn.  This  event  hi:ppened  June  28,  1(519,  and  the  par- 
liament was  an  imitation  of  the  king,  lords  and  commons,  of  the 
mother  country,  being  composed  of  the  governor,  council  and 
burge?ses,  the  last  named  being  the  representatives  of  the 
boroughs.  The  company  in  England  might  decline  to  ratify 
the  laws  passed  by  the  local  legislature,  but  the  company  could 
not  enforce  laws  unless  they  were  ap^n'oved  by  the  colonists : 
and  the  rights  thus  accruing  were  embodied  in  a  kind  of  char- 
ter, or  written  constitution,  in  1G21.  The  atlan's  of  the  company 
in  London  were  now  in  the  hands  of  men  who  Avcre  deeply  im- 
bued Avith  a  love  of  liberty  and  justice,  and  Gov.  Yeardley  had 
their  fullest  support  in  building  up  the  riglits  of  the  colonists. 
The  constitution  dates  from  July,  1(521,  when  the  New  Eng- 
land colony  was  only  seven  months  old. 

9.  Tobacco-growing  had  become  the  staple  industry  in  and 
around  Jamestown.  Tobacco  was  the  currency  of  the  colony, 
as  well  as  its  export,  and  along  the  James  river  there  Avere 
settlements  extending  on  both  banks  for  nearly  cnie  hundred 
ar.d  fifty  miles.  The  company  Avhich,  under  its  earlier  man- 
agement; had  sought  merely  to  make  a  profit  out  of- the  adven- 
ture, had  now  set  its  mind  upon  making  the  colony  a  success, 
and  in  consequence  many  young  women  were  sent  out  from 


I 

I 
I 


I 


102 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


!        t    J 


Loudon,  whore  ihcy  were  speedily  married,  iuisbaiids  paying 
one  Imudrod  Avcigiit  of  tooacco  a«  the  t'o.st  of  tiie  briiiuiug 
o^■er  of  their  future  helpmeets.  That  course  of  action  rt'tis 
eminently  successful,  and  nuiuy  of  the  more  enthusiastic  bene- 
dicts gave  one  hundred  and  tifty  pounds  of  tobacco  for  their 
better  halves.  Domestic  obligations  gave  to  the  colony  the 
pernumencc  of  home  in  \'irginia,  wliere  every  man  could  vote, 
and  none  ventured  to  interfere  with  religio'is  freedom. 

10.  Ill  the  yc^ar  1(111),  while  freedom  was  just  being  estab- 
lished on  a  broad  basis  in  ^  irginia,  a  Dutch  vessel  arrived  at 
Jamestown,  with  twenty  negroes,  and  the  captain  sold  them  to 
the  planters  to  bo  employed  in  the  cultivation  of  tobacco. 
That  Avas  the  beginniixg  of  negro  slavery  in  America,  and  the 
tratiic  continued  for  ma'iy  years,  although  the  first  venture  on 
the  part  of  the  American  citizens  to  procure  slaves  dates  from 
Boston,  twenty-six  years  later. 

11.  Powhatan  was  the  lirm  friend  of  the  settlers,  and  had 
been  so  since  the  marriage  of  his  daughter  Pocahontas  to  John 
Rolfe  ;  but  after  his  death,  in  1G18,  there  was  a  conspiracy 
among  the  Indians  to  nnirder  all  the  colonists  on  the  22d 
of  March,  1G22,  at  midday.  Three  hundred  and  forty- 
seven  persons  were  thus  destroyed ;  but  the  colony  had 
consisted  of  four  thousand,  and  the  remainder  were  saved 
in  consequence  of  the  kindness  of  an  Indian  who  Avished  to 
save  a  wliiie  man  Avho  had  befriended  him.  Jamestown  was 
fortified  enough  to  scare  the  Indians  from  an  attack,  and  all 
the  settlements  v/ithin  reach. were  warned;  but  the  outlying 
plantations  were  beyond  rescue,  and  in  them  meii,  women,  and 
children  were  slaughtered  ^vithout  mercy.  The  colonists  made 
war  upon  the  Indians  after  this  evidence  of  their  trcacher}'', 
and  for  more  than  twenty  years  they  were  peaceful  after  that 
outbreak,  but  the  colony  only  numbered  two  thousand  live 
hundred  persons  after  hostilities  had  ceased.  The  Indians 
made  a  somewhat  similar  attempt  April  18,  1G44,  when  about 
three  hundred  settlers  were  slain  ;  but  the  survivors  among 
the  natives  were  glad  to  purchase  peace-  by  making  consider- 
able cessions  of  territory.  The  frontier  settlements  were  as 
usual  the  points  of  attack,  and  the  secret  was  well  kept ;  but 
the  courage  of  the  assailants  failed  even  before  the  settlers 
be<jan  to  assemble  in  arms. 

"2.  King  James  annulled  the  charter  under  which  the  colony 
had  been  governed,  and  in  1024  made  Virginia  a  ro^al  prov- 
ince, promising,  moreover,  to  prepare  a  code  of  laws  for  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


103 


lat 
live 


Icr- 
as 

)Ut 

ers 

ony 

rov- 

the 


king 


aii- 


government  of  the  people  ;  l)ut  ho  died  in  1G25,  and  that  afflic- 
tion Avas  thus  averted.  James  had  prohal)ly  l)econie  jealous  of 
the  liberal  spirit  evinced  by  the  company  in  London.  The 
governor  and  council  were  thereafter  nominated  by  the 
but  Gov.  Wjatt,  who  was  governor  when  the  charter  was 
nulled,  was  continued  in  otidce,  and  the  assembly  continued  in 
operation. 

13.  The  return  of  the  Stuarts  to  power  in  England,  after  the 
death  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  in  lGr»8,  was  the  occasion  of  very 
oppressive  legislation  in  the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain,  and 
the  colonics  which  had  been  aided  by  the  Great  Protector  Avcro 
now  almost  crushed  by  the  enforcement  of  the  Navigation  Act  in 
IGGO,  which  required  that  their  tobacco  should  be  shipped  to 
England  only,  and  must  be  carried  in  English  vessels,  by  which 
means  a  twofold  monopoly  operated  against  the  mdustries  of 
Virginia.  The  first  Charles  had  tried  in  vain  to  raise  a  revenue 
upon  Virginian  tobacco,  l)ut  the  advisers  of  the  son  were  more 
successful.  In  1G58  "the  Dutch  and  all  foreigners"  were  in- 
vited to  take  part  with  Virginia,  subject  to  the  same  duties  aa 
were  paid  by  English  vessels  ;  but  times  speedily  changed  to  a 
worse  complexion.  The  cavalier  clement  was  largely  repre- 
sented in  the  colonial  assembly,  and  they  played  the  game  of 
the  long  Parliament  in  England,  usurping  unconstitutional  au- 
thority. AVhcn  their  term  of  otfice  expired,  they  refused  to  be 
dissolved,  and  they  tixed  their  own  emoluments  at  two  hundred 
and  lifty  pounds  of  tobacco  per  diem.  Their  tyranny  increased 
with  every  manifestation  of  their  power.  The  voting  privilege 
was  restricted  to  freeholders  and  house-keepers,  and  the  few 
Quakers  in  the  settlement  were  taxed  at  the  rate  of  twelve 
hundred  dollars  ])er  annnm  fen*  non-attendance  in  the  Anglican 
church.  The  royalists  contrived  thus  to  csta1)lish  in  Virginia 
two  well-defined  parties,  —  the  wealthy  planters  assuming 
the  airs  of  an  aristocracy,  making  common  cause  with  the 
office-holders,  and  the  industrious,  liberty-loving  i)cople  con- 
sorting together  as  men  deprived  of  undoubted  rights. 

l»i:.  The  premonitory  rising  known  as  Bacon's  Kel)ellion, 
which  occurred  one  coutnry,  exactly,  before  the  Declm  ation  of* 
Independence,  was  the  natural  and  almost  the  inevitable  out- 
come of  the  system  introduced  and  u[)held  by  the  R(jyalist 
Assembly.  Gov.  Berkelc}',  who  once  made  his  boast  that 
"  there  were  no  free  schools  nor  printing-presses  in  Virginia," 
had  been  removed  from  office  as  governor  by  Cromwell,  in 
1651  ;  but  being  restored  by  Charles  II.,  in  IGGO,  he  continued 


lOJ: 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


ill?' 


;1 


t 


V 


ill  office  until  the  year  before  his  death,  which  took  phice  iu 
London,  in  1677.  During  1G7G  there  were  troubles  with  the 
Indians,  and  i)ro visions  had  not  been  made  for  the  defence  of 
the  colony,  until  a  young  lawyer  named  Bacon,  aged  about 
thirty-six  years,  raised  a  company  and  routed  the  marauders. 
For  that  service  Gov.  Berkeley  denounced  the  leader  as  guilty, 
of  treason,  and  Nicholas  Bacon  came,  Avith  his  armed  followers 
to  discuss  the  question.  The  governor  was  driven  out  of 
Jamestown,  the  settlement  was  burned,  and  the  village  has 
ncA'cr  been  rebuilt ;  but  just  when  things  promised  a  favorable 
outcome  for  the  people,  the  young  leader  died,  Oct.  1,  1G76, 
and  in  llie  absence  of  efficiqnt  direction  the  attempt  was  quelled 
by  Berkeley  with  great  severity. 

15.  Massachusetts.  New  England  was  the  ambition  of 
the  Plymouth  Company,  but,  like  most  of  the  adventurers  that 
formed  companies  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  they  knew 
but  little  of  the  task  which  they  proposed  to  undertake.  Several 
attempts  were  made  on  behalf  of  the  Plymouth  Company  to  ex- 
plore and  settle  Northern  Virginia,  and  a  colony  was  actually 
established  on  the  Kennebec  in  1607  ;  but  the  men  composing 
the  expedition  had  not  the  material  of  which  success  is  made, 
and  the  settlement  was  abandoned  in  1608,  only  one  of  the 
party  having  died.  In  the  year  1620  the  company  procured  a 
new  patent,  as  the  Council  of  New  England,  with  great  priv- 
ileges and  concessions ;  but  the  settlement  of  New  England 
was  not  to  bo  achieved  under  their  auspices. 

16.  Plymouth  Rock  was  reached  by  the  Pilgrim  Fathers 
and  their  families,  on  board  the  Mayflower,  in  December,  1020, 
and  they  landed,  to  the  number  of  one  hundred  souls,  in  the 
midst  of  a  storm  of  enow  and  sleet.  They  had  endured  too 
many  hardships  in  their  search  for  freedom  to  worship  God  to 
care  for  the  inclemency  of  the  season.  The  actual  landing  Avas 
made  on  Forefathers'  Rock,  as  it  is  noAV  called,  on  December 
21,  the  day  being  Sunday.  The  first  hours  of  the  new-comers 
in  their  adopted  homo  were  thus  given  to  Avorship ;  but  their 
diligence  on  tlie  succeeding  days  shoAved  that  their  hours  of 
dcA'otion  had  recuperated  minds  strong  by  nature,  and  their 
spirit  could  not  be  cast  doAvii  by  obstacles  and  difficulties. 

17.  The  moral  force  of  the  Pilgrims  aad  been  proved  and 
improA'ed  by  the  persecutions  already  endured  by  them  in  the 
name  of  religion,  and  the  Avildcrness,  cold  and  inhospital)le  as 
it  seemed,  Avas  not  more  ruirged  than  their  determination  to 
subdue  it  to  thei:  purposes  as  a  home,  in  Avhich  liberty,  as 


It: 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


105 


of 
leir 


as 
to 
as 


they  understood  the  word,  should  reign  supreme,  and  in  which 
God  should  bo  worshipped  by  all  men,  according  to  the  views 
for  which  they  had  lived  and  suffered.  Primarily  it  was  their 
caro  that  their  children  should  be  surrounded  by  religious  in- 
fluences, and  be  well  educated,  and  they  were  thrifty  in  the 
management  of  their  affairs,  being  in  every  respect  most  worthy 
and  desirable  citizens. 

18.  Trials  of  fortitude  were  not  wanting  at  any  time  in  the 
new  settlement ;  but,  during  the  first  winter,  the  worse  than 
usually  severe  weather,  and  the  unjjrepared  condition  in  Avhich 
it  found  them,  killed  more  than  half  their  number.  There 
were  hardly  as  many  in  good  health  as  sufficed  to  bury  the  dead 
and  attend  upon  the  invalids  ;  at  one  time  there  were  only  seven 
who  were  not  sick  ;  but  the  constancy  of  the  little  band  never 
W'avered  for  a  moment. 

19.  The  Pilgrims  who  were  sent  with  the  shallop  to  inspect 
the  coast  before  a  landing  was  effected  at  Forefathers'  Rock,  on 
December  21,  endured  one  attack  from  Indians;  but  after  the 
settlement  had  been  made  the  colony  was  undisturbed  from 
that  source.  The  tribe  that  !iad  lived  upon  the  territgry  which 
they  occupied  had  been  killed  off  by  a  pestilence,  so  that  they 
were  not  trespassing  in  anyway  upon  natural  rights.  Samoset, 
one  of  the  tribe  of  Wampanoags,  who  had  learned  some  few 
words  of  English,  came  to  visit  them,  one  day  in  early  spring, 
with  words  of  Avelcome,  and  a  treaty  w^as  entered  into  with 
Massasoit,  the  chief  of  his  tribe,  which  for  fifty  years  was 
observed  on  both  sides.  Miles  Standish,  whose  fame  has  been 
sung  by  Longfellow,  was  the  commander  of  the  small  force  of 
the  colony  ;  but  there  was  little  occasion  for  actual  war.  One 
sachem,  named  Canonicus,  who  wavered  in  his  faith  as  to  the 
Pilgrims,  sent  a  token  of  defiance  ;  but  a  reply,  that  could  not 
be  misunderstood,  convinced  the  Narraganset  chief  that  ho 
could  not  afford  to  fio-lit  the  new-comers.  Gov.  Carver  having; 
died  soon  after  the  departure  of  the  Ma^'flower,  the  office  was 
conferred  upon  William  Bradford,  afterwards  the  historian  of 
the  settlement. 

20.  Starvation  seemed  for  a  long  time  an  imminent  proba- 
bility. For  many  months  there  was  no  corn  in  the  settlement, 
as  the  harvest  proved  a  failure.  It  is  customary  to  mention 
that  at  one  time  there  was  only  a  pint  of  corn  to  be  divided, 
and  that  the  allowance  of  each  settler  was  only  five  kernels 
each  ;  but  the  actual  fact  reveals  much  greater  destitution,  clams 
being  the  only  food  available  for  considerable  intervals.     Cum- 


I 


10(3 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


'  i! 
!i  i'|lf 


J 


miinistic  methods  of  >vorking  were  tried  here,  as  the  same 
system  had  been  tried  in  the  early  days  at  Jamestown,  and  in 
b(ith  rases  faihire  was  the  result  until  every  man  worked  his 
own  huid,  after  which  there  was  comparatively  plenty.  Four 
y(  ars  after  the  tirst  settlement  th(  re  were  only  one  hundred 
and  ei<^hty-four  persons  in  the  colony,  and  it  was  ten  years  be- 
fore the  Council  for  New  England  ;5ave  the  colony  a  grant  for 
the  land  which  it  had  occu[)ied.  The  people  chose  their  own 
governor,  as  no  royal  charter  clogged  their  liberties,  and  they 
mude  their  own  laws. 

21.  The  Bay  Colony.  John  Endicott,  the  first  governor 
of  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts,  was  about  forty  3'ears  of  ago 
when  he  came  to  America,  and,  although  a  severe  man,  it  Avas 
undoubtedly  his  desire  to  be  honest,  lie,  with  five  associates, 
procured  a  grant  of  land  about  J'dassachusctts  Bay  from  the 
English  Conipany,  and  a  royal  cJiarter,  with  power  to  make 
la^vs  and  rule  the  colony.  The  company  made  over  their  rights 
to  the  people  who  might  take  part  in  the  enterprise,  and  as  a 
consequence  many  Puritan  families  were  attracted  to  this  region. 
Sulem  and  Charlestown,  already  founded  by  Governor  Endicott, 
in  \i)'l\),  foiined  ccuitres  of  attraction  for  many;  some  colonized 
A'\'atertown  and  Dorchester,  and  in  the  j'ear  1030  Boston  Vr-as 
founded,  on  the  site  known  as  Shawmut,  afterwards  called 
Ti-emont,  by  about  one  thousand  colonists,  under  Governor 
W'inthrop. 

'i'l.  lielisrious  intolerance  was  the  vice  of  the  age  from  Avhicli 
the  Puritans  fled,  but  it  infected  tlic  men  who  run  from  it  as 
well  as  their  pursuers.  Those  mIio  established  themselves  in 
Massachusetts  Bay  were  opposed  to  the  forms  of  the  Church  of 
Euglaud,  and  when  persons  who  Arerc  inclined  to  Episcopacy 
came  to  their  colony  they  sent  thorn  back  again  to  England. 
A  system  of  religious  tests  was  rigorousi}'  insisted  upon  in  the 
settlement.  Among  the  new-comers  was  one  man,  whose  ad- 
mirable heterodoxy  took  the  form  of  asserting  that  every  per- 
son should  think  for  himself  on  all  matters  of  religion,  being 
answerable  only  to  God.  This  man  was  the  great  Roger 
"NA^illiams,  and  a  bonfire  in  the  midst  of  a  poAvder  magazine 
could  hardly  have  caused  a  greater  commotion  thtm  did  his 
manly  teaching  around  Massachusetts  Bay.  The  interference 
of  the  civil  magistrate  in  supposed  offences  against  religious 
thouglit  Avas  denounced  by  him  as  unjust,  and  in  1035  an  order 
was  made  that  the  preacher  should,  bo  sent  to  England  ;  but,  in- 
stead of  submitting  to  that  mandate,  he  fled  to  the  Avoods,  taking 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATE^ 


107 


i  lill  1 


rot'iigo  uinong  tho  Iiuliiuis,  who  aftcruards  gave  him  hind 
whciooii  to  found  a  settlement,  whieh  he  ealled  Providcnec. 
The  .State  of  lihode  Island  was  thus  founded,  and  altliongh  the 
grant  from  the  Indians  was  to  liogei*  Williams  in  person,  he  did 
not  reserve  .to  himself  one  privilege,  hut  sought  to  build  up  a, 
purely  demoeralie  form  of  govenmjent,  Avitli  sueh  light,  as  to 
conseienee,  as  was  then  new  to  the  world.  In  the  same  rela- 
tion the  name  of  Anne  Ilntehinson  arises,  as,  during  the  same 
year  as  that  Avhieh  marked  the  banishment  of  lioger  Williams 
from  his  ehureh  at  Salem,  this  wonderful  woman,  who  elaimed 
to  have  received  apeeial  connnunieations  from  on  high,  Avas  tho 
centre  of  a  great  controversy  ;  and  her  preachings  and  expositions 
attracted  so  much  notice,  csi)ecially  among  her  own  sex,  that 
she  was  banished  eventually,  and  found  refuge  in  Ivhode  Island, 
where  none  were  questioned  as  to  their  religious  views,  us  under 
authority.  Eventually  this  pure  and  high-minded  woman  was 
murdered  by  the  Indians^  but  her  record  remained  undimmed. 
The  Society  of  Friends  or  Quakers,  also,  in  their  quiet  way, 
disturbed  the  peace  of  Massachusetts,  and  it  was  in  vain  that 
they  were  iincd,  imprisoned,  whipped,  and  banished,  as  their 
opinions  and  practices  remained  unaltered.  Four  of  them  were 
put  to  death,  because  they  had  returned  to  tho  settlement  after 
being  banished ;  but  that  acme  of  severity  had  no  eftect  on  tho 
remainder,  except  to  make  them  more  persistent,  and  at  last  it 
became  so  evident  that  the  persecutions  could  only  make 
martyrs,  that  tho  iniquitous  system  was  abandoned. 

23.  Tho  First  Indian  AVar  commenced  July  14, 1675,  under 
tho  leadership  of  Philip,  the  son  and  successor  of  the  Sachem 
Massasoit.  While  tho  old  chief  lived  there  was  peace,  but  the 
young  man  saw  that  the  red  men  were  being  dis[)ossessed  of 
their  hold  upon  the  soil,  and  ho  sought  to  avert  the  doom  of 
extinction  by  an  act  of  savage  daring  and  cruelty  which  aimed 
at  the  destruction  of  the  whole  colony.  The  tribes  were  con- 
federated for  the  deed  of  slaughter,  and  the  tirst  blow  fell  upon 
the  people  of  Swanzey,  as  they  returned  from  church  on  Sun- 
day. Tho  colonists  flow  to  arms,  and  rhili[)  was  defeated,  but 
he  only  shifted  tho  point  of  attack,  and  seemed  to  be  ubiquitous. 
Tradition,  not  of  tho  most  reliable  kind,  says  that  an  attack 
upon  tho  people  of  liadley  was  made  on  Fast  day,  Juno  12, 
1G75,  and  was  defeated  by  tho  prompt  energy  of  Col.  Gofle, 
one  of  tho  judges  that  condemned  Charles  I.  to  tho  scalfold  ;  but 
even  the  date  of  the  assault  varies  as  widely  as  from  Juno  12 
to  September  1,  in  tho  same  year,  and  it  seems  probable  that 


i  % 


108 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


the  whole  story  is  an  error.  Philip  was  driven  from  point  to 
point  by  the  settlers,  until  ho  was  shot  by  an  Indian  at  Mt. 
Hope,  after  having  kept  the  country  in  continual  turmoil  until 
far  on  in  the  year  1G7G. 

24.  The  first  union  of  the  colonics  only  embraced  the  New 
Eaghmd  settlements,  and  it  dates  from  1G43,  when  Massachu- 
setts Ihy,  Connecticut,  Plymouth,  and  New  Haven  formed  a 
league  against  the  Indians,  the  Dutch  and  the  French  settlerc'. 
The  combination  was  known  as  the  United  Colonies  of  New 
England, 

25.  The  Navigation  Act,  which  wo  have  seen  oppressing 
Virginia,  was  still  more  cumbersome  to  Massachusetts,  as  the 
commerce  of  these  colonies  was  considerable.  Boston  was 
known  as  a  shipping  place  from  the  first  year  of  its  settlement, 
and  the  colonists  concluded  that  the  act  should  not  prevent  them 
carrying  on  their  trade  with  the  West  Indies  and  elsewhere. 
Charles  II.  and  his  advisers  determined  to  put  down  the  inde- 
pendent spirit  of  the  people,  but  when  an  officer  was  sent  to 
enforce  the  law  he  was  sent  back  again.  The  next  step  was  to 
constitute  Massachusetts  a  royal  province,  which  should  take 
from  the  people  all  powers  of  self-government ;  but  Charles  died 
before  the  scheme  bore  fruit,  and  his  obstinate  brother,  James 
II.,  undertook  the  task.  In  the  3'ear  1080,  two  years  before  lie 
was  compelled  to  abdicate  the  throne  of  England,  James  de- 
clared the  charters  of  al)  the  New  England  colonies  cancelled, 
and  sent  out  Sir  Edmund  Andros  as  royal  governor  of  New 
England.  For  three  years  the  oppressions  of  the  royal  ap- 
pointee were  endured ;  but,  as  soon  as  it  became  known  that 
William  III.  reigned  in  England,  the  colonists  deposed  and  im- 
prisoned the  governor,  resuming  their  old  forms  of  administra- 
tion, until  Sir  William  Phipps  came,  three  years  later,  as  the 
Governor  of  Massachusetts,  Maine,  and  Nova  Scotia ;  after 
which  Massachusetts  remained  a  royal  province  until  1770. 

20.  The  AVitchcraft  Delusion  in  Salem  came  to  a  head  in 
the  3'ear  1092.  The  belief  in  witches  was  at  that  time  all  but 
universal.  Kings,  judges,  clergymen,  and  men  of  science, 
were  alike  under  the  delusion  all  over  the  world ;  and  in 
Salem  twenty  persons  were  hanged  and  fifty-five  tortured, 
because  of  their  supposed  complicity  in  hellish  practices. 
Any  and  every  stor}^  that  Avas  confidently  told  on  this  subject 
was  sure  of  credence  ;  and  persons  of  all  ranks  were  sus- 
pected, more  especially  if  they  expressed  doubts  as  to  the 
guilt  of  the  accused.     The  delusion  ran  its  course,  however, 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


109 


and  at  last  died  out ;  but  not  before  many  persons  had  con- 
fessed themselves  guilty  of  the  abominablo  iinpossibilities 
charged  against  them. 

27.  Maine  and  New  Hampshire.  Laconia  was  the  name 
of  a  tract  of  land  which  Avas  obtained  from  the  New  England 
Company,  lop')',ed  ut  Plymouth,  England,  in  1022,  by  Gov. 
Gorges  and  others,  forming  a  proprietary.  The  grant  oi)tained 
extended  fr  a  the  Kenneljec  to  the  Merrimac.  Sir  Ferdi- 
nando  Gorges  was  an  accom[)lice  with  the  Earl  of  Essex  in  his 
conspiracy  against  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  became  a  witness 
against  him  ill  1601.  Under  James  I.,  Gorges  became  Gov- 
ernor of  Plymouth,  m  1604,  and  much  of  his  life  was  spent 
in  trying  to  found  an  empire  for  his  family  in  this  country. 
Gorges  was  named  Lord  Proprietary  of  Maine,  and  his  son 
was  general  governor  for  New  England ;  but  eventually  the 
grandson  of  the  original  grantee  sold  his  rights  in  Maine  to  the 
colony  of  Massachusetts,  for  six  thousand  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars,  in  1677.  Under  the  patent  first  obtained,  Gorges 
and  Mason  operated  for  some  time,  but  beyond  establishing 
fishing-stations  near  Dover  and  Portsmouth,  nothing  was 
eft'ected  until  the  patent  was  dissolved,  when  the  country  west 
of  the  Piscataqua  was  taken  by  Mason,  who  named  it  New 
Plampshire ;  Maine,  the  country  east  of  that  river,  being 
possessed  by  Gorges.  The  territory  Avas  claimed  by  JMassachu- 
setts,  and  it  was  to  end  all  dispute  as  to  the  title  that  the  sum 
named  was  paid  to  the  grandson  of  Sir  Fcrdinando,  as  set 
forth.  The  inclusion  Avhich  was  thus  eftected  continued  until 
1820.  The  settlements  in  New  Hampshire  were  too  weak  for 
purposes  of  self-government  and  defence,  and,  in  consequence, 
the  stronger  colony  of  Massachusetts  was  called  upon  to  afford 
protection,  so  that  the  Aveaker  Avas  engrossed  by  the  more 
poAverful  colony  until  1741,  Avhen  New  Hampshire  became  a 
royal  province,  and  enjoyed  that  distinction  until  the  year 
1776.  The  province  was  called  Maine,  to  distinguish  it  from 
the  islands  along  the  coast,  and  the  name  once  adopted  con- 
tinued. The  grants  conferred  upon  individuals,  such  as  Mason 
and  Goiges,  Avere  frequently  sources  of  much  litigation. 

28.  Connecticut.  Farther  Avest  Avas  already  the  cry  of 
the  New  England  colonists,  and  the  valley  of  the  Connecticut 
or  Long  river,  as  that  name  implies  in  the  Indian  tongue,  Avas 
the  point  of  attraction.  Intelligence  concerning  the  situation 
had  been  obtained  from  traders  Avho  had  built  a  fort  at  Wind- 
sor before  the  council  of  New  England  had  granted  the  terri- 


•111 


110 


IIISTOUY  OF  DOMINIOX  OF  CANADA, 


;  I 


«  »        'i 


tory.  TIk;  Dutch  had  a  fort  at  Ihirtt'onl,  and  also  Iiad  com- 
iiieiK'cd  liafHc  wilh  tlio  Indiiius,  from  participating^  in  wliicli 
they  vainly  strove  to  keep  the  KngUsli  cohjnists.  Th(!  rociui.sito 
grant  from  iho  conned  was  procured  in  Ki.'U  hy  two  of  the 
puritan  hirds  in  England,  Save  and  Seal,  and  lirooUc,  after 
whom  the  settK'incnt  was  caUeil  Sayhrook.  Tlio  tirst  regular 
settlers  wore  led  to  the  site  of  Ilartfoi-d  in  Hlii7,  hut  winter 
came  on  early  in  that  year  and  with  great  severity,  so  that  men 
and  cattle  <lied  in  considerable  numbers  before  the  spring,  r.nd 
the  comi)lete  abandonment  of  the  enterprise  Avas  determined 
npon  ;  but  in  the  spring  of  KJvili  a  nuich  larger  body  came, 
under  the  guidance  of  Thomas  Hooker  and  John  llaynes, 
guided  by  the;  compass  only,  and  (hiving  flocks  and  herds 
before  them.  A  fort,  established  by  John  Winthroi),  shut  out 
the  "Dutch  intruders  from  Ahudiattan,"  a  regular  government 
was  estal>lished,  and  better  times  realized.  The  meadow-lands 
of  the  Connecticut  were  the  princi[)al  source  of  attraction,  but 
the  Indian  trade  was  not  despised. 

20.  Indian  perils  environed  the  western  colony,  and  the 
Nairagansets  were  about  to  join  the  Pequods  to  make  war 
upon  the  settlement,  when  the  founder  of  Rhode  Island,  the 
blameless  and  admirable  lioger  Williams,  who  had  counnuni- 
cated  the  fact  of  the  imi)ending  coinbination  to  the  Governor 
of  Massachusetts,  and  had  been  requested  by  Sir  Harry  Vane 
to  interpose  his  influence  with  the  Narraganscts,  started  for 
the  heart  of  the  combination,  and  in  the  very  midst  of  the 
Pequods  used  his  persuasive  arts  so  effectually  that  lie  saved 
the  men  who  had  l>een  the  cause  of  his  banishment.  The  con- 
duct of  the  great  Koman  CVn-iolanus  shows  but  poorly  beside 
the  unpretentious  nobility  of  the  leader  of  free  thought.  His 
labors  and  perils  extended  over  three  days,  an<l  it  is  safe  to 
say  that  no  other  man  would  have  succeeded  as  he  did.  The 
Pequods,  unable  to  drag  the  Xarragansets  into  the  war  which 
had  been  commenced,  were  comiielled  to  fight  unsupported, 
and  the  colony  was  saved  from  absolute  destruction.  Thirty 
of  the  settlers  Averc  murdered  before  an  expedition,  imder  the 
command  of  Mason,  was  determined  upon,  consisting  of  eighty 
men  in  all,  well  armed  for  such  an  enterprise,  undertook  to 
humble  the  Pequods.  The  superiority  of  European  arms  left 
no  chance  in  such  an  encounter  for  the  clans  on  the  Mystic 
river,  although  they  were  as  hundreds  to  tens.  .  Their  fort  of 
palisades  on  the  summit  of  a  hill  was  carried  by  the  Connecticut 
forces,  the  wigwams  set  on  lire,  and,  as  the  warriors  tried  to 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


Ml 


csciipo,  thoy  wvrv  nliot  down,  or  himlod  to  doiidi  nffcrwiirds. 
Almost  tho  whole  trihe  polished  in  one  day,  luid  all  their  luiidd 
were  laid  waste. 

30.  "Union  is  stren<2:th  "  Avas  the  motto  amonij^  all  the  scat- 
tered colonies,  and  eoml)inations  were  made  in  every  locality 
Avhere  siipjjort  coidd  he  <;iven  and  received  hy  tin?  ilillerent 
settlements.  Duiin^jj  the  Pecinod  war  the  (iovernor  of  Massa- 
chnselts  fj^avc  assistance  by  men  and  counsels  to  the  Connecti- 
cut colony.  This  settlement  comprised  Hartford,  Windsor, 
and  W'ethersfield,  amon«?  which  a  written  constitution,  (he  lirst 
framed  on  this  continent  by  the  peo[)le  tliem^civcs,  <rave  the 
right  of  voting  to  all  fr(>o  men.  Saybrook  colony  was  a  pro- 
prietary settlement  at  tirst,  but  Connecticut  bougiit  the  com- 
pany's rights,  and  tho  settlement  was  included  under  its  laws. 
>iew  Haven  colony  took  the  Bible  for  law  an<l  govermnrnt,  and 
tho  settlement  was  tmder  church  rule.  The  absori)tion  of  Say- 
brook  by  Connecticut  left  only  two  coloriics  in  th?  region 
named. 

'61.  Detinitive  union  was  secured,  in  1022,  ])y  the  issue  of  ji 
royal  charter  by  Charles  II.,  under  the  iMlluenco  of  .Johii 
Winthrop,  which  extended  to  all  the  colonists  in  tho  comhina- 
tiou  the  rights  certiiied  undeu  the  Connecticut  constitution. 
King  Charles  could  be  induced  to  indorse  such  liberal  provi- 
sions in  sheer  thoughtlessness,  although  lu;  would  have  anulled 
all  the  charters  if  his  life  had  been  spared.  His  brother  .lames, 
in  1()8(!,  sent  (Jovernor  Andros  to  Hartford  to  demand  tho 
surrender  of  the  royal  gift.  Tho  charter  was  about  to  be 
handed  over,  when  the  chamber  was  suddenly  darkened,  and 
before  tho  candles  could  be  relighted  Captain  Wadsworth  had 
disappeared  through  the  crosvd,  and  tho  document,  safely 
hidden  in  the  Charter  Oak,  was  not  visible  again  until  Gov- 
ernor Andros  had  returned  to  Boston.  The  annulment  ex- 
ecuted by  the  royalist  governor  was  of  no  avail,  and  three 
years  later,  James  11.  having  tied  from  England,  (iovernor 
Andros  was  imprisoned  by  the  colonists.  Tho  charter  was  to 
have  been  violated  in  1()S)3,  under  tho  rule  of  Governor 
Fletcher,  but  Captain  Wadsworth  intiniidated  tho  governor 
into  ahandoning  tho  project. 

32.  IvFiODE  Island.  "Freedom  of  thought"  was  the 
watchword  of  this  colony  from  the  first.  Before  Roger 
Williams  came  to  the  island,  William  Blackstone,  an  indo- 
l)endeut,  who  had  become  tired  of  the  rigorous  rule  of  tho 
church  in  Boston,  had   settled  near  tho  site   of  Providence ; 


p 


112 


IIIt^TORY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


'  :i  I  : 


iiud,  as  wo  Imvo  seo',  Roger  Williams  iiuulo  liis  settlement  in 
l();j(),  contemponii'}'  with  the  second  (expedition  to  Hartford 
under  Hooker.  From  all  the  settlements  those  who  were 
oppressed  made  their  way  to  l{hode  Island,  and  Williams  gave 
of  his  lands  to  every  one,  until  oidy  two  small  pieces,  which 
he  had  cultivated  from  the  first,  remained  in  his  own  possession. 
INIrs.  Hutchinson,  and  some  of  her  followers,  eamo  to  the 
settlement;  the  good  woman  having  been  banished  from  Mas- 
sachusetts as  ])eing  worse  even  than  Koger  Williams  in  the 
vindication  of  liberty  of  conscience.  Some  of  the  ncw-comcra 
established  the  Rhode  Island  i)lantatiou  on  tho  island  of 
A(piiday.  Tho  word  Rhode  camo  from  the  Dutch  roode,  or 
red.  In  this  colony  the  civil  magistrate  had  no  i)ower  to  inter- 
fere with  men  on  account  of  their  religious  views. 

33.  Roger  Williams,  ono  of  tho  least  worldl}'  of  men,  was 
ol)liged  iit  every  step  to  combat  tho  prejudices  of  his  surround- 
ings ;  all  of  them  men  able  to  appreciate  his  goodness,  but  im- 
pressed with  tho  idea  that  ho  was  light-headed,  because  ho 
upheld  freedom  of  thought.  The  Rhode  Island  settlement  was 
denied  tho  right  to  join  the  New  England  Union,  on  the  plea 
that  no  charter  had  been  granted,  and  tho  preacher  made  a  voy- 
age to  England  while  the  civil  war  was  progressing  in  that 
country,  which  ended  in  the  triumph  of  Cromwell.  Returning 
with  a  charter,  in  1047,  tho  people  were  convened  to  elect  their 
officers,  and  to  affirm  the  principle  of  religious  liberty  ;  which 
w^as  tho  more  remarkable  in  that  age,  because  those  who  were 
most  zealous  against  the  old  tyrannies,  or  so-called  orthodox 
thought,  were  among  the  readiest  to  'tut  pressure  upon  tho 
thoughts  of  other  men. 

34.  New  York.  Ferdinand,  Duko  of  Alva,  boasted  that 
he  had  put  to  death  eighteen  thousand  Netherlanders  during  tho 
war  for  the  suppression  of  Protestanism  in  the  low  countries, 
but  ho  could  not  destroy  tho  spirit  of  enterprise  and  reform 
among  tho  people,  and  soon  after  the  discovery  and  exploration 
of  tho  river,  in  1609,  which  bears  the  name  of  Hendrick  Hudson 
to  this  day,  Dutch  ships  began  to  arrive  to  cultivate  a  trade 
with  tho  Indians.  Settlements  were  made  by  the  West  India 
Company,  at  New  Amsterdam  in  1613,  and  at  Albany,  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  Hudson,  in  1614,  and  Fort  Orange,  or 
Aurania,  was  built  in  1623.  This  settlement  was  successively 
called  Beverwyck  and  Williamstadt,  before  tho  name  of  Albany 
was  given,  in  compliment  to  the  Duko  of  York  and  Albany, 
afterwards  James  II.  of  England.     Patrons  or  patroons,  who 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


113 


brought  fifty  eniigrmits  with  thcin,  wero  nllowcil  by  tho  coin- 
puny  to  ])uy  IiukI  direct  from  tho  Indians,  and  titUvs  so  obtained 
were  indefeasible.  The  Van  Kenssehier  family  obtained  twenty- 
four  miles  square  on  both  sides  of  the  Hudson. 

35.  New  Anislerdam,  on  tho  Island  of  Manhattan,  had  four 
Dutch  governors  in  succession,  ending  with  I'eter  Stuyvesant, 
tho  ablest  of  tho  quartette  ;  but  none  of  them  Mere  able  to  un- 
derstand tho  princijiles  of  civil  liberty.  Dutch  burgomasters 
could  not  compreheiul  tho  claims  of  tho  colonists  to  enjoy  such 
privileges  as  had  been  conceded  to  tho  settlers  in  Connecti- 
cut, as  tho  liberties  of  tho  Ncitherlands  had  been  meridy  the 
crystallization  of  tho  powers  of  a  connnercial  aristocracy,  un(h>r 
which  tho  peoplo  enjoyed  but  littlo  fn^edom.  Tho  Swedish 
settlement  on  tho  Delaware,  and  tho  English  eettlers  on  tho 
Connecticut,  trouI)led  tho  peace  of  tho  Dutchmen,  when  they  wero 
not  engaged  in  warfare  with  tho  Indians  ;  but  in  tho  end  Peter 
Stuyvesant  camo  to  terms  Avith  Connecticut  as  to  tho  territory 
lying  ])ctween  Connecticut  river  and  tho  Delaware,  and  being 
thus  enabled  to  give  undivided  attention  to  tho  Swedes  ho  re- 
duced their  settlement  to  submission.  This  happened  in  1004, 
and  in  Sei)tcmber  of  that  year,  just  when  allairs  looked  more 
sound  than  they  had  ever  appeared  before  since  the  first  land- 
ing, an  English  fleet  demanded  an  imconditional  surrender,  in 
tho  name  of  tho  admiral,  tho  Duke  of  York.  Tho  pe()[)lo  Avere 
certain  of  m(n*o  liberty  inider  tho  new  rule  than  they  W(!re 
enjoying,  so  they  refused  to  fight,  and  tho  bravo  old  governor 
was  compelled  to  capitulate.    The 

name  Avas  then  changed  to  New     ^sfs^-aiaiSBEaMSjifiSJduii'lr'^, 
York,  in  honor  of  tho  duke,  who  ^ 
Avas    thenceforth    considered    the  o; 
l^roprictor. 

30.  Connecticut  privileges 
wore  not  conceded  l)y  the  new  ___.  __, .  .^^ 
rulers,  the  peoplo  Avere  taxed  iiw:"- *i*! ^'y^'^KI^f-'-S^^^. ? 
arbitrarily,  and  their  remonstran- 
ces Avero  burned  contemptuously 
by  tho  hangman ;  so  that  there 
was  no  difficulty  about  the  recon- 
quest  of  the  settlement  in  1073,  when  the  Dutch  fleets  had 
become  masters  of  the  seas.  The  fleets  prepared  by  CromAvcll 
had  been  the  means  of  the  first  conquest ;  but  since  Charles  II. 
ascended  the  throne,  England  had  so  much  declined  in  poAver, 
that  it  was  feared  the  Dutch,  Avho  hi'd  sailed  up  tho  Thames, 


THE  CHARTER  O^JC. 


' 


mi 


M 


lU 


HISTORY   OF  DOMI>^ON   OP  CANADA, 


^voul(l  even  sack  London.  The  presence  of  a  Dutch  fleet  caused 
the  name  of  New  Amsterdam  to  be  once  more  assumed,  but 
when  the  war  came  to  an  end,  in  1674,  England  Avas  allowed  to 
resume  tlio  mastery.  Gov.  Andros,  who  was  afterwards  im- 
lirisoned  by  the  colonists  of  New  England,  was  the  first  ruler 
appointed  after  the  resumption,  and  his  conduct  was  so  mon- 
strous thai  he  was  recalled  by  Charles  II.  Gov.  Dongan,  tho 
next  comer,  obtained  permission  from  the  Duke  of  York  to  con- 
vene a  popular  assembl}',  but  when  tho  duke  became  king  he  re- 
voked every  concession,  added  New  York  to  the  New  England 
province,  of  which  Andros  became*  governor,  forfeited  all  tho 
charters,  forbid  assemblies, and  denounced  printing,  carrying  out 
on  this  continent  the  bigoted  rule  which  was  the  cause  of  his 
downfall  in  England,  iu  1088.  The  deputy  governor  that  repre- 
sented Andros  in  New  York  was  so  conscious  of  his  own  misdeeds 
that  he  fled  as  soon  as  he  learned  that  tbe  people  of  Boston  had 
imprisoned  Andros ;  and,  in  the  absence  of  other  rule,  Capt. 
Leislor,  an  able  man,  in  whom  the  people  had  much  faith,  as- 
sumed the  direction  of  aflairs.  Tho  first  governor  appointed  by 
William  and  Mary  was  named  Slaughter,  and  hie  most  objec- 
tionable deed  was  the  slaughter  of  Leislor  on  a  baseless  charge 
of  treason.  It  is  claimed  that  Gov.  Slaughter  was  drunk  when 
the  order  was  made,  to  gratify  tho  aristocratic  enemies  of  tho 
captain.  The  rule  henceforward  Avas  less  arbitrary  until  the 
da}s  of  George  II.,  but  the  -e  continued  to  be  enough  of  tyranny 
to  maintain  tho  vigilance  of  the  people  in  defending  their 
rights. 

37.  New  Jerset.  — Dutch  parentage  must  be  conceded  to 
the  settlements  first  made  in  New  Jersey,  and  soon  after  the 
Duke  of  l^ork  became  proprietor  of  the  New  Netherlands  ho 
handed  over  the  territory  l)etween  the  Hudson  river  and  Dela- 
ware to  Sir  George  Carteret  and  Lord  Berkeley.  Elizabeth- 
town  was  named  after  Lady  Carteret  in  1G(J4,  by  a  company  of 
settlers  from  Long  Island  and  the  New  Enghuid  colonies,  and 
thus  the  first  permanent  English  colonv  in  New  Jersey  was 
established  almost  at  the  same  date  as  the  surrender  of  Noav 
Amsterdam  to  the  English  fleet. 

38.  Farther  settlement  was  mainly  due  to  the  Quakers, 
although  Puritans  and  Scotch  Presbyterians  largely  possessed 
the  laud.  West  Jersey  was  the  portion  belonging  to  Lord 
Berkelcj'-,  who  sjld  to  some  English  Quakers,  and  a  settlement 
from  that  body  was  formed  at  Burlington,  being  joined  by  large 
numbers  subsequently.     East  Jersey  was  purchased  from  Car- 


EXGLAND,   AND   THE  UNITED   STATES. 


115 


jar- 


tore  t's  lieirs,  after  his  death,  by  another  company  of  twelve 
Quakers,  including  AVilUam  Penn ;  and  the  colony  pros- 
pered. 

3i).  The  consolidation  of  New  Jersey  was  effected  in  1702, 
when  the  whole  of  the  proprietors  surrendered  their  rights  of 
rule  to  the  English  Crown,  and  the  settlements  Avero  nnited  to 
New  York  under  one  governor,  but  with  an  assembly  to  legis- 
late on  local  aflairs.  In  the  3'ear  1788  New  Jersey  was  consti- 
tuted a  royal  province,  at  the  request  of  the  people,  during  the 
reign  of  George  II. 

40.  Delaware  was  originally  settled  by  the  Svved  3  in  1637, 
and  it  is  now,  with  the  exception  of  lihode  Island,  tlic  smallest 
State  in  the  Union,  territorially  considered.  The  tirst  permanent 
settlement,  near  Wilmington,  was  called  New  Sweden,  in  honor 
of  the  land  of  their  nativity,  by  the  Swedish  colonists ;  but 
the  Dutch,  under  De  Vries,  had  established  a  colony  in  1G30, 
near  Lewes,  in  Sussex  County.  The  Dutch  colony,  only  thirty 
in  number,  was  destroyed  l)y  the  Indians  in  1G33.  The  Swedes 
and  Fins,  acting  under  the  Swedish  West  India  Compan}%  built 
a  fort  at  the  mouth  of  Christian  Creek,  and  arother  on  Tinicum 
Island,  below  Philadelphia.  This  action  pro v^.^tl  hostilities  on 
the  part  of  the  Dutch,  and  after  much  lighting  tlie  Dutch:>ien 
conquered,  sending  back  to  Sweden  all  the  colonists  who  would 
not  swear  allegiance  to  Holland. 

41.  Lord  l3o  La  AVarr,  who  came  to  govern  Virginia  just 
when  the  colonists  werQ  leaving  Jamestown,  in  1 GIO,  entered 
Delaware  Bay  in  that  year,  and  his  name  now  ai|aches  to  the 
State,  although  Hendrick  Hudson  was  the  first  explorer,  in 
1609.  AVhen  New  York  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English, 
Delaware  was  claimed  by  the  Duke  of  York.  Lord  Baltimore 
asserted  that  he.  had  a  prior  claim,  under  a  grant  from  the 
crown;  but  the  Duke,  being  the  king's  brother,  carried  the  day, 
and  in  1682  sold  his  rights  to  William  Penn,  who,  after  litiga- 
tion with  Baitiiiiore,  became  established  as  the  proprietor  in 
1685.  Delaware  was  thus  included  in  Pennsylvania  for  more 
than  twenty  years,  but  in  the  year  1703  the  right  to  secede  was 
procured ;  still  the  colony  Avas  governed  by  the  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania  until  1776. 

42.  The  three  loAver  counties  on  the  Delaware  suiScred  but 
little  from  Indian  and  foreign  wars  from  the  time  that  the 
English  came  into  possession,  but,  during  the  struggle  made  by 
the  colonies  to  dispossess  the  French,  Delaware  did  its  share 
with  honor  and  alacrity  j  and  later  in  the  day  of  liberty  "  The 


I 

il 

jil 

ill 

i 

I 

■11 1 ; 


116 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


i*  V 


(listiiii^uishcd 


themselves  on  many   a 


Blue  Hen's  Chickens 
sanguinary  field. 

43.  Pennsylvania.  —  Quakerism  had  never  before  so  good 
an  opportunity  to  distinguish  its  peculiar  tenets  as  were  allbrded 

when  William  Pcnn  obtained  from 
Charles  II.  a  grant  of  the  land 
lying  west  of  the  Delaware  river. 
The  addition  of  the  territory,  AvJiich 
the  Duke  of  York  claimed  was  the 
result  of  a  purchase,  and  Pennsyl- 
vania was  taken  in  liquidation 
of  a  debt  which  probably  would 
never  have  been  paid  otherwise. 
The  followers  of  George  Fox  were 
bitterly  pei'secuted  in  England,  as 
well  as  in  some  of  tlie  American 
colonies,  and  Penn  desired  to  found 
a  settlement  in  which  that  Avoiihy 
body,  his  colleagues,  might  enjoy 
freedom  to  worship  God  accord- 
ing to  their  consciences.  Two 
thousand  men  were  sent  over  by 
him  in  a  single  year,  and,  shortly 
after,  the  founder  of  the  colony 
came  to  superintend  the  establish- 
ment of  his  friends  in  peace. 

44.  Brotherly  love  was  the  basis  on  which  Penn  sought  to 
build  up  a  State,  and  when  Philadelphia  was  founded,  in  1683, 
the  land  was  purchased  from  the  Swedish  colonists.  The  site 
was  in  the  midst  of  woodlands,  and  game  of  all  kind  abounded, 
but  the  settlement  grew  .apace.  There  were  one  hundred  houses 
within  twelve  months,  two  thousand  inhabitants  within  the  next 
year,  and  before  1686  Philadelphia  already  outstripped  New 
York,  which  had  been  settled  more  than  fifty-three  years. 

45.  Penn's  toleration  was  the  highest  enunciation  of  that 
principle  extant,  except  that  in  operation  in  Rhode  Island. 
Unlike  most  persecuted  people,  the  Quakers  did  not  wish  to 
persecute,  and  the  body  convened  to  make  laws,  soon  after  the 
arrival  of  their  founder,  promulgated  what  is  knoAvn  as  "  The 
Great  Law,"  Avhich  made  faith  in  Christ  the  only  qualification 
for  voting  or  holding  office,  and  protected  from  molestation  for 
the  sake  of  religion  all  men  having  faith  in  Almighty  God. 
Jews,  who  have  been  enfranchised  in  all  the  leading  civilized 


STATUE  OF  FENN  IN  FHILADBU>HIA. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


117 


a 


as 


to 


(hat 
id. 

1  to 
the 

The 

tion 
for 

rod. 

ized 


nations,  were  not  embraced  in  the  toleration  of  Pennsylvania, 
which,  by  so  much,  fell  short  of  the  higher  standard  adopted 
by  lioger  Williams.  William  Pcnn  did  not  aim  at  personal 
aggrandizement,  nor  did  he  wish  to  have  his  name  prefixed  to 
"  iSylvania,"  which  was  the  appellation  selected  by  him  for  the 
lands  granted  by  Charles  II.  That  addition  was  made  in  spite 
of  his  earnest  solicitation.  He  gave  the  people  every  conces- 
sion that  his  powers  would  permit,  and  that  seemed  to  be 
necessary  for  their  welfare.  His  position  as  a  courtier  during 
the  reign  of  the  Stuarts  was  compromising,  but  his  influence  was 
always  exerted  on  behalf  of  a  people  otherwise  universally  op- 
pressed. The  dress  which  was  worn  by  William  Penn  as  a 
courtier  has  continued  for  centuries  as  the  distinguishing  garb 
of  the  sect  to  which  he  belonged,  and  is  indirectly  an  evidence 
of  the  esteem  in  which  he  is  held. 

46.  The  Grand  Indian  Treaty  is  not  described  by  any  co- 
temporary  writer  who  was  on  the  spot  to  make  a  record  of  the 
transaction  ;  but  it  is  attested  by  letters  both  before  and  after 
the  event,  and  the  large  elm-tree  at  Shakamaxon,  near  Phila- 
delphia, is  frequently  named.  The  interview  was  not  for  the 
purchase  of  lands,  but  for  the  ratitication  of  a  treaty  of  amity, 
which  has  always  been  observed  on  both  sides.  The  Indians 
were  much  impressed  by  the  kindly  manners  of  the  founder. 
The  tree  was  prostrated  by  a  storm,  in  1810,  and  a  monument 
now  stands  upon  the  spot  where  it  flourished.  Penn's  address 
to  the  Indians  was  a  singular  piece  of  natural  eloquence. 

47.  The  founder  of  Pennsylvania  departed  from  the  colony 
in  1684,  leaving  all  his  friends  peaceful  and  at  peace.  His  last 
words  before  sailing  were,  "My  love  salutes  you  all."  One 
woman  was  brought  to  trial,  charged  with  being  a  witch,  during 
Pern's  visit ;  he  presided  on  the  trial,  and  the  poor  woman 
was  acquitted.  This  was  the  end  of  such  trials  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. After  the  death  of  William  Penn,  which  took  place  in 
1718,  his  heirs  became  proprietors,  and  they  ruled  the  colony 
by  their  deputies  until  the  Revolution,  after  which  the  State 
bought  out  their  rights  by  a  payment  of  nearly  five  hundred 
thousand  dollars. 

48.  Maryland.  Religious  persecution  was  the  chief  reason 
why  the  settlement  in  Maryland  was  mar'  in  the  year  1634  by 
Lord  Baltimore.  The  title  is  now  extinct,  but  the  name  will 
probably  endure  to  the  end  of  time.  The  first  Lord  Baltimore 
was  a  Catholic,  and  stood  high  in  the  favor  of  King  James  I., 
who  hated  Puritanism  and  Presbyterianism  almost  as  much  as 


m 


118 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


bo  loved  himself.  James  raised  him  to  the  peerage,  and  after- 
wards gave  him  a  grant  in  Newfoundland  whereon  to  establish 
a  colony.  In  the  year  1025  Baltimore  went  to  Newfoundland, 
but  the  attempt  to  establish  a  settlement  Avas  a  failure.  Three 
years  later  he  was  in  Virginia,  hoping  to  find  in  that  colony  a 
tolerant  spirit  toward  his  co-religionists ;  but  he  was  disap- 
pointed, and,  u^jon  his  return,  he  memorialized  Charles  I.,  who 
had  become  king,  asking  a  grant  of  the  area  noAv  known  aa 
Maryland.  His  son  became  the  founder  of  the  State,  under  the 
grant  sued  out  by  the  iirst  lord,  Avho  died  in  1G32,  and  his 
second  son,  Leonard  Calvert,  became  governor,  having  con- 
ducted an  expedition  for  the  foundation  of  the  colony,  which 
left  England  in  November,  1633.  The  name,  Maryland,  was  in 
compliment  to  the  Queen  of  England,  daughter  of  the  famous 
Henri  of  Navarre,  whoso  second  name  was  IMaria.  Upon  the 
land  north  of  the  Potomac,  granted  by  Charles  I.,  the  first 
settlement  was  named  St.  Mary's,  at  an  Indian  village  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Potomac. 

49.  The  Maryland  charter  dift'ered  favorably  from  that  of 
Virginia,  and  the  first  action  under  it  was  to  secure  for  men  of 
all  religious  persuasions  perfect  liberty,  provided  only  that 
the  persons  claiming  toleration  were  Christians.  Every  free- 
man had  a  voice  in  legislation,  and  Maryland  soon  became 
knoxvn  next  to  Rhode  Island  as  the  refuge  of  persecuted  souls. 
The  charters  issued  by  the  English  government  were  often  so 
loosely  drawn  that  one  overlapped  another's  boundaries,  and  in 
consequence  of  some  such  error  internecine  strife  commenced 
between  Maryland  and  Virginia  in  the  year  1635.  There  were 
other  disturban  JOS  also. 

50.  Councillor  Clayborne,  one  of  the  dignitaries  of  James- 
town, in  Virginia,  stubbornly  contended  that  Lord  Baltimore's 
grant  overlapped  the  boundaries  of  Virginia,  and  ho  erected 
trading-posts  in  IVl'iryland,  determining  to  hold  them  against 
the  new-comers.  This  happened  in  1635.  There  Avas  some 
fighting,  and  Clayborne's  party  Avas  beaten.  He  did  not  Avait 
the  result  of  the  contest,  but  returned  to  Virginia,  Avhcnce  he 
was  sent  to  England  to  bo  tried  as  a  traitor.  lie  AA^as  acquitted 
of  the  charge,  and  in  1645  returned  to  Maryland,  Avhe re  he  suc- 
ceeded in  raising  a  rebellion  Avhich  overpoAvered  the  governor 
for  a  time ;  but  after  a  brief  interval  Gov.  Calvert  came  back 
to  the  colony  with  a  force  sufficient  to  defeat  Clayborne,  ahd 
upon  his  escape  the  rebellion  ended. 

51.  Intolerance  prevailed  in  the  Maryland  Assembly  as  soon 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


119 


suc- 
•nor 
)ack 
atid 


as  the  Protestants  became  strong  enough  to  control  that  bod}^. 
Catholics  "were  expelled  or  excluded  from  the  legislative  body 
which  had  been  e-lablished  by  themselves,  and  they  were  de- 
clared outlaws.  Tliere  were  for  a  time  tAvo  governments,  and 
from  KiUl  to  171i5  the  Baltimores  were  deprived  of  their  rights 
as  proprietors.  Civil  war  weni  on  Avith  alternate-  successes  for 
some  3'ears,  and  in  the  main  the  Church  of  England  gained  the 
mastery,  Catholics  being  disfranchised.  After  the  year  1715 
the  fourth  Lord  Baltimore  procured  a  recognition  of  his  rights, 
and  toleration  became  the  rule  once  more.  After  that  time  the 
course  of  events  went  on  without  disturbance  worthy  of  not  b 
mitil  177G. 

52.  South  Carolina.  Charles  II.  granted  a  large  tract 
of  land  to  his  councillor.  Lord  Clarendon,  and  several  other 
noblemen,  in  l()()3,.and  this  vast  area  south  of  Virginia  was 
called  Carolina,  from  Carohis,  in  his  honor.  The  first  colony 
that  was  established  in  South  Carolina  was  on  the  banks  of  the 
river  Ashley,  in  17 70,. and  this  Avas  known  as  the  Carteret 
Colony.  Ten  j-ears  later  the  settlers  concluded  that  they  would 
move  their  quarters,  and  in  1680  they  emigrated  to  a  tongue 
of  land  between  the  Cooper  and  Ashley  rivers,  the  site  of  the 
present  city  of  Charleston,  seven  miles  from  the  Atlantic,  and 
surrounded  by  every  facility  for  an  unbounded  commerce. 
There  is  no  finer  harbor  on  the  Atlantic  coast.  The  growth 
of  the  settlement  was  not  rapid  during  the  first  half  century, 
but  after  that  ti.-ne  it  increased  considerabl}'.  The  Dutch  came 
from  New  York  and  the  surrounding  countr}^  and  the  Hugue- 
nots from  France  also  contributed  a  large  quota  toward  the 
limited  success  that  was  achieved. 

53.  Jo/m  Locke's  Legislation.  It  often  happens  that  great 
philosophers  fail  when  they  attempt  to  bring  down  the  theorems 
of  the  closet  to  the  work  of  every-day  life.  Locke  series  to 
illustrate  that  fact.  In  concert  with  the  brilliant  Earl  of 
Shaftesbury,  the  philosopher  undertook  to  make  laws  for 
Carolina,  and  he  did  so  ;  but  the  system  was  entirely  miscon- 
ceived. The  comprehensive  writer  on  "the  Understanding" 
allowed  no  understanding  to  the  people,  who  were  entirely  lost 
sight  of  in  a  magnificent  display  of  manors,  baronies,  and 
feudal  titles,  such  as  could  (udy  provoke  laughter  wherever  a 
new  attempt  might  be  made  to  ca'cate  them.  After  much  time 
spent  in  unavailing  endeavors  to  bring  the  scheme  into  operation 
the  aljortive  code  was  indefinitely  abandoned. 

54.  The  royal  province  of  South  Carolina,  known  as  the 


:    ^^|| 


Si 


i 


120 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


ill  . 


Carteret  Colony,  dates  from  1729,  when  the  proprietaries,  be- 
coiniiig  tired  of  tlic  continuous  jealousies  (f  the  people,  who 
were  unwilling  to  pay  rents  and  taxes,  and  who  resented  every 
attempt  at  arbitrary  procedure,  surrendered  to  the  British 
Crown  their  rights  of  government ,  and  retained  ojily  one-eighth 
of  the  soil.  Up  to  that  time  Soutii  Carolina  had  been  connected 
in  a  very  cumbrous  Avay  with  North  Carolina,  under  the  same 
governor.  South  Carolina  was  now  a  distinct  province,  having 
full  control  of  its  own  local  afl'airs. 

55.  North  Carolina.  Albemarle  Colony  was  named 
after  Gen.  Monk,  who,  on  the  8th  of  May,  16(50,  procured  the 
restoration  of  Charles  II.,  and  was  created  Duke  of  Albemarle. 
The  grant  of  land  on  which  it  stood  covered  both  Carolinas, 
North  and  South,  and  it  would  be  useless  to  recapituhite  the 
manner  in  which  it  was  obtained,  The  people  who  had  been 
settled  in  Virginia,  north  of  the  new  grant,  pushed  their  way 
to  this  point  and  established  a  plantation.  They  selected  a 
governor  among  themselves,  and,  upon  condition  that  they  paid 
a  rental  of  one  cent  per  acre  to  tlie  proprietary,  they  were  not 
disturbed  in  any  respect  as  to  their  rights  and  liberties. 

56.  The  attempt  to  introduce  the  grand  model  of  law  was  a 
failure  in  North  Carolina,  as  well  as  in  South,  and  in  both 
settlements  there  was  much  satisfaction  when  the  claims  of  the 
proprietary  ended  in  the  establishment  of  two  royal  provinces. 
The  arbitrary  conduct  of  the  owners  of  the  soil,  who  had  claimed 
authority  to  tax,  to  govern,  and  to  direct,  as  well  as  tc  collect 
rent,  and  other  impositions,  had  long  kept  the  people  in  a 
peculiarly  watchful  and  jealous  mood.  The  promises  made  to 
the  people  had  not  been  observed,  their  laws  and  their  officers 
had  been  superseded,  and  they  had  every  cause  to  look  with 
disfavor  upon  the  men  by  whom  they  had  been  deceived. 

57.  George  Fox,  the  founder  of  the  Quakers,  visited  the 
Carolinas  in  1672,  while  the  Locke  constitution  was  under 
debate,  and  he  found  the  people  very  w^ell  disposed  to  hear 
from  him  the  truths  of  religion ;  many  Quakers  were  there, 
and  men  of  all  classes  who  had  fled  from  oppression  elsewhere  ; 
but  none  who  were  disposed  to  submit  to  the  arbitrary  preten- 
sions of  the  proprietaries.  There  was  relief  from  many  troubles 
when  the  colony  was  constituted  a  royal  province,  in  1729. 

58.  Georgia.  George  11.,  the  second  monarch  in  the 
Hanoverian  line,  granted  to  an  English  officer  named  Oglethorpe, 
and  to   some   others,   in    1732,  the  tract  of  land   known  as 


Georgia, 


being 


named  from  the  king,  to  be  held  in  trust  for 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


121 


settling  the  colony.  The  territory  was  at  that  time  in  dispute 
bdtwecn  Great  Britain  and  Spain,  and  Gen.  Oglethorpe  was  com- 
mander of  forces  as  well  as  founder  of  a  colony.  John  Wesley 
and  George  Whitfield  were  associated  with  him  in  the  work  of 
settlement,  and  the  latter  visited  the  colony  very  often,  intent 
upon  charitable  purposes.  The  first  settlement  was  made  at 
Savannah,  in  January,  1733,  by  Gen.  Oglethorpe  and  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  persons,  who  were  to  hold  land  on  the  condition 
of  rendering  military  sei-vice  when  required  ;  but  the  requirements 
in  that  direction  were  irksome,  and  great  numbers  left  the  colony 
for  North  Carolina.  After  that  time  a  change  was  made,  and 
every  settler  was  allowed  fifty  acres  of  land  in  fee.  When  war 
was  declared  by  England  against  Spain,  in  1739,  Gen.  Oglethorpe 
commanded  the  colonial  troops  and  Indian  allies  to  the  number 
of  one  thousand,  but  an  expedition  into  Florida,  undertaken 
by  him,  proved  a  failure.  Charity  contributed  largely  to  make 
Georgia  a  home  for  the  suflfcring  and  struggling  poor  in  Eng- 
land ;  but  much  discontent  was  oxpressed  because  negro  slavery, 
which  was  allowed  in  other  States,  was  expressly  prohibited 
here,  and  in  1752  the  trustees  surrendered  their  trust  to  the 
crown,  and  Georgia  became  a  royal  province  until  the  year 
1776.  There  were  many  other  limitations  in  the  way  of 
paternal  legislation  attempted  by  the  trustees  during  their 
term  of  authority,  such  as  prescribing  the  size  for  a  farm,  for- 
bidding the  importation  of  rum,  and  declaring  women  incom- 
petent to  inherit  land.  Wisdom  naturally  suggests  limitatiors 
as  to  all  such  matters  as  dcsirablo,  sometimes,  but  the  people 
will  seldom  submit  gratefully  to  such  prescriptions  from  others. 
It  was  proper,  when  land  was  to  be  held  on  terms  of  military 
service,  that  women  should  be  disqualified,  but  in  any  other 
respect  the  law  was  an  absurdity.  Georgia  was  the  younger 
State  when  the  Revolutionary  War  commenced,  but  she  bore 
her  share  in  the  struggle  with  exemplary  courage. 

59.  Wars.  Under  King  William  III.  1689-1G97.  Prot- 
estantism had  been  fought  for  between  Holland  and  France  for 
many  years  before  William,  Prince  of  Orange,  was  called  to 
the  English  throne.  That  event  made  the  war  English,  and 
involved  the  colonies.  The  Iroquois  assisted  the  English 
settlers  ;  the  Indians  of  Canada  and  Maine  gave  aid  to  France. 

60.  Indian  atrocities  were  now  combined  Avith  the  strategy 
and  weapons  of  civilization,  and  outlying  settlements  in  New 
York  and  New  England  were  exposed  to  terrible  outrages. 
Some  of  the  scenes  described  are  absolutely  shocking,  and  pf 


M 


122 


mSTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


course  Ihc  offort  on  each  side  was  to  outstrip  the  other,  once  a 
beginnini^  had  been  made.  It  is  chiimed  that  the  preliminaiy 
assault  Avas  made  by  a  war  party  of  French  and  Indians  from 
Canada. 

Gl.  Reprisals  Avere  made  with  little  delay.  Gov.  Phipjos, 
of  Massachusetts,  led  an  expedition  r^-^ainst  Port  itoyal,  in 
Acadia,  and  was  very  saccessful,  obtaining  much  plunder. 
Another  enterprise,  involving  a  combined  attack  by  sea  and 
land  upon  Canada,  failed  utterly.  Proceedings  dragged  on  in 
a  desultory  way  until  the  King  of  France,  Louis  XIV.,  con- 
cluded a  peace,  in  1007,  acknowledging  the  right  of  William 
III.,  by  treating  Avith  him  at  llyswick.  The  territories  held 
at  the  beginning  of  the  war  were  not  disturbed  by  the  treaty. 

62.  Undev  Queen  Anne.  1702-1713.  The  V^nv  of  the 
Spanish  Succession  w^as  entirely  European  and  dynastic,  as  the 
aim  of  England  was  to  curb  the  power  of  France ;  but  it  in- 
volved the  colonies  in  a  resumption  of  hostilities.  New  York 
was  protected  by  the  neutrality  of  the  Iroquois,  or  Five  Nations  ; 
but  A'^ew  England  suflered  severely,  their  frontier  line  being 
desolated.  Outlying  settlements  Avero  given  up,  and,  near  to 
the  towns,  people  Avorked  AA'ith  their  weapons  ready  for  use. 

G3.  The  colonists  replied  vigorously  by  Avresting  Port  lioyal 
onco  more  from  the  French,  Avith  the  assistance  of  Engli'-h 
troops,  and  the  place  Avas  called  Annapolis,  as  a  complimentto 
the  queen.  Quebec  AA^as  assailed  once  more,  AA'ithout  avail ; 
many  vessels  Avero  lost,  and  nearly  one  thousand  men.  South 
Carolina  and  Georgia  made  attacks  upon  the  Spanish  fort  of 
St.  Augustine,  in  Florida,  Avhich  had  become  a  nest  of  free- 
booters ;    but  the  colonists  had  no  success  in  that  quarter. 

64.  TitEATY  OF  Utkeciit.  After  eleven  years'  lighting,  the 
genius  for  Avar  possessed  by  the  Duke  of  Marlborough,  com- 
mander of  the  English  forces,  compelled  Louis  XIV.  to  sub- 
scribe to  a  treaty  most  unfavorable  to  France.  Among  other 
concessions  Acadia  AA'as  ceded  to  England. 

65.  Under  George  II.  1734-1748.  European  complica- 
tions onco  more  involved  the  colonies  ;  but  the  capture  of  the 
fortress  of  Louisburg,  on  Cape  Breton,  Avas  the  main  incident 
on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  The  capture  Avas  elfectod  by 
English  and  colonial  troops  combined ;  and  when  peace  AA^as 
concluded  by  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  in  1748,  France 
resumed  possession  of  Louisburg. 

66.  French  and  Indian.  1754-1763.  Territorial  aggres- 
sion  Avas  the  purpose  aimed  at  by  France,  and  probably  by  all 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


123 


parties,  in  the  iiino  years'  war  which  commenced  in  1753. 
During  the  l)rilliant,  meteor-like  career  of  John  Law  in  France, 
the  nation  had  become  potusessed  of  the  idea  that  this  continent 
contti'ncd  enormous  mineral  wealth  in  all  parts,  and  conse- 
quently the  policy  then  inaugurated  still  continued  in  opera- 
tion. Territory  must  bo  extended  Avherever  possible.  The 
English  possessions  were  not  well  situated  for  defence,  .is  they 
spread  over  a  coast  line  about  one  thousand  miles  long,  without 
facilities  for  intercommunication  and  support  between  the 
several  colonies.  The  French  had  cultivrted  friendly  relations 
with  the  Indians  for  almost  a  century,  since  the  first  arrival  of 
the  Jesuits  on  Lake  Superior,  and  that  gave  them  command 
of  an  irpmense  area  of  country,  asAvell  as  of  very  useful  allies  in 
such  a  war  as  was  now  to  commence.  The  intercourse  of  Father 
Marquette  with  the  native  tril>es  was  now  to  become  valuable, 
in  a  Avarlikc  sense,  to  his  countrymen.  Franco  was  not  well 
prepared  for  a  war ;  but  it  seems  to  have  been  anticipated  that 
strategic   aggressions  would  pass  unheeded,  until   the  troops 


should  bo  so  firmly  established  in  their  pusi3  that  any  opera- 
tion against  them  with  the  liuiited  force  available  would  bo 
fruitless.  From  Quebec  to  New  Orleans  France  had  possession  ; 
and  at  many  points  in  the  interior  there  were  strong  positions, 
such  as  could  hardly  bo  taken  from  them  without  a  regular 
siege  and  a  considerable  army.  The  region  Avest  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies,  along  the  Ohio,  was  debatable  land,  and  the  right  of 
the  strongest  would  probably  prevail.  The  outrages  inflicted 
and  endured  by  both  sides  during  preceding  wars  had  created 
intense  animosity,  and  occasions  for  quarrel  were  daily  otfered. 
Surveyors  on  the  Ohio,  acting  under  English  orders,  were 
seized  and  detained  by  French  troops,  and  very  soon  there 
was  hardly  one  of  the  sixty  posts  occupied  by  the  enemy  that 
had  not  some  unhappy  prisoners  of  war  held  in  durance  without 
authority.  The  British  had  established  a  post  on  the  Miami ; 
the  French,  with  a  largely  superior  force,  broke  it  up,  although 
there  was  peace  between  the  two  nations,  secured  as  firmly  as 
an3'thing  can  be  secured  by  treaties.  In  wality  all  that  was 
being  done  was  under  orders  from  head-quarters,  and  at  the 
most  favorable  moment  there  would  bo  a  sufiicient  force  ready 
to  follow  up  any  advantage.  Additional  forts  had  to  be  erected 
at  Presque  Isle,  near  the  town  of  Erie,  Pa.,  on  French  Creek, 
known  as  Fort  Venango,  and  twelve  miles  north  of  that  point, 
near  the  site  of  the  town  of  Waterford,  Fort  Je  Buoef.  These 
movements  gave  much  concern  to  the  colonists. 


''1 

ii 


124 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OP  CANADA, 


67.  Gcorgo  AVasbinglon,  already  a  young  man  of  parts  and 
promise,  was  tvventy-ono  years  of  ago  when  Lieut.  Gov.  Din- 
wlddio  commissioned  liim  to  visit  the  forts  last  mentioned,  and 
request  that  they  should  bo  dismantled.  The  journey  through 
the  wilderness  from  Williamsburg  to  Lako  Erie  was  full  of 
peril,  but  nothing  daunted  the  young  hero.  The  French  ofticers 
were  of  coinso  acting  under  orders,  and  there  was  no  argument 
but  force  that  would  co»npeI  them  to  retire.  The  commandants 
were  polite,  but  contident  that  they  could  hold  their  own,  and 
there  were  many  evidences  that  expeditions  were  even  then 
afoot,  which  boded  no  good  to  the  colonists.  On  the  return 
through  the  wilderness ,  fully  four  hundred  miles,  the  horses  of 
Washington  and  his  friend  broke  down,  and  they  were  obliged 
to  continue  the  journey  as  pedestrians  during  a  very  inclement 
season.  An  attempt  on  the  life  of  the  youthful  ambassador 
only  resulted  in  the  capture  of  the  skulking  Indian  ;  and  a  still 
greater  peril  was  encountered  by  the  upsetting  of  a  raft  on 
which  the  two  companions  were  crossing  the  Alleghany  river. 
The  reply  of  St.  Pierre,  the  commandant  at  Fort  lo  Boeuf,  left 
no  room  for  doubt  that,  within  a  few  months  at  farthest,  war 
Avould  be  commenced  by  one  of  the  two  parties. 

68.  CoMMENCiNQ  HOSTILITIES.  I  may  repeat  substantially 
some  things  hero  contained  in  an  account  of  Canadian  history 
on  previous  pages,  but  this  is  necessary.  Early  in  the  spring 
some  English  traders  were  driven  away  by  the  French  from  the 
fork  of  the  Monongahela  and  the  Alleghany,  and  a  fort  was 
erected  at  that  point.  The  site  of  Fort  Du  Quesne  was  of  such 
importance  that  even  at  that  moment  a  Virginian  regiment,  with 
Col.  Fr^^e,  commandant,  and  Washington  as  his  second,  was  on 
the  march  to  hold  the  position.  Washington,  with  a  corps  of 
observation,  was  de  natched  to  reconnoitre,  the  first  shot  of 
that  long  war  being  fired  under  his  orders.  Jumonville,  a 
French  officer,  lying  in  ambuscade  to  surprise  and  slaughter 
the  colonial  force,  was  taken  in  the  rear  and  defeated  by  the 
young  Virginian.  The  colonel  commandant  dying,  Washington 
built  a  stockade  at  the  Great  Meadows,  and  defended  Fort  Neces- 
sity against  the  French  with  very  great  odds,  until  capitulation 
was  inevitable. 

69.  Necessities  OF  THE  Situation.  Virginia  and  Pennsyl- 
vania were  menaced  by  the  Indian  allies  of  the  French  as  long 
as  Fort  Du  Quesne  remained  in  the  hands  of  its  builders  ;  there- 
fore the  fort  must  be  demolished  or  occupied  by  British  troops. 
Louisburg,  once  taken  by  the  colonists,  and  abandoned  by  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


125 


British,  was,  in  tlio  haiida  of  tho  French,  a  perpetual  source  of 
danger  to  tho  Newfoundhmd  lishcrics,  as  privatcerinj^  vessels, 
liarl)oring  there  and  in  Acadia,  could  commit  ravages  and  escape 
pursuit  under  the  guns  of  tho  fort.  Quebec  strongly  fortilied 
gave  to  Canada  the  St.  Lawrence  river.  Tho  route  to  Canada 
by  tho  lakes  George  and  Cluunplain  was  commanded  by  tho 
fortresses  at  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga.  The  fortress  at 
Crown  Point  was  called  Fort  St.  Frederick,  and  it  occupied  a 
very  tine  position  for  military  purposes.  After  tho  British  pro- 
cured possession  they  spent  a  largo  sura  on  tho  fortification. 
To  take  such  places  out  of  tho  hands  of  tho  French  was  of 
primary  importance. 

70.  Braddock's  Command.  Tho  British  general  to  whom 
was  committed  the  task  of  capturing  Fort  Du  Quesne  held  his 
Indian  enemies  too  cheaply,  and  would  not  bo  warned  by  his 
aid-de-camp,  George  Washington.  The  approach  to  Du  Quesne, 
in  July,  1755,  was  signalized  by  the  troops  falling  into  ambus- 
cade of  Indians,  with  whose  methods  of  war  the  regular  soldiers 
were  unfamiliar,  and  they  were  terribly  cut  up.  Gen.  BraddocI': 
fell,  mortally  wounded,  and  his  command  retired  in  confusion,, 
their  retreat  being  covered  by  the  Virginian  troops  under 
AYashington,  whose  conduct  deserves  the  highest  praise. 

71.  Briqadieu-General  Forbes'  Expedition.  Throe 
years  elapsed  before  tho  British  were  again  ready  to  move  on 
Fort  Du  Quesne,  this  time  under  Gen.  Forbes,  Col.  Washington 
commanding  the  Virginia  forces.  Braddock  lost  everything 
and  his  own  life  by  recklessness.  Forbes,  a  cautious  Scotch- 
man, spent  so  much  time  in  making  roads  for  his  troops  that  it 
was  near  tho  end  of  November,  1758,  before  he  came  Avithin 
fifty  miles  of  the  point  of  attack,  and  a  council  of  war  deter- 
mined to  abandon  the  enterprise.  Washington  urged  a  rapid 
advance,  and  led  the  van  himself,  guarding  against  all  chances 
of  an  ambush ;  so  that  on  the  25th  of  November  the  fort  was 
abandoned  by  the  French,  who  set  fire  to  the  buildings  and 
retreated.  The  brigadier-general  named  tho  captured  ruin 
Pittsburg,  in  honor  of  the  first  William  Pitt,  afterwards  Earl 
of  Chatham,  tho  ablest  statesman  that  had  ever  been  prime 
minister  in  England.  The  spot  which  was  then  the  key  to 
American  security  is  now  the  vast  entrepot  of  her  manufacturing 
greatness. 

72.  Conquest  of  Acadia.  There  was  but  little  glory  in 
the  proceedings  of  tho  British  troops  in  this  expedition,  as  the 
people  were  driven  ruthlessly  from  their  homes,  which  they 


/ 


! 


li 


■m 


5i 


i^^l 


f  f  l^t 

^     ill 

i 


12G 


IIISTOTIV  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


had  iiiiulo  no  clFort  to  dofoiul,  aiul  therefore  tliey  should  have 
been  treated  as  non-eoiubatauts.  Tlic  forts  at  J'oiul  lie  hi  Jkile, 
now  rendered  Bay  of  Fiiiidy,  AVcro  not  capahlo  of  vi«^orou8 
defence,  and  Avlth  Iheir  fall  the  whole  region  cast  of  the  I'enob- 
8cot  became  IJritlsh. 

73.  Jjouisbnr^  was  tho  next  point  to  be  carried,  and  Gen. 
Loudoun  was  to  have  made  the  attack  in  1757,  but  after  much 
preparation  he  abandoned  the  project  and  remained  at  Halifax, 
(jien.  Wolfe  and  Gen.  Amherst,  afterwards  connnander-in- 
chief,  captured  the  city  and  fortitications  of  Louisbury  in  1758, 
after  a  sharp  bombarchnent ;  but  tho  island  was  not  made  the 
rendezvous  of  the  British  forces. 

74.  A  FiiuiTLKSs  Battle.  When  Gen.  Braddock  was 
marchinj(  to  his  defeat  and  death,  near  Fort  I)u  (^ucsne,  jNIajor- 
Gcn.  Johnson,  in  command  of  the  provincial  forces,  approached 
Crown  Point.  Baron  Dieskau,  the  olKcer  in  charge  of  the 
French  fortress,  did  not  Avait  to  bo  attacked  ;  he  led  his  forces, 
with  his  Indian  allies,  against  Gen.  Johnson's  camp,  and  came 
near  destroying  the  whole  expedition.  The  commandant  being 
wounded  early  in  the  alfray,  the  conduct  of  the  defence  fell 
upon  Phineas  Lyman,  the  second  in  command  ;  and  with  such 
men  as  Isnn  1  Putnam  in  the  ranks,  lighting  as  private  soldiers, 
it  Avould  have  been  difficult  to  entirely  lose  tho  day.  The 
attacking  party  Avas  routed  completely,  but  there  Avas  no 
attempt  on  the  part  of  the  commandant  to  capture  CroAvn  Point. 
Gen.  Johnson  Avas  made  a  baronet,  had  the  thanks  of  Parlia- 
ment and  tAvcnty-iivc  thousand  dollars,  because  of  tho  otlier- 
Avise  barren  victory,  Avhich  ho  did  r.ot  improve.  This  action 
took  place  in  September,  1775,  and  after  loitering  a  while 
longer,  building  Fort  AYilliam  Henry,  he  leturned  to  Albany, 
leaving  a  small  force  in  charge  of  the  useless  fortification. 
This  fort  Avas  afterAvards  taken  by  tho  French. 

75.  Gi<]N.  Abercrgmbie's  Failure.  About  four  months 
before  Fort  Du  Quesno  fell,  in  November,  1758,  Gen.  Abcr- 
croml)ie,  a  British  officer,  ordered  an  assault  upon  Ticonderoga, 
unsupported  by  artillery,  and  it  Avas  noticed  that  ho  Avas  con- 
spicu(Kis  by  his  absence  during  tho  fruitless  assault.  Tho 
general  Avas  properly  removed  from  tho  command  soon  after- 
AA'ards.     The  attack  was  a  disastrous  failure. 

7G.  Overcoming  the  Difficulty.  Gen.  Amherst,  with  a 
largo  army,  compelled  the  evacuation  of  both  Ticonderoga  and 
Crown  Point  by  the  French,  in  1759,  and  thus  another  step 
was  obtained  toAvards  security  for  British  Colonial  America. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


127 


77.  (u'lUTul  Shirl(>y  was  to  hi-.vo  captun-d  lun-i  Niaijani  in 
1755,  but  having  reached  C)s\ve<jf()  with  hi.s  tbives,  lio  was  dis- 
couraged liecauso  of  the  defeat  of  (Jeneral  HraddoeU,  and  after 
Luildini^  a  fort,  Avhich  was  afterwards  eaptin-ed  hy  the  l"'reneii 
general,  JVIontcalni,  with  a  tjuantity  of  vahiabii*  stores,  ho  lei't 
a  garrison,  to  lieconio  prisoners,  and  returned.  Four  years 
later,  in  175!),  General  Prideaux  compelled  Fort  Niagara  to 
surrender,  and  the  west  was  fully  possessed  by  the  British  and 
colonial  forces. 

78.  Wolfe  and  Montcalm.  The  sunnncr  of  1  (u.,  saw  two 
able  and  brave  men  pitted  against  each  other  at  Quebec.  Gen. 
Wolfe,  with  a  larger  naval  forc(5  and  eight  thousand  troops,  ar- 
rived oir  (Quebec,  designing  to  attack  and  capture  that  city  and 
fortress  from  a  French  force  etjual  to  his  own,  i«  a  strong  posi- 
tion, connnanded  by  a  gallant  and  entirely  competent  oflicev, 
General  Montcalm.  The  city  was  destroyed  without  difllculty, 
by  bombardment,  but  the  citadel  on  the  Heights,  beyond  tho 
Plains  of  Al)raham,  seemed  to  defy  all  possibility  of  capture. 
Wolfe,  sick  in  bed,  revolved  many  schemes  ;  but  none  promised 
success,  uptil  a  careful  reconnaismnce  revealed  a  narrow  path- 
way up  tho  pi-ecipitous  rocks,  and  by  that  road  he  led  his  troops 
to  victory.  The  shore  was  guarded  by  sentinels,  but  n  device 
prevented  a  premature  alarm,  and  tho  soldiers  were  on  tho 
Iloights  ready  for  battle  before  daybreak,  on  the  thirteenth  of 
Scpteml)er,  1759.  Montcalm  Avas  almost  paralyzed  l)y  tho 
audacity  of  the  assault ;  but  as  soon  as  it  became  evident  that  it 
was  an  attack  in  force  ho  used  all  the  means  at  his  disposal  to 
destroy  tho  assailants.  Both  commanders  fell,  mortally  woimded. 
Wolfe,  thrice  struck,  died  on  tho  field  of  battle,  and  jMontcalm 
followed  him  within  twelve  hours.  Tho  steady  conduct  of 
Wolfe's  troops  was  in  marked  contrast  to  tho  precipitancy  of 
tho  French  soldiery  on  this  occasion,  and  a  bayonet  charge 
which  Wolfe  proposed  to  lead  in  person,  decided  tho  contest. 
Quebec  garrison  and  city  capitulated  five  days  after  tlic  ascent 
of  the  Heights  to  tho  Plains  of  Abraham,  and  this  event  more 
than  any  other  contributed  to  bring  tho  war  to  an  end.  The 
pathetic  courage  and  skill  of  General  Wolfe,  with  the  devotion 
of  Montcalm,  divided  the  admiration  of  mankind. 

79.  William  Pitt's  Policy.  The  capable  and  bold  man 
who  had  conducted  the  war  to  tho  point  just  seen  was  wise 
enough  to  be  aware  that  Franco  would  not  lose  Canada  Avithout 
a  final  eftbrt ;  consequently  when,  in  17G0,  there  Avas  an  attempt 
to  recapture  Quebec,  a  powerful  and  well-appointed  licet  Avas 


128 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


fIT 


despatched  in  time  to  defeat  the  movement.  Montreal  was 
taken,  and  all  Canada  came  nnder  British  sway.  Spain  ceded 
Florida,  and  France  gave  up  her  territories  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi to  England,  except  certain  small  iishing-stations  south  of 
Newfoundland.  New  Orleans  and  the  country  west  of  the 
MissisR;ippi,  held  by  France,  was  given  to  Spain,  and  Louisiana 
remained  to  be  dealt  with  later  by  Napoleon. 

80.  The  Ottaava  Chief.  Pontiac  represented,  better  than 
any  other  Indian  of  his  time,  the  deep  hold  that  the  i^olicy  of 
the  French  had  taken  upon  the  tribes.  The  insolence  and 
hauteur  of  the  British  officer  and  troops  roused  in  the  Indian 
nature  all  that  was  least  lovely,  while  the  polite  and  friendly 
bearing  of  the  Frenchman  had  made  allies  in  all  directions. 
The  ditference  being  constitutional,  there  is  no  ground  for  won- 
derment that  the  same  result  has  been  experienced  by  all  the 
leading  Frenchmen,  from  Father  Marquette  and  the  Baron  La 
Salle  to  Montcalm,  dying  at  Quebec.  Soon  after  the  French 
forts  Avere  surrendered  to  the  English,  Pontiac,  chief  of  the 
Ottawas,  an  able  and  very  treacherous  man,  proposed  to  the 
several  tribes  a  combination  against  the  enemy,  so  that  they, 
being  taken  unawares,  might  be  despoiled  of  all  their  posses- 
sions. Many  forts  w.ere  carried  by  sudden  assaults  and  other 
devices.  Detroit  was  to  have  been  the  grand  stroke,  and  Pon- 
tiac presided  there  in  person  ;  but  the  night  before  the  attack  an 
Indian  squaw,  to  whom  the  governor  had  been  kind,  revealed 
the  conspiracy.  Pontiac  and  his  braves  were  to  Avait  upon  the 
governor  as  a  delegation,  apparently  unarmed,  but  really  with 
their  muskets,  shortened  for  the  purpose,  hidden  under  their 
mantles.  The  chief  was  to  make  a  complimentary  speech,  and 
at  its  conclusion  offer  a  belt  indicative  of  friendship  to  the 
doomed  officer ;  but  the  manner,  differing  from  the  customary 
method,  was  to  be  a  signal  for  the  warriors  to  carry  out  their 
scheme  of  slaughter,  by  killing  the  governor  and  his  household 
first,  and  then  proceeding  to  the  demolition  of  the  settlement. 
The  delegation  was  received,  l)ut  every  man  surrounding  the 
governor  was  armed  ostentatiously ;  and  v/hile  Pontiac  Avas 
speaking,  the  soldiers  on  guard  in  the  ai)teroom  were  heard 
handling  their  Avcapons  so  that  the  wary  Indian  was  afraid  to 
carry  out  his  design.  The  belt  was  presented  to  the  governor 
in  the  manner  indicating  peace,  and  the  design  was  frustrated. 
The  governor,  in  reply,  a\;cused  the  Indians  of  treachery ;  and 
when  they  protested  that  he  had  been  deceived,  he  pulled  aside 
their  dresses,  showing  their  concealed  weapons  in  confirmation 


ENGLAND,   AND   THE  UNITED   ST/  PES. 


129 


of  his  statements.  Seeing  that  they  held  a  safe  conduct,  he 
permitted  them  to  escape,  but  the  Indians,  foiled  in  their  imme- 
diate scheme,  regularly  besieged  the  city,  and  the  attempt  only 
failed  because  the  allied  tribes  lost  confidence  in  their  leader. 
Their  schemes  were  successful  in  eight  cases,  and  their  victims 
were  destnn'ed  without  mercy.  Besides  the  forts  taken,  many 
settlements  were  ravaged ;  but  eventually  Pontiac,  still  intent 
on  vengeance,  was  stal)bcd  by  an  Indian  who  wished  ^o  end  the 
aeries  of  disasters  that  he  Avas  bringing  upon  the  tribes.  The 
war  ended  with  u  treaty  in  which  nearly  all  the  Indians  con- 
curred. 

81.  Consequences  of  Training.  While  these  wars  lasted 
the  colonies,  hitherto  divided  by  distance,  and  in  some  degree 
by  petty  jealousies,  learned  to  know  and  to  respect  each  other ; 
so  that,  although  thirty  thousand  men  were  lost  in  the  several 
conflicts  and  consequences,  the  force  that  remained  Avas  stronger 
in  proportion  and  more  ready  for  the  Avork  that  must  be  done. 
The  cost  of  the  several  undertakings  had  affofrcgated  about 
sixteen  million  dollars,  and  only  about  five  million  dollars  of 
that  sum  Avas  paid  back  by  Great  Britain.  Many  Avho  might 
have  been  tirst-class  Tories  but  for  experience  Avero  completely 
cured  by  contact  with  British  officers,  Avho  looked  superciliously 
upon  cA^ery  man,  hoAvevcr  braA'c,  unless  he  had  the  manners 
and  angularities  of  the  regularly  trained  military  man. 


^w,., 


CHAPTER   X. 

ENGLAND  FROM   IGOO  TO   17G0. 


THE  REIGNS  OF  JAMES  I.,  CHARLES  I.,  CROMWELL,  CHARLES  I!.,  JAMES  II.,  WILLIAM 
ill.,    ANNE,    GEORGE    I.,    AND   GEORGE    II. 

1.  England's  deep-minded,  high-spirited,  stout-hearted 
woman  king,  Elizabeth,  was  succeeded  by  James  I.,  the  first  of 
the  unhappy  race  of  Stuart,  on  the  2r)th  of  July,  1G03.  At  this 
time  there  wore  three  religious  parties  in  the  kingdom,  —  the 
Established  Church,  the  Komiiu  Catholics,  and  the  Puritans. 
The  ncAV  king  deceived  and  disappointed  both  the  latter  l)y 
giving  all  his  support  to  the  p]stablished  Church.  It  was  not 
'ong  uut'l  all  the  disappointed,  both  of  religious  and  political 
parties,  contrived  plots  against"  the  king      These  wore  mostly 


i?'  ^ 


130 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


discovered  and  punished.  Among  those  who  fell  victims  to 
theso  conspiracies  was  ISir  Walter  Kaleigh.  lie  was  charged 
Avith  conspiring  against  the  life  of  the  king,  designing  to  over- 
throw the  governmiMit  and  religion  of  the  realm,  and  to  place 
the  Lady  Arahella  Stuart  (u  descendant  of  Henry  Yll.)  on  the 
throne.  Raleigh,  who  was  one  of  the  greatest  geniuses  of  his 
age,  had  rendered  glorious  services  to  the  crown,  as  a  navi- 
gator, a  discoverer,  and  a  brave  defender  of  his  country.  All 
these  claims  were  disregarded.  He  was  brought  to  trial  before 
a  court  composed  of  the  bitterest  of  his  enemies  ;  and,  notwith- 
standing one  of  the  most  eloquent  defences  that  was  ever  pleaded 
in  a  court  of  justice,  this  brave  man  Avas  declared  guilty,  and 
committed  to  the  Tower.  Xear  the  close  of  the  year  1604,  the 
exasperated  Catholics  entered  into  the  gunpowder-plot  con- 
spiracy, which  was  also  discovered,  uid  i  participants  duly 
punished,  and  the  laws  against  the  K  'ut  ^.*diolics  were  made 
even  more  severe. 

2.  James  1.  had  a  very  high  idea  of  the  divine  right  of 
kings,  and  wrote  a  book  to  prove  his  theory.  lie  did  all  in  his 
power  to  protect  the  royal  prerogative.  ii.  these  exalted 
notions  ho  was  su[)ported  by  the  bishops,  and  most  of  the 
nobility.  But  the  Commons  opposed  him,  and  remained  true 
to  the  best  interests  of  the  nation.  James  I.  wao  extravagant, 
and  therefore  exorbitant  in  his  demands  npon  the  CVmnnons 
for  means.  When  the  Connnons  refused  to  grant  his  requests, 
he  sold  patents  of  nobility,  and  created  a  new  title  —  that  of 
baronet,  which  ho  made  hereditary  and  sold  for  a  thousand 
pounds.  His  sul)jects  complained  of  his  extravagance  and  ex- 
cesses. In  tliis  reign  perished  a  victim  to  the  }  ^'"ii  ^V  of  the 
monarch  for  his  title  to  the  throne,  —  the  J/"k'  Arabella 
Stuart.  Like  the  victims  of  preceding  reigns,  sh  .  ;)  beauti- 
ful, accomplished,  and  unambitious;  her  only  crime  -  nig  that 
she,  too,  although  in  a  more  remote  degree  than  James,  was 
descended  from  Margaret,  the  daughter  of  Henry  VII.  As 
long  as  she  remained  single,  although  closely  watched,  the  Lady 
Ai'.ibclla  Avas  not  persecuted  ;  but,  on  her  marriage  Avith  Sir 
William  Sevmour,  she  Avas  taken  into  custody,  and  her  husband 
Avas  sent  to  ilio  'J^oAA^er.  Both  contrived  to  escape.  Sir  William 
Seymour,  in  the  disguise  of  a  physician,  mana.^'-ed  to  ge^  safely 
to  Flanders  ;  but  the  unfortunate  Lady  Arabella  was  seized  mid- 
Avay  across  the  Channel,  and  brought  back  to  tv^gland,  Avhere, 
after  four  sad  years  of  captivity  in  the  Tower,  she  died  insane, 
In  1012  the  Count  Palatino,  a  German  prince,  came  to  England 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


131 


and  niiirricd  the  Princess  Elizabeth.  The  marriage  was  cele- 
brated with  great  i)()nip  and  ceremony.  The  princess  accom- 
panied her  husband  to  German^s  where,  in  1619,  he  was  elected 
King  of  IJohcmia,  by  the  Protestants  of  that  country,  but  the 
Konian  Catholic  Emperor  of  Austria  made  war  upon  Bohemia, 
and  the  monarch  was  driven  from  his  throne,  and  Elizabeth, 
unaided  by  her  father,  the  English  king,  became  a  fugitive  in 
a  castle  on  the  Rhine.  The  laws  against  Puritans,  And  all  dis- 
senters from  the  Established  Church,  iu  this  reign,  were  very 
severe.  Not  satistied  with  upholding  Episcopacy  in  England, 
James  visited  Scotland,  to  establish  it  there.  The  people  of  * 
Scotland  regarded  him  as  a  traitor,  both  to  the  principles  in 
which  he  had  been  educated  and  to  the  promises  which  ho  had 
made.  He  appointed  bishops,  and  ordered  festivals  to  be  cele- 
brated ;  but,  so  far  from  establishing  Episcopac}',  the  people 
clung  more  fondly  than  ever  to  their  Presbyterian  Church  ;  and 
James  only  began  a  religious  struggle,  which,  in  the  reign  of 
his  son  and  successor,  was  continued  in  rebellion  and  blood- 
shed. 

3.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  had  noAV  been  in  prison  for  thirteen 
years,  with  naught  to  cheer  the  weary  hours  of  his  ca})tivity 
but  literary  pursuits.  Within  the  walls  of  the  ToAver  he  wrote 
a  history  of  the  world.  Being  aroused  by  the  accounts  of  Capt. 
John  Smith,  the  Jamestown  colonist,  Sir  Walter,  in  the  year 
1615,  proposed,  on  condition  of  recovering  his  liberty,  to  tit 
out  an  expedition  to  Guiana,  to  discover  a  gold  mine,  which 
he  believed  to  exist  there.  I'he  king  gave  his  consent,  but  re- 
fused a  i)ar(lon  ;  hence  the  brave  and  accomplished  adventurer 
left  England  on  the  28th  of  March,  1617,  Avith  the  sentence  of 
condcnmation  upon  him.  No  gold  was  found,  and,  in  a  battle 
with  the  Spanish,  Sir  Walter's  son  was  killed.  I'^pon  his  return 
to  England  ho  was  seized  and  thrown  into  the  Tower,  whore,  on 
the  21)th  of  October,  1618,  he  was  beheaded,  under  a  sentence 
passed  tifteen  years  before.  In  1624  the  Princess  El'zabetli 
and  her  husband  stiil  remained  fiiiritives  from  Bohemia,  the 
English  king  refusing  to  aid  them  against  the  Spanish  and 
Austrians.  James  1.  now  opened  negotiations  with  the  Court 
of  Erauco,  for  the  marriage  of  Prince  (Miarles  with  Henrietta 
Maria,  the  sister  of  the  French  king.  These  were  successful. 
Meanwhile  James  I.  died,  March  27,  1625.  He  Avas  suc- 
ceeded by  Charles  I.,  Avho,  with  his  light-hearted  Fi-ench  bride, 
began  his  reign  with  even  higher  notions  of  the  divine  right  of 


i 


kings  than  his  father  had  held.     But  the  House  of  Commons 


132 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


n 


i  1 


H 


^..^-^ 


had  grown  both  in  ii  knowledge  of  its  riglits  and  u  dcterminu- 
tion  to  maintain  thcni.  The  nation  had  become  rich,  and  now 
followed  the  conflicts  between  Cliarles  I.  and  the  Commons,  as 
also  between  him  and  tlio  dissenters.     In  the  Third  Parliament 

of  his  reign  the  "  Petition 
of  Itighf'  was  drawn  up, 
and,  after  much  ojiposition, 
was  finally  granted  by  the 
kin<r ;  also  in  the  same 
Parliament  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  consider  the 
state  of  religion,  in  which 
Oliver  Cromwell  is  intro- 
duced to  the  public  for  the 
first   time. 

4.  In  103 7  Charles  at- 
tempted to  -introduce  Episco- 
pacy into  Scotland,  but  the 
Scots  Avere  filled  Avith  indig- 
nation. The  people  assaulted 
the  prelates,  and  threw  sticks 
and  stones  at  the  clergymen 
Avho  attempted  to  read  the 
liturgy.  Finally  the  Scots, 
animated  by  religious  enthu- 
siasm, raised  au  army,  and 
under  banners  bearing  the 
inscription,  "For  Christ's 
crown  and  covenant," 
marched  to  encounter  the 
king's  forces  wiiich  had  been 
raised  t  ^  quell  them.  They 
met  near  the  river  Tweed, 
but  no  engagement  took 
place.  Charles  found  the 
enemy  stronger  than  ho  had  anticipated,  and  perceived,  moreover, 
that  there  was  no  disposition  on  the  part  of  his  own  troops  to  fnake 
the  attack.  Charles  was  forced  to  withdraw  his  army  and  enter 
into  a  treaty  with  tho  Scots. 

5.  Thomas  ^Ventworth,  afterwards  Earl  of  Strafford,  having 
strongly  supported  the  king,  had  been  sent  to  govern  Ireland, 
lie  was  a  man  of  great  ability,  and  managed  to  restore  order  to 
that  country,  and  went  so  far  as  to  obtain  from  tho  Irish  Parlia- 


CIIARLES   I. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


133 


mcnt  supplies  of  money  for  the  king.  When  Charles  was  in 
the  height  of  his  troubles  with  the  Scots  he  sent  for  Wentworth, 
created  him  earl,  and  sought  his  advice.  He  advised  summon- 
ing Parliament,  thinking  he  could  manage  it  as  ho  had  done  the 
Irish  Parliament.  Accordingly  Parliament  met,  in  April, 
1G4(),  l)ut  the  spirit  of  the  Commons  ran  higher  than  ever,  and 
Charles  was  now  in  greater  trouble  than  before ;  and  as  they 
began  upon  the  old  subject  of  grievances,  before  granting  any 
money,  the  king  dissolved  it  at  the  end  of  a  short  session  of 
three  weeks,  lint  the  Scots,  meanwhile,  with  a  good  army, 
had  crossed  the  border,  overcome  the  royal  forces,  and  entered 
England  to  present  their  grievances  to  the  king.  Under  these 
circumstances  he  was  compelled  to  enter  into  regotiations  with 
the  Scots,  and,  moreover,  to  yield  to  the  clamors  of  the  nation, 
and  summon  his  fifth  and  last, — the  celel)ratcd  Long  Parlia- 
ment. It  met  on  the  3d  of  November,  16-10.  Its  first  acts  Avero 
to  impeach  Thomas  Wentworth,  Earl  of  Strafford,  and  Laud, 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  for  high  treason.  Both  were  ulti- 
mately condenmed  to  the  block.  In  1641  Parliament  passed 
measures  for  the  removal  of  the  courts  of  High  Ctinuiission 
and  Star  Chamber.  The  latter  was  established  during  the 
reign  of  Henry  VII. ,  but  did  not  receive  that  name  until  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth,  when  the  former  Avas  established. 

6.  After  the  death  of  Earl  Straflbrd,  a  rebellion  broke  out 
in  Ireland,  headed  by  Roger  Moore,  a  Roman  Catholic,  and 
directed  against  the  English  of  the  Pale,  as  the  Protestant 
colonists  of  Ireland  Avere  called.  The  ncAvs  produced  a  great 
excitement  in  England,  and  men  and  money  Avero  raised  to  put 
down  the  rebellion.  The  king  Avas  so  lukewarm  in  suppressing 
this  outbreak  that  suspicions  were  aroused  of  his  being  in 
league  Avith  the  Roman  Catholics.  He  Avas  accused,  moreover, 
of  soliciting  the  aid  of  foreign  princes  to  quell  the  groAving  power' 
and  spirit  of  his  Parliament.  Distrust  of  Charles  grcAv  stronger 
day  by  day,  and  when  he  endeavored  to  seize  five  of  the  Com- 
monci-s,  on  a  charge  of  high  treason,  it  kncAV  no  bounds.  These 
gentleiiien,  being  made  aAvare  of  the  attempt,  Avithdrew  lieforo 
the  king  entered  Westminster  Hall,  and  Avere  soon  beyond  his 
majesty's  reach.  The  Parliament,  therefore,  at  onco^pass(>d  a 
bill,  to  bring  the  military  force  of  the  kingdopi,  for  the  future, 
partly  under  their  control.  The  king,  of  course,  refused  his 
consent,  and  that  body  then  decided  to  muster  an  army  and  put 
the  kingdom  in  a  state  of  defence,  Avithout  the  king's  consent. 
This  Avas  the  beginning  of  civil  war.     ~ 


The  kins:  at  once  levied 


134 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


all  the  troo})s  possible  amoiif^  the  loyal  sections  of  the  country. 
His  army  avjis  raised,  for  tiie  most  part,  among  the  nobility, 
who  were  intensely  loyal  to  tlic  king".  The  Universities  of 
Oxford  and  Cambridge  favored  the  royal  cause.  The  queen, 
who  liad  gone  to  Holland,  pawned  the  crown  jewels,  and  sent 
her  husband  the  money. 

7.  The  Parliament  was  not  idle,  but  published  their  "Ordi- 
nance of  Militia;"  and  enlistments,  especially  from  among  the 
lower  classes,  soon  swelled  their  rank?.  "Although  there  were 
few  well-trained  soldiers  amohgst  them,  they  were  enthusiasts 
for  the  cause  in  which  they  fought.  Such  zeal  was  shown  in 
contributions,  from  the  bag  of  gold,  or  silver-plate,  of  the 
wealthy  Londoner,  down  to  the  poor  countrywoman's  silver 
thimble,  that  their  army  was  called,  in  derision,  *Tho  thimble 
and  bodkin  army.'  John  Hampden  and  Oliver  Cromwell  had 
commissions  as  colonels  in  the  Parliament's  army.  Colonel 
Hampden  gathered  his  men  under  a  banricr,  bearing  on  one  side 
the  inscription,  *  God  with  us,'  and  on  the  other  the  Hampden 
motto,  'Vestigia  nulla  retrorsum'  (Never  retracing  our  steps). 
Cromwell  set  al)out  raising  troops  who  should  be  *  men  of  relig- 
ion,' and  soon  he  had  raised  his  famous  body  of  'Ironsides,' 
among  whom  no  drinking  nor  disorder  nor  impiety  was  allowed  ; 
nor  swearing,  because  for  every  oath  a  fine  of  twelve  pence  was 
paid.  There  were  nearly  as  many  preachers  as  soldiers  in  the 
Parliament's  army,  and  much  time  was  spent  in  listening  to  ser- 
mons and  attending  prayer-meetings.  The  Puritans  looked 
upon  their  enemies  as  Amalckites,  Philistines,  and  idolaters, 
whom  they,  as  God's  chosen  people,  were  connnissioned  to 
punish  and  overthrow,  lioundheads  was  a  nickname  given,  in 
derision,  to  this  army,  because  of  the  fashion,  generally  prev- 
alent among  the  Puritans,  of  cropping  the  hair  close.  Cava- 
liers u.hI  Malignants  were  terms  applied  to  the  royalist  army." 

8.  Daring  the  next  four  years  a  fearful  civil  war  deluged 
the  country.  The  contest  began  at  Edge  Hill,  in  Warwickshire, 
by  an  undecisive  action,  in  which  both  parties  claimed  the 
victory ;  but  in  the  evening  four  thousand  lay  dead  in  the 
valley  of  the  Red  Horse,  at  the  foot  of  Edge  Hill.  Of  these 
the  greater  number  belonged  to  the  king's  forces.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year,  in  a  battle  near  Oxford,  Hampden,  one  of  the 
leaders  of  the  rebellion,  lost  his  life.  In  the  midst  of  their 
reverses  Parliament  asked  aid  of  the  Scots.  This  they  oflored 
to  grant  on  the  condition  that  the  English  Parliament  and  army 
would  sign  the  "  National  Covenant."     By  this  the  Scots  hoped 


c, 

10 

10 

'SO 

lio 
'ir 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


135 


to  establish  Presbytorianisin  in  England.  The  Independents, 
of  whom  Oliver  Cromwell  was  leader,  managed  the  Presby- 
terians by  adding  to  their  covenant  some  of  their  own  ideas, 
and  thus  giving  it  something  of  a  civil  as  well  as  a  religious 
character.  Its  new  name  was  the  "  Solemn  League  and  Cov- 
enant," to  which  the  dissenters  in  both  kingdoms  readily  sub- 
scribed. "A  large  Scottish  army  under  Leslie,  Earl  of  Lcven, 
entered  England  early  in  the  following  year,  and  being  joined 
by  the  Parliament's  forces,  under  Lord  Fairfax  and  the  Earl  of 
Manchester,  besieged  the  royalists  in  the  town  of  York.  Oliver 
Cromwell  served  under  Manchester  as  his  licutenant-generaL 
Prince  Rupert,  hastening  from  the  M'cst,  relieved  the  bcf^ieged 
city,  and  then,  against  the  advice  of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  an 
older  and  better  commander,  insisted  on  giving  battle  to  the 
Parliament  forces  on  Marston  Moor.  The  result  was,  the 
bloodiest  engagement  of  the  whole  war,  entire  viitory  to  the 
Roundheads,  chiefly  owing  to  the  desperate  valor  and  al)lo  con- 
duct of  Oliver  Cromwell,  and  ut'^'^r  ruin  to  the  royalist  cause  in 
the  north.  York  surrendered,  and  in  its  glorious  old  minster 
the  Parliament  army  and  their  Scotch  allies  returned  thanks  for 
this  irreat  victorv." 

9.  But  the  Presbyterians  and  Independents  did  not  well 
asrroe.  The  latter  charged  the  former  Avith  niismanauinif  the 
war,  and  managed  to  predominate  by  the  passage  in  Parlia- 
ment of  tlio  celebrated  "  Self-Denying  Ordinance."  13y  this 
ordinance  the  army  Avas  to  be  reorganized,  and  all  commanders 
Avho  held  seats  in  Parliament,  Avhether  in  the  House  of  Lords  or 
House  of  Commons,  Avero  to  resign  their  commissions.  The 
new  commander-in-chief  Avas  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax.  In  favor  of 
Oliver  Cromwell,  aa4io  Avas  too  able  a  sf)ldier  to  lose,  the  "  Self- 
Denying  Ordinance  "  Avas  dispensed  Avith.  He  Avas  kept  in  the 
army,  and  soon  aa'ou,  at  Nasebv,  the  most  brilliant  of  his 
victories  over  the  king.  This  battle,  fought  in  Noithampton- 
shire,  in  the  centre  of  England,  in  June,  i(U5,  was  the  last  in 
Avhich  King  Charles  took  personal  command.  The  next  year 
Avitnessed  many  defeats  to  the  king's  forces.  Charles  uoav 
turned  towards  Scotland,  Avhero  his  braA'o  and  gallant  partisan, 
the  Marquis  of  Montrose,  at  the  head  of  a  force  of  Irish  and 
Highlanders,  Avas  Avinning  some  lino  victories.  But  in  this 
direction  he  Avas  destined  to  meet  disappointments.  The  mar- 
quis Avas  defeated  and  his  forces  scattered.  The  king  uoav  re- 
tired to  the  loyal  city  of  Oxford,  but  being  i.isecure,  and 
dreading  the  approach  of  Cromwell's  troopers,  ho  resolved  to 


13G 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


throw  himself  upon  the  mercy  of  the  Presbyterian  array, 
hoping,  through  their  jeahmsy  of  the  Independents,  and  his  own 
promises  to  tolerate  their  religion,  to  secure  their  favor.  The 
(Scots  urged  the  l<ing  to  sign  the  covenant  and  agree  to  certain 
propositions,  which  had  orisrinatcd  in  toe  Conmions  for  the 
safety  of  the  kingdom,  as  ti. .  s^  condition  upon  which  they 
would  support  him  ;  but  (hey  ur-cd  in  vain,  and  finally  they  de- 
cided to  deliver  Charles  into  the  hands  of  the  Parliament.  In 
Juno,  1047,  ho  was  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  Parliament  and 
placed  in  the  keeping  of  the  army.  He  was  honorably  treated 
by  the  army.  Attempts  wore  now  made  to  reconcile  the  king 
and  his  cH)untry  ;  but  he  rejected  the  only  means  by  which  his 
throne  was  attainable.  The  deserted  monarch  indulged  the 
foolish  hope  that  he  should  yet  triumph  over  his  enemies. 
JMeanwhile  Cromwell  detected  the  king's  intentions  concerning 
himself,  and  resolved  to  put  no  farther  trust  in  him.  The  king 
now  became  alarmed,  and,  escaping  from  the  custody  of  the 
army,  threw  himself  upon  the  protection  of  the  governor 
of  the  Isle  of  "Wight.  Ho  partly  hoped  for  protection  from 
the  governor,  and  partly  thought  of  this  place  as  the  most 
suitable  in  case  he  should  attempt  to  escape  from  the  country ; 
but  on  this  island  he  was  made  an  actual  prisoner.  Meanwhile 
the  hostility  between  the  Parliament  and  the  army,  which  was 
in  truth  a  quarrel  between  the  Presbyterians  and  the  Indepen- 
dents, became  more  intense.  "The  Parliament  were  still  will- 
ing to  consider  terms  of  reconciliation  Avith  the  king,  whilst 
Cromwell  and  the  army  had  resolved  that  no  more  treaties  should 
be  offered  him.  The  latter,  to  secure  possession  of  his  person, 
ordered  Lieutenant-Colonel  Cobbet  to  convey  Charles  from 
Carisbrook,  to  the  solitary,  gloomy  castle  of  Ilurst,  on  the 
Hampshire  coast.  Having  possession  of  the  king,  a  band  of 
armed  soldiers,  under  Colonel  Pride,  entered  Loudon,  sur- 
rounded the  Parliament  house,  and  seized  the  principal  mem- 
bers. Many  fled,  and  all  that  remained  were  fifty  Independents. 
This  seizure  is  generally  called  Pride's  Purge,  and  the  meml)ers 
who  were  left  are  known  as  the  Hump  Parliament.  In  the 
drear}'  walls  of  his  prison-house  Charles  was  filled  with  fears 
for  his  life.  The  idetr  of  his  subjects  bringing  their  king  to 
trial,  and  passing  a  judicial  sentence  upon  him,  could  never  have 
entered  into  the  imagination  of  this  firm  believer  in  the  divine 
right  of  kings.  When,  therefore,  on  the  night  of  the  16th  of 
December,  1648,  he  heard  the  creaking  of  the  drawbridge,  and 
the  tramp  of  armed  men,  he  feared  the  hour  of  his  assassination 


i*    V 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


137 


was  como.  Great  was  his  relief  on  finding  that  thou*  commission 
was  to  convoy  him  to  Windsor  Castle.  On  the  route  Charles 
received  touching  evidences  of  the  reviving  love  and  loyalty  of 
the  people  towards  their  discrowned  and  fallen  monarch.  On 
the  day  that  his  majesty  entered  Windsor,  the  few  Independents 
Avho  now  wore  left  as  the  House  of  Conmions  ajipointed  a  com- 
mittee to  draw  up  charges  against  the  king.  On  the  fith  of 
January,  104!),  a  high  court  of  justice  was  appointed  for  the 
trial.  On  the  20th  Charles  Stuart  Av^'^s  summoned  before  it, 
and  accused  of  treason.  For  seven  days,  in  the  presence  of 
that  court,  composed  of  those  subjects  whose  power  he  had  de- 
spised, was  King  Charles  obliged  to  appear,  and  listen  to  the 
fearful  charges  of  criminal  misrule  which  were  brought  against 
him.  On  the  last  day  of  the  trial  Charles  Stuart,  as  a  'tyrant, 
traitor,  murderer,  and  public  enemy,'  was  sentenced  to  be  ex- 
ecuted. On  the  30th  of  January,  1049,  on  a  scaffold  erected 
in  front  of  the  royal  palace  of  Whitehall,  the  king's  head  was 
laid  upon  the  block.  He  met  death  with  calmness,  cxan  cheer- 
fulness. 'I  go  from  a  corruptible  to  an  incorruptible  crown,' 
were  his  last  words,  addi'ossed  to  Bishop  Juxon.  When  the 
executioner  had  performed  his  office,  and  the  severed  head  was 
held  up  in  the  sight  of  the  people,  '  one  dismal,  universal  groau' 
broke  from  the  awe-stricken  witnesses  of  this  fearful  deed." 

10.  In  January,  1049,  the  great  seal  was  broken,  and  a 
new  one  made,  bearing,  on  the  one  side,  the  words,  "The  Great 
Seal  of  England,"  and  on  the  other,  "In  the  first  year  of  free- 
dom by  God's  blessing  restored,  1048."  Seldom,  if  ever,  Avas 
so  great  a  change  made  in  the  govern- 
ment of  a  kingdom  with  so  little  l)lood- 
shed.  England  had  passed  from  a 
Monarcliy  to  a  Kepul)lic.  The  remnant  of 
Charles'  Long  Parliament  still  continued 
m  session,  but  the  House  of  Peers  was 
abolished,  and  their  jiowers  vested  in 
a  committee,  called  "The  Executive 
Council  of  State."  Cromwell  was  of 
this  council.  Its  secretary  was  John 
Milton,  who  afterwards  wrote  the 
celebrated  poem  of  "Paradise  Lost." 
But  in  Ireland  a  fearful  insurrection 
was   raging,    and    Cromwell   crossed    the 


OLIVER   CROMWELL. 


tliousand     men, 
secured   at   the 


and 
price 


peace,     or     rather 


channel  with 
submission, 


of    cruelty,   burning,    bloodshed. 


nme 
was 
and 


138 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


Is  V  I 'i 


massacre,  such  as  must  forever  cast  a  cloud  upou  the 
DU'inoiy  of  C'ronnvell  AVheu  Cromwell  had  broUcu  tho 
arm  of  Iho  rebellion,  he  recrosscd  the  chnmiel  into  Kn^j^land, 
leavini;  his  sons,  Ireton  and  (after  his  death)  Henry,  to  com- 
plete the  conquest.  In  almost  all  foreign  countries,  and  among 
tt  largo  class  of  Englishmen,  tho  execution  of  Charles  I.  was 
rej^arded  as  a  murder,  and  in  the  American  colony  of  V'irijinia 
the  iiuthority  of  the  new  goveriunent  Avas  denied,  and  tho  fugi- 
tive Prince  Charles  was  invited  to  cross  the  ocean  and  become 
king  in  that  province.  This  invitation  had  no  result,  except 
jierhaps  to  win  for  that  colony  the  title  of  "Old  Dominion"' 
liut  I'rince  Charles  had  also  been  proclaimed  king  in  Scotland, 
and  invite(i  to  that  country.  IIo  inun(  diately  accepted  and 
sailed  for  Scotland.  The  English  Parliament  appointed  Crom- 
well conunander-in-chief  of  the  army,  and  sent  him  into  Scot- 
land. At  Dunbar,  about  twenty  miles  from  Edinburgh,  Crom- 
well, with  only  twelve  thousand  men,  was  surrounded  by  tho 
Scots,  whoso  forces  numbered  twenty-seven  thousand.  The 
latter  were  well  posted,  too,  on  the  hills  which  rise  above  tho 
town.  It  was  unwise  to  attack  tliem  in  this  strong  position, 
and  Cromwell  waited.  On  the  second  day,  the  Scots,  animated 
by  hopes  of  a  certain  victory,  rushed  down  from  tho  hills ; 
whereupon  Cromwell  joyously  exclaimed  :  "  Tho  Lord  hath  de- 
livered them  into  our  hands."  On  tho  morning  of  the  3d  of 
September  a  mist,  which  had  hung  over  tl.e  tield,  rolled  away, 
and  the  clear  sunlight  revealed  tho  contending  armies.  "  Now, 
let  God  arise,  and  let  his  enemies  bo  scattered,"  shouted  the 
Puritan  general,  as  he  rushed  into  tho  conflict.  Ere  it  ended, 
four  thousand  of  the  Scots  army  lay  upon  the  bloody  tield,  and 
ten  thousand  prisoners  swelled  tho  train  of  tho  conquerors. 
Cromwell  offered  praise  for  this  victory,  in  the  glowing  language 
of  King  David,  by  ordering  tho  107th  psalm  to  be  sung  upon 
tho  battle-field.  Edinburgh,  Glasgow,  and  other  towns,  sub- 
mitted to  tho  Puritan  army.  Tho  following  year,  Avhilst  Crom- 
well was  besieging  Edinburgh  Castle,  Charles  gathered  an 
army  and  marched  into  England,  hoping  to  bo  joined  by  the 
loyalists,  and,  Avith  their  aid,  to  gain  the  English  crown.  When 
this  news  reached  Cromwell  ho  started  at  once  in  pursuit.  At 
Worcester,  on  the  3d  of  September,  the  anniversary  of  tho 
battle  of  Dunbar,  this  praying,  fighting,  praising,  Puritan  gen- 
eral gained  another  great  victory,  which  ho  called  "his  crown- 
ing mercy."  No  doubt  he  felt  it  to  be  such,  for,  had  royalists 
and  Presbyterians  united  in  support  of  Prince  Charles,  the 


EXGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


139 


power  of  Cromwell  and  tlu^  army  mi<ilit  have  l)een  broken.  As 
it  was,  Charles  Stuart  heeame  u  t'ugifive,  indebted  lor  his  life 
to  the  faithful  loyalty  of  a  family  of  Stallordshire  wooil-eutters. 
In  the  humble  eottage  of  the  PenderelU,  amid  the  woody  shades 
of  Jioseobel,  he  lay  eoneealed  for  many  weeks.  On  one  oeea- 
sion  the  thiek  folia<^e  of  a  friendly  oak  sheltered  him  from  Crom- 
well's trooi)ers,  who,  pass! n<;j  direetly  under  the  tree,  uttered, 
in  gay  tones,  their  eonlident  hope  of  obtaining  the  priee  set 
upon  the  head  of  the  fugitive  Stuart.  However,  I'rinee  Charles 
sueeeeded  in  eseapingto  Franee.  Meanwhile  Cromwell  marehed 
to  London,  Avhere  he  was  admired  as  u  con(|ueror. 

11.  During  these  years  England  Avas  not  only  rising  to 
self-rule  at  home,  but  was  rapidly  advancing  in  power  on  the 
seas.  Admiral  IMakc  achieved  many  gran(l  victories,*  and  in 
H]')2-ii,  in  a  naval  war  with  the  Dutch,  succeeded  in  a  linal 
triumph.  In  KJoli,  after  an  adroit  struggle  with  I'arliament, 
Cromwell  had  himself  declared  "  Lord  Protector  of  the  Com- 
monwealth of  England."  The  powers  of  government  were  to 
be  shared  by  a  Parliament.  For  a  while  the  Protector  had  a 
brilliant  administration.  His  foreign  policy  Avas  very  successful, 
and  England  became  the  leading  state  in  Europe.  Cromwell 
was  urged  to  proclaim  himself  king  ;  l)ut  he  rejected  the 
ort'er,  and  in  1058  ho  died,  his  death  being  hastened  partly 
through  domestic  afflictions,  llichard  Cromwell  made  an  at- 
tempt to  succeed  him,  but  was  too  weak,  and  on  the  2.'.th  day 
of  April  a  new  Parliament,  consisting  of  both  Lords  and  Com- 
mons, as  before  the  Commonwealth,  asseml)led  at  Westminster. 
On  the  1st  of  May  a  letter  from  Charles  Avas  presented  to  this 
body,  who,  after  a  few  hours,  voted  a  loyal  answer  to  the 
absent  prince.  All  the  slumbering  feeling  of  loyalt}'  seemed 
suddenly  to  awaken,  and  the  nation  Avhicli  had  brought  his 
royal  lather  to  the  block  now  rent  the  air  Avith  the  shouts  of 
"Long  Ua'c  King  Charles  II.  !"  The  new  monarch,  Avith  his 
brother,  the  Duke  of  York,  landed  at  Dover  on  the  2r)th  of  the 
same  month.  On  the  25)th  of  May,  1(500,  the  exiled  Stuart 
AA'as  restored  to  the  throne  of  Ejigland.  lie  entered  London 
through  streets  hung  with  tapestry  and  garlands,  flowers  strcAvn 
in  his  ])ath,  and  shouts  of  rejoicing  rending  the  air.  The  re- 
turning tide  of  loyalty  overflowed  the  nation  Avith  a  force  Avhich 
threatened  utter  destruction  to  every  landmark  of  constitutional 
rigiit  Aviiich  the  last  thirty  years  had  set  up. 

12.  Charles  II.  reigned  until  1685,  Avhcn  he  died, — died, 
it  is  believed,  a  secret  communicant  to  the  Church  of  Home. 


110 


HISTORY  OP  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


'i'iu>  crown  passed  to  his  brother  Junies,  Duko  of  York,  he 
hiivinj'  no  issne.  The  r('i*?n  of  Charles  II.  waa  charaelerized 
by  his  great  cruelty  to  those  who  had  perseenled  his  faliier, 
and  even  the  body  of  Cronnvell,  with  those  of  others,  was  taken 
from  the  tomb  and  incU'cently  treated.  James  J  I.  rei<rned  in 
uickecbiess,  and  h)st  tbo  erown  in  trying  to  reestablish  the 
Koman  Catholic  religion  in  the  kingdom.  Seeing  no  hope  in 
James  II.,  tin;  nation  turned  to  ^\'illiam.  Prince  of  Orange,  who 
had  marri(!d  the  Princess  Mary,  tlu;  eldest  daughter  of  James. 
The  whole  nation  now  Hew  to  \Villiam,  and  James,  seeinjj;  his 
danger,  escaped,  after  a  second  attempt,  in  flight  to  Franco. 
After  the  flight  of  James  a  convention  declared  the  throne 
vacant,  and  invited  William  and  Alary,  Prince  and  Princess  of 
Orange,  to  All  it. 

13.  In  the  reign  of  William  III.  England  became  a  con- 
stitutional limited  monarch}',  under  which  form  of  government 
she  still  progresses  in  her  grand  march  among  ih'^  nations.  In 
matters  of  religion  the  king  was  tolerant,  aud  at  length  ho 
prevailed  upon  Parliamenttr  ss  a  bill  grantjng  free  toleration 
to  all  Christ  liins,  excepting  n  Catholics.  The  exiled  king, 
Jaraes  II.,  died  at  the  palace  ui  St.  Germains,  in  1701,  and  one 
year  later,  1702,  William  III.  died,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Anne,  the  second  daughter  of  James  II.  Though  a  Stuart 
she  was  a  Protestant,  and  no  opposition  was  made  to  her  suc- 
cession. England,  during  the  reign  of  Anno  and  her  prede- 
cessor, was  engag(!d  in  a  war  with  the  French  king,  Louis  XIV., 
but  through  the  successive  victoi'ies  of  tho  English  the  French 
jioAver  was  humbled,  and  might  have  been  quite  or  nearly  de- 
stroyed had  it  not  been  for  the  flercc  contests  between  the  Tories 
and  Whigs  at  home,  by  which  the  English  arm  was  weakened. 
The  reign  of  Queen  Anne  was  distinguished  by  tho  writings 
of  Addison,  Swift,  and  Pope,  and  other  distinguished  poets  and 
scholars. 

14.  Queen  Anne  died  in  1714,  and  was  succeeded  by 
George,  elector  of  Hanover.  Ho  was  the  grandson  of 
Elizabeth,  the  daughter  of  Jaraes  I. ,  who  had  married  Frederick, 
King  of  Bohemia,  of  witom  mention  has  previously  been  made. 
At  the  death  of  Anne  the  Whigs  8ui)planted  tho  Tories  in 
power.  In  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  King  George  T.  was 
l^asscd  the  Septennial  Bill,  prolonging  the  duration  of  Parlia- 
ment to  seven  years.  Under  the  triennial  law  the  election  of 
members  every  three  years  had  caused  great  disturbances, 
owing  to  the  excited   state  of  political  feeling  between  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


141 


WhigM  mid  Tories.  Tho  coiitiiiuiinco  of  Iho  samo  Parliiiincut 
for  seven  years  was  tli(,'roforo  a  beiieticial  measure,  and  con- 
tributed greatly  to  the  tranquillity  of  the  eoinitry.  In  tho  year 
1711  the  public  debt  of  England  amounted  to  ten  millions  of 
pounds,  which  was  thought  at  that  time  quite  insui)[)ortable. 
To  get  rid  of  tiiis  great  national  incund)rance  in  the  course  of 
a  certain  prescribed  number  of  years,  a  speculator,  named  Sir 
John  Jilount,  proposed,  in  1719,  the  following  plan:  To  make 
a  certain  w<>althy  and  prosperous  commercial  company,  known 
as  tho  South  Sea  Company,  tho  solo  })ublic  creditor;  then  to 
increase  this  company's  privileges  and  monopolies  to  such  a 
degree  as  to  make  it  enormously  rich,  and  thus  enable  it  not 
only  to  pay  olf  the  national  debt,  but  also  to  lend  money  to 
government  ut  a  low  rate  of  interest.  Inuncnse  numbers  to 
whom  the  government  owed  money  bought  stock  in  this  com- 
pany, which,  instead  of  being  able  to  f  dfil  its  engMgcments, 
failed,  and  involved  in  ruin  thousands  who  had  put  their  trust 
in  it.  This  scheme  is  usually  called  tho  South  Sea  liubblo. 
Sir  Robert  Walpolo  earnestly  opi)osed  it  from  th(;  first,  and, 
when  tho  bubble  burst,  did  all  that  a  wise  financier  could  do  to 
lessen  tho  mischief  and  misery  which  it  brought  upon  tho 
nation." 

15.  In  1727  Gcorgo  I.  died  very  suddenly  in  his  carriage, 
and  his  son,  who  was  crowned  Cieorge  II.,  came  to  tho  throne. 
For  fifteen  years  longer  tho  administration  of  Sir  Kobert  AVal- 
polo,  who  had  become  prime  minister  in  tho  year  1721,  con- 
tinued with  great  advantage  to  tho  nation.  It  was  an  adminis- 
tration of  pea<!0.  Ho  sought  to  advance  his  country  in  those 
arts  which  contribute  to  social  prosperity,  and  cared  little  for 
tho  doubtful  glories  of  tho  battle-field.  Notwithstanding  these 
peaceful  dispositions,  in  which  ho  was  greatly  aided  by  a  similar 
policy  on  tho  part  of  tho  good  Cardinal  Fleury,  tlien  i)rime 
minister  of  France,  Walpolo,  rather  than  resign  his  office, 
yielded  his  sense  of  right  and  justice  to  tho  clamors  of  the 
nation,  and  engaged  in  a  war  with  Spain.  Tho  English  peojjlc, 
indignant  against  the  Spaniards  because  they  searched  English 
ships  engaged  in  unlawful  traffic  Avith  tho  Spanish  colonies  in 
America,  and,  lured  on  by  the  hope  of  tho  rich  spoils  which 
the  conquest  of  those  colonies  would  allbrd,  were  loud  in,  their 
rejoicings  when  the  war  was  declared.  Walpolo,  on  the  day 
that  the  proclamation  was  made,  hearing  joj'ful  peals  resound- 
ing from  the  church-bolls,  exclaimed:  "They  may  ring  tho 
bells   now;  before  long  they  will  bo  Avringing  their  hands." 


...**.,. 

i*i'  -v 


' 


i4*J 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


I: 


And  so  it  proved.  The  war  was  disastrous.  Walpolc  ])ecamo 
un])opiilar  with  the  nation,  and  in  1742,  aftor  having  jxuidod 
the  lichn  of  state  with  ahility  and  success  for  twenty  years,  was 
coinpclled  to  resign  liis  post  as  prime  minister.  Before  Wal- 
pok's  resignation,  however,  Enghuid  had  engaged  in  another 
war  l)y  becoming  the  ally  of  Maria  Theresa  of  Austria.  This 
noble  and  high-spirited  (pieen  had  been  robbed  of  a  portion  of 
her  territory  by  the  King  of  Prussia,  Avhilst  the  elector  of 
Bavaria  dis[)uted  i>er  accession  to  the  imperial  throne.  England 
espoused  the  cause  of  the  injured  Maria  Theresa,  whilst  Franco 
sided  with  Frederick  of  Prussia  and  the  Bavarian  prince. 
Some  of  the  most  important  operations  during  the  course  of 
this  war,  as  far  as  France  and  England  were  concerned,  were 
carried  on  in  their  colonial  possessions  in  America,  as  wc  have 
already  seen. 

lt».  During  the  reign  of  this  king  England  Avas  invaded  by 
a  Stuart  pretender,  who  raised  an  army  in  the  iiortli  of  Scot- 
land, and  did  some  dam;igo  before  escaping  again  to  France. 
In  the  year  1748  the  contending  states  of  Europe  entered  into 
a  treaty  of  peace,  which  was  signed  at  Aix-la-Chapelle.  A  few 
years  later  another  contest,  called,  from  its  duration,  "The 
Seven  Years'  AVar,"  engaged  the  nations  of  Europe.  The 
position  of  parties,  however,  Avas  greatly  changed.  England 
and  France  were  still  enemies  ;  but  France  fought  with  Maria 
Theresa,  and  England  was  the  ally  of  Frederick  of  Prussia. 
The  opening  scenes  of  this  war  were  laid  in  the  French  and 
English  colonies  of  America.  During  17.30  England  suffered 
a  heavy  naval  defeat,  through  the  neglect  of  Admiral  Byug, 
who  was  court-mar.shalled  and  shot  for  his  fault.  Soon  after, 
AVilliam  Pitt  (afterwards  E.-irl  of  Chatham)  became  prime 
minister,  and  the  war  assumed  a  new  and  more  promising 
aspect.  In  America  success  crowned  the  English  and  colonial 
troops.  (Quebec  fell  l)efore  the  heroic  valor  of  General  Wolfe, 
and  the  French  colonial  possessions  of  America  were  given  him 
for  his  couutry  in  the  hour  of  glorious  death. 

17.  ]]ut  before  the  glory  of  England's  ai-ms  had  been  re- 
trieved in  America,  and  AVolfe  had  fallen  on  the  Plains  of 
Abraham,  another  young  and  ardent  English  hero  had  laid  the 
foundation  of  British  Empire  in  India.  Tho  East  India 
Company  establislunl  factories  for  trade  in  Ilindostan.  On 
tho  tastern  coast  th(\v  had  built  Fort  St.  George.  From  these 
bcginniugs  sprang  the  flourishing  town  of  ^Madras.  A  little 
farther  south,  on  the  Coromaudel  coiist,  was   built  Fort  St. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


143 


David,  whilst  on  the  IIoojjlv,  Fort  William,  the  orii;iii  of  tho 
splendid  city  of  Calcutta,  arose  a  few  years  before  I'eter  the 
Great  had  laid  the  foundations  of  his  capital  at  8t.  Petcrsl)urg, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Neva-  On  the  Malabar  coast,  lionihay  was 
the  important  settlement.  All  these  had  been  founded  before 
the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century.  However,  in  1070  tho 
French  appeared  to  share  the  mercantile  profits  of  that  region. 
In  that  year  the  French  had  established  factories  on  tho  Iloogly, 
and  also  at  Pondicherry,  about  eighty  miles  l^elow  Madras,  in 
the  largo  southern  province  of  India  known  as  the  Carnatic. 
"When  Franco  and  England  were  at  war,  their  colonics,  wl^ether 
in  India  or  America,  were  involved  in  the  same  calamity.  In 
the  year  174G  Fort  St.  George  fell  into  the  hands  of  tho 
French.  The  garrison,  surrendering  after  a  short  but  brave 
defence,  were  promised  honorable  treatment.  This  promise 
was  broken,  and  they  were  carried  prisoners  to  Pondicherry. 
Numbers  of  them  contrived  to  escape,  and  among  these, 
habited  in  tho  disguise  of  a  Hindoo,  Pobert  Clivc,  a  young 
merchant's  clerk  of  twcntv-one,  tied  to  Fort  St.  David.  Such 
was  the  position  of  all'airs  when  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapello 
obliged  tho  French  to  restore  ^Madras.  We  shall  tiud,  however, 
that,  as  allies  of  the  native  princes,  the  French  and  English  in 
India  carried  on  hostilities  cvcii  when  the  mother  countries 
were  at  peace. 

18.  From  the  early  part  of  the  sixteenth  century  India  had 
been  governed  by  a  i)ofentate  called  "Tho  Great  Mogul,"  who 
resided  in  nuich  pomp  at  his  capital  of  Delhi,  and  appointed 
viceroys,  who,  nominally  under  him,  but  truly  by  their  own 
power,  ruled  the  provinces  of  Ilindostan.  Of  the  splendor  of 
the  court  of  Aurung.-^ebe,  one  of  the  greatest  of  tho  Great 
Moguls,  descriptions  are  given,  which  surpass  the  wonders  of 
a  fairy  tale.  A  French  traveller,  who  visited  Aurungzebe's 
court  in  the  year  ll)(!."),  tells  us  of  his  "seven  splendid  thrones; 
QUO  covered  with  diauionds,  another  with  rubies,  with  emeralds, 
or  with  pearls."  Whilst  the  Great  INIogul  was  seated  on  his 
Peacock  Throne,  so  called  from  its  back  being  formed  by  jew- 
elled representations  of  pcac(nks'  tails,  thirty  splendid  horses 
stood  ready  caparisDued,  with  bridles  set  with  jjrecious  gems, 
and  a  large  and  valual)le  Jewel  hanging  from  the  neck  of  each. 
Elephants  were  taught  to  kneel  before  thes  throne,  and  do  hom- 
ajxe  with  their  trunks.  The  French  traveller  must  have  been 
struck  with  tlie  insigniticant  pomp  of  the  court  of  his  Grand 
Monarque,  then  tho  most  splendid  in  Europe,  when  he  con- 


^m 


144 


IIISTOllY   OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


h 


J    : 


trusted  it  with  tlio  surpassing  miigniticciicc  of  this  oricutiil 
despot.  But  the  great  Aurungzcbc,  Avhcu  the  years  of  his 
earthly  glory  had  numbered  nearly  one  hundred,  was  gathcn-cd 
to  his  fathers,  and  the  throne  of  Delhi  was  mounted  by  another 
Mogul,  as  great  in  outward  state  and  splendor,  but  of  feeble 
character.  He  had  no  power  to  withstand  the  gradual  but 
sure  progress  of  the  strange  nation  from  tifteen  thousand  miles 
afar,  who  in  God's  providence  were  destined  to  overthrow  the 
power  of  the  Great  Mogul,  and  plaiv'^.i  Christian  dominion  in 
India.  This,  too,  they  were  to  uccoi.iplish  iu  less  than  half  a 
century. 

11).  INIeanwhile  the  poAvcrs  of  the  viceroys  in  the  provinces 
greatly  increased.  In  the  quarrels  voutinually  arising  among 
them,  the  French  and  English  interfered,  taking,  of  course, 
opposite  sides.  In  the  wars  Avhich  ibllowed,  the  French  and 
their  Indian  allies  were  so  successful  that  they  threatened  to 
drive  the  English  from  the  Carnatic.  By  the  year  1751  the 
latter  were  reduced  to  great  extremity.  The  nabob  of  Arc(jt, 
the  only  Indian  prince  remaining  faithfid  to  their  interest,  was 
l)esiege(l  by  the  French  in  his  last  stronghold,  which,  if  cap- 
tured, would  render  the  victors  undisputed  masters  of  the 
country.  At  this  juncture  Kobert  Clive  planned  and  executed 
an  expedition  which  saved  British  India.  The  English,  feebly 
garrisoned  at  Madras  and  Fort  St.  David,  could  spare  no  mili- 
tary force  to  send  to  the  relief  of  their  nWy.  Clive  raised  a 
little  band  of  live  hundred  men,  three  hundred  of  whom  were 
Sepoys  (natives  who  made  miserable  soldiers),  and  placed 
over  it  ofhcers,  who,  like  himself,  were  mostly  merchants' 
clerks.  With  this  force  he  suddenly  marched  to  Arcot,  the 
capital  of  the  Carnatic,  hoping  to  excite  fears  for  the  safety  of 
this  important  i)lace,  and  thus  draw  the  French  and  Indian 
foes  from  their  attack  on  the  English  ally.  Advancing  dur- 
injj:  a  thunder-storm,  he  made  himself  master  of  the  stroniif  town 
and  fortress.  The  French  ally  sent  a  detachment  to  recover 
Arcot,  but  Clive  held  the  town  and  cfl'ectuaily  restored  the 
English  in  the  Carnatic.  A  few  years  later  Clive  gained  other 
victories,  which  firmly  established  the  power  of  the  English  in 
India. 

20.  Iu  the  northern  province  of  Bengal  there  ruled,  in 
1756,  the  Nabob  Surajah  Dowlah,  a  cruel  and  detestable  ty- 
rant. Becoming  jealous  of  the  English,  who  ho  believed  had 
accumulated  great  wealth  in  their  factories  at  Calcutta,  ho  ad- 


ENGLAND,   AND   THE   INITED   STATES. 


145 


vancotl  iigiiinst  that  place  with  a  larijc  army.  After  a  fruitless 
attempt  at  defeuce,  the  garrison  of  Fort  A\'illiam  surrendered, 
under  promise  that  their  lives  should  be  spared.  But  the 
prisoners  wero  left  in  charge  of  the  olticers  of  the  guard  and 
were  thrust  in  the"JMack  llole,"  as  it  was  called, —  the  dun- 
geon of  the  tort,  only  fourteen  by  eighteen  feet  in  size  ;  its  air- 
holes, oidy  two  small  windows ;  one  hundred  and  forty-iivo 
Euroi)ean  men  and  women,  some  of  them  sutl'ering  fi'om  recent 
wounds,  and  this  in  the  height  of  the  Indian  sunnner-solstice, 
when  {\w  fiercest  heat  was  raging.  The  horrors  of  that  night 
were  beyond  description.  Amid  agonizing  cries  of  ""Water; 
Water !  "  these  wretched  beings  trampled  each  other  down  to 
get  near  the  air-holes,  outside  the  bars  of  which  were  held 
skins  of  water;  but,  as  if  in  awful  aggravation  of  their  miser}', 
these  were  too  large  to  get  through  the  grating.  Meanwhile 
their  tiend-liko  jailers  made  most  inhinnan  mirth  at  their 
fearful  condition,  and  held  the  lanterns  high  to  gaze  upon  the 
scene  within,  as  though  it  had  been  the  struggle  of  brute 
beasts,  intended  for  the  amusement  of  beings  scarcely  less  bru- 
tal. Ere  morning  dawned,  a  fearful  silence  reigned  in  the 
Black  Hole  of  Calcutta.  Of  one  hundred  and  forty-six  human 
beings  who  had  been  there  imprisoned,  twenty -three  alone  came 
out  through  the  passage  made  between  dead  bodies.  Strange 
to  say,  one  of  these  was  an  Englishw'oman.  When  the  news 
of  this  dreadful  outrage  reached  Madras,  the  horror  and  indig- 
nation of  the  English  knew  no  bounds.  Clive  iiroceeded  with 
an  army  to  Calcutta,  and  on  the  2d  of  Jamuiry,  17.")7,  regained 
possession  of  the  town  and  fort.  In  a  few  months  he  fought 
Surajah  Dowlah  at  Plassey,  gained  a  complete  and  ])rilliant 
vi<'tory,  with  three  thousand  men  fighting  against  fifty  thousand, 
drove  the  inhuman  monster  from  his  throne,  and  laid  tlus  foun- 
dation of  English  power  in  Northern  India.  Ilidierto  the 
East  India  Company  had  been  only  merchants  and  traders ; 
henceforth  we  shall  find  them  concpierors  and  sovereigns. 
The  battle  of  Plassey  was  fought  on  the  23d  of  June,  1757. 
Three  years  later  Sir  Eyre  Coote  won  from  the  French  the 
battle  of  AVandewash.  This  victory,  together  with  the  fall  of 
Pondicherry,  which  occurred  Avithin  a  year,  established  the 
supremacy  of  the  English  in  the  Carnatic  as  finnly  as  that  of 
Plassey  had  done  in  Benga'  Clive,  whose  health  had  become 
impaired,  returned  to  England  in  the  year  17G0.  He  was 
created  a  peer,  with  the  title  of  Baron  Clive  of  Plassey.     In 


146 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


1765  he  returned  to  India  as  Governor  of  Bengal.  In  the  year 
1760,  before  the  news  of  the  great  victories  of  Wandewash  and 
Pondicherry  had  reached  England,  George  II.  died,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  grandson,  George  III. 


♦  ♦♦ 


CHAPTER  XI. 

CANADA    FROM   1760  TO   1777. 


WM' 


lit 


BRITISH   RULE  —  ADMINISTRATION    OP    GENERAL    MDRRAT-       lOVERNMENT    OP 
GENERAL   CARLETON  —  EVENTS    DURING   TUB    REVOLUTIONARY   WAR. 

1 .  Three  years  after  England  had  conquered  Canada  a  treaty 
of  peace  Avas  concluded  between  Great  Britain,  France,* Spain, 
and  Portugal,  and  signed  at  Paris  in  February,  1763.  By  this 
treaty  France  ceded  to  England  the  whole  of  her  colonial  pos- 
sessions in  America,  with  the  exception  of  Louisiana  and  the  small 
fishing-islands  of  St.  Pierre  and  IMiquelon,  near  the  coast  of 
Newfoundland,  and  received  back  Martinique  and  Guadaloupe 
in  the  West  Indies,  England  retaining  Grenada  and  the  Grena- 
dines, while  Spain  exchanged  Florida  fo'.  Cuba.  This  treaty 
ended  the  long  struggle  between  these  powers. 

2.  Nearly  all  the  French  military  officers  and  troops,  as 
also  many  of  the  chief  inhabitants,  returned  to  France  as  soon 
as  the}''  relinquished  all  hope  of  the  restoration  of  the  French 
power  in  Canada ;  and  their  return  Avas  facilitated  by  the 
English,  Avho  thought  themselves  fortunate  to  thus  quietly  rid 
themselves  of  so  powerful  an  element  of  disturbance.  It  was 
well  known  on  both  sides  that  the  process  of  assimilation 
between  the  French  and  English  would  be  vely  slow,  so  difier- 
ent  was  the  character  of  the  social  and  political  institutions  of 
the  two  races.  "  Independently  of  the  dissimilarity  in  national 
tastes  and  habits,  the  relations  of  the  French  colony  Avith  the 
Imperial  government  were  essentially  dilferent  from  those 
which  connected  a  British  colony  Avitli  the  mother  country. 
The  French  colony  was  a  child  of  the  State.  Everything  in  it 
of  a  ciA'il  nature  AA^as  under  official  patronage  or  political  surveil- 
lance, while  religious  matters  were  subject  to  vigorous  ecclesi- 
astical control.  Two  principal  objects  engi'ossed  the  attention 
of  the  French  colonists,  — the  extension  of  the  peltry  traffic, 
and  the  conversion  of  the  Indian  tribes.     As  a  means  of  carry- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


147 


ing  out  these  two  great  projects,  exploration  and  discovery 
formed  a  chief  feature  of  French  colonial  life."  In  the  English 
colony  of  that  day,  on  the  contrary,  the  government  was  as 
much  a  civil  and  social  board  as  an  embodiment  of  the  will  of 
the  royal  authority.  Matters  of  trade  were  but  slightly  inter- 
fered with,  the  colonists  being  left,  for  the  most  part,  to  them- 
selves and  their  own  modes  of  development.  This  was  why 
the  English  engaged  themselves  so  little  in  enterprises  of  ex- 
ploration and  discovery.  When,  therefore,  we  tind  the  colo- 
nists in  conflict,  it  was  generally  concerning  matters  of  tradi 
and  influence  over  the  Indian  tribes  ;  but  Avith  the  fall  of  Canada 
these  struggles  were  forever  put  to  an  end. 

3.  Canada  was  under  military  rule  during  the  period  from 
the  fall  of  Canada,  in  the  winter  of  1759-00,  to  the  treaty  of 
peace,  in  1763,  when  General  Murray  was  appointed  the  flrst 
governor-general  of  British  Canada,  in  place  of  the  commander- 
in-chief.  Lord  Amherst,  who  had  administered  a  rigid  military 
government  during  the  period  mentioned ;  the  boundaries  of 
the  new  province  of  Canada,  under  British  colonial  government, 
were  "  contracted  by  the  separation  from  it  of  New  Brunswick 
and  Labrador.  The  old  district  divisions  of  Quebec,  Montreal, 
and  Three  liivers  were  retained.  General  Murray,  with  an 
executive  council,  governed  the  Quebec;  General  Gage,  the 
Montreal ;  and  Colonel  Burton,  the  Three  Bivers  District.  Two 
other  districts  —  the  St.  Maurice  and  the  St.  Francis  —  w^ere 
shortly  afterwards  set  apart.  Justice  was  administered  in  each 
district,  chiefly  by  military  or  militia  oflicers,  subject  to  an 
appeal  to  the  governor.  This  sj-stem  was  not  popular,  and 
only  continued  in  operation  for  a  short  time,  until  a  court  of 
king's  bench  and  a  court  of  common  pleas  were  instituted. 
The  laws  and  customs  of  France  were,  however,  followed  in 
matters  afiecting  land."  At  this  time  the  population  of  Canada 
did  not  exceed  eighty  thousand,  including  eight  thousand 
Indians.  The  country  had  been  exhausted  by  desolating 
wars,  and  the  peaceful  arts  had  languished  into  decay  and 
ruin. 

4.  In  1766  General  Murray  was  recalled,  and  General 
(afterwards  Sir  Guy)  Carleton  was  appointed  governor-general, 
and,  as  we  shall  meet  this  distinguished  nobleman  frequently 
in  succeeding  chapters,  we  may  as  well  make  his  acquaintance 
here.  Sir  Guy  Carleton  (Lord  Dorchester)  was  among  the 
most  eminent  men  Avho  have  governed  Canada.  He  was  born 
in  England,  in  1725,  entered  the  army,  and  took  a  proninieut 


ih'^: 


'  ) 


\1  ii  - 


U8 


niSTORY   OF  DOiriNION   OF   CANADA, 


part  ill  the  siege  and  capture  of  Quebec,  uiidev  AVolfc,  in  1759. 
Ho  was  for  his  services  promoted  to  the  rank  of  l)i-igadiei'- 
general,  and  during  the  governor-goner.il's  (Murray's)  absence 
from  Cana(hi,  in  17(j7,  he  administered  the  goverimicnt.  Being 
in  England  in  1770,  lie  aided  in  the  passage  of  the  Quebec  Act 
of  1771.  In  1774  he  returned  as  governor-general,  and  suc- 
cessfully resisted  the  attack  of  the  Americans  upon  Quebec  in 
1770.  In  177<S  he  returned  to  Enghind,  and  was  knighted  I)y 
the  king.  In  1782  he  succeeded  Sir  Henry  Clinton  as  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  royal  forces  in  America.  In  178G  he 
was  created  Lord  Dorchester  for  his  distinguished  services, 
and  from  that  time  until  17U6  (Avith  an  exception  of  twoj^ears) 
he  remainetl  in  Canada  as  governor-general.  He  Avas  thus  con- 
nected Avith  Canada  for  the  long  period  of  thirty-!^ix  years. 
During  this  time  he  acquired  great  distinction  l)y  his  prudence, 
tirnmoss,  and  sagacity.  AVhen  ho  retired  i^'om  the  govern- 
ment it  Avas  Avith  the  regret  of  all  classes. 

0.  In  August  of  the  year  of  his  first  appointment,  GoA^ernor 
Carleton,  and  GoA'crnor  Sir  Henry  Moore,  of  Ncav  York,  met 
at  Lake  Champlain,  Avith  a  party  of  surveyors,  to  determine  the 
boundaries  between  their  respective  provinces.  On  this  occa- 
sion the  boundary  stone  was  set  np  Avhcro  afterAvards  the  iron 
monument  Avas  reared  at  the  time  of  the  Ash1)urton  Treaty  of 
1 842 .  But,  notwithstanding  G overnor  Carleton's  great  prudence 
and  iuipartiality,  dissatisfaction  began  to  manifest  itself,  be- 
cause of  the  continued  administration  of  civil  offices  solely  by 
nailitary  men,  and  many  of  the  inhabitants  left  the  province. 
^Memorials  and  complaints  on  the  subject  Avero  sent  to  England ; 
but  these  received  no  reply  save  instructions  to  the  governor  to 
inquire  concerning  the  truthfulness  of  the  complaints.  The 
governor  Avent  to  England,  in  1770,  to  report  concerning  the 
irritation  of  his  French  subjects,  and  did  not  return  till  1774, 
in  AAdiich  year  the  British  ministry  sul)mitted  to  Parliament  the 
l)ill  AA-hich  was  finally  passed,  entitled  a  "  Bill  for  reconstructing 
the  Government  of  the  Province  of  Queljcc."  This  bill  is 
known  in  Parliament  as  the  "  Quebec  Act,"  and  it  provided, 
among  many  other  things  in  favor  of  the  French  Catholics,  for 
the  free  exercise  of  the  Koman  Catholic  religion,  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Legislative  Council,  and  for  the  introduction  of 
the  criminal  law  of  England  into  the  provinces  ;  but  it  declared 
that  in  all  matters  of  controA'ersy,  relative  to  property  and  civil 
riijhts,  resort  should  be  had  to  the  laws  of  Canada  as  the  rule 
for  the  decision  of  the  same.     "  Thus,  the  enjoyment  of  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


149 


religion,  the  protection  imcler  the  civil  laws,  of  French  Canada 
were  coniirnied  to  tlio  inhal)itant.s  by  Imperial  statute  ;  and  a 
system  of  local  self-government  "svas  introduced.  The  act  Avas 
distasteful  to  the  British  residents,  l)ut  it  gave  unmixed  satisfac- 
tion to  tho  French  Canadians ;  and,  at  a  time  Avhcn  the  old 
English  colonies  Avero  wavering  in  their  attachment  to  the 
British  crown,  it  confirmed  the  French  Canadians  in  their 
allegiance  to  tho  king."  This  was  tho  price,  it  may  as  avcU  be 
said,  at  wliich  Enghuid  iMU-chased  tho  loyalty  of  her  French- 
Amcric!insul)jectsduringtliol{evolutionary  War, — npricoAvhich 
has  taxed  Canada  ])itterly  to  iniy,  and  under  Avhich  our  country 
has  sulfered  nuicli,  and  is  still  ill  at  rest ;  but,  in  the  light  of 
saving  Canada  to  British  rule,  tho  price  Avas  not  cxtraAagant. 
It  can  only  be  regretted  that  statesmanship  could  do  nothing 
better. 

6.  A  detailed  account  in  the  folloA\'ing  chapters  of  the  earlier 
}'evolutionary  events  makes  it  mmeeessary  to  spi^ak  of  them 
here.  The  Americans  failed,  after  repeated  attempts,  to  secure 
the  symi)athy  and  cooperation  of  Canadians,  and  Congress,  there- 
fore, despatched  a  twofold  expedition,  to  secure  tho  British 
posts  in  Canada,  and  to  dcA'elop  a  more  friendly  feeling  of  the 
inhabitants.  One  army  from 
Boston,  under  (}en.  Benedict 
Arnold,  Avas  sent  against  Quebec. 
Tho  other  army,  imder  Gen. 
Eichard  INIontgomery  and  Schuy- 
ler, marched  against  jNIontreal. 
On  its  Avay  it  surprised  and  cap- 
tured tho  important  forts  of 
Ticonderoga  and  CroAvn  Point, 
on  Lake  Champlain,  Avilh  all  their 
munitions  of  Avar ;  and,  in  suc- 
cession, it  also  took  the  posts  at  J^ 
Isle  aux  Xoix,  St.  Johns,  Cham-  fj 
bly,  and  Sorel.  A  still  more 
flattering  address  A\'as  then  issued 
by  Congress  and  exteiu.ively  cir- 
culated in  Canada.  Many  people 
of  ))oth  British  and  French  oriijin 
heartily  s}'mpathized  Avith  its  objects.  The  governor-general 
(Sir  Guy  Carleton)  Avas  nuich  embarrassed  by  such  disloyal 
sympathy  ;  and,  although  aided  by  the  clergy  and  seigneurs,  he 
could  scarcely  collect  a  sufficient  force  to  stop  the  progress  of  the 


HENETOCT  AP.NOT;^- 


#---'vr 


150 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


Americans,  to  whose  victorious  standard  many  British  and  French 
Canadians  had  flocked.  Montreal,  after  a  slight  resistance, 
surrendered  to  the  invaders.  Gen.  Carlcton  had  even  to  fly  ia 
disguise  to  (Quebec."  Hero  he  found  many  of  the  inhabitants 
desirous  of  joining  the  Americans.  Those  lie  compelled  to  leave 
the  city,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  organize  the  loyal  militia, 
with  a  ticw  to  defending  the  place. 

7.  Canada,  with  the  exception  of  Quebec,  was  now  virtually 
in  the  hands  of  the  Americans,  and  God  grant  it  may  never  be 
80  again,  under  similar  circumstances !  The  capture  of  the 
ancient  capital  would  therefore  have  brought  the  whole  country 
under  the  Congress.  Carletou  had  l)ut  sixteen  hundred 
men,  of  Avhom  six  hundred  were  raw  militia.  General  Arnold 
arrived,  made  an  unsuccessful  attack,  and  retired  to  await  Gen. 
Montgomery .  On  his  arrival  an  attack  was  made,  in  which  the 
latter  was  k'llcd  and  the  former  wounded.  The  Americans 
withdrew  part  of  their  forces,  but  still  continued  the  siege. 
Early  in  May,  1776,  however,  they  fell  back  to  Three  Rivers, 
but  were  vigorously  followed  by  Carleton,  who  had  now 
been  reinforced.  He  captured  their  artilltery  and  stores, 
and  put  them  to  route.  "In  the  mean  time  Congress  was  not 
idle.  It  despatched  further  reinforcements  to  Canada  in  June, 
1776,  under  Gen.  Sullivan,  but  without  effect ;  and  again  issued 
an  animated  and  characteristic  address  to  the  Canadian  people. 
Three  special  commissioners  — Benjamin  Franklin,  Charles  Car- 
roll, of  Carrollton  (who  was  accompanied  by  his  brother  John, 
afterwards  Archbishop  CaiToll,  of  Baltimore),  and  Samuel 
Chase — were  despatched  to  treat  with  the  Canadians .  Their  em- 
bassy signally  failed ;  for  the  inhabitants  had  by  this  time  learned 
by  experience  to  regard  the  Americans  as  enemies  rather  than 
as  friends.  Strong  eiforts  were  also  made  by  the  Americans  to 
detach  the  Iroquois  from  the  British  standard,  but  without 
eflect.  Under  the  able  chieftainship  of  the  brave  Joseph  Brant, 
or  Thayendanega,  the  Iroquois,  or  Six  Nation  Indians,  re- 
mained fast  and  loyal  allies  of  king  George  III." 

8.  Joseph  Brant  (Thftyendanega),  a  Mohawk  Indian  of 
pure  blood,  was  born  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  in  1742.  He 
received  a  good  education,  in  Connecticut.  In  the  Revolutionary 
War  of  1776  he  became  the  ally  of  the  English;  and,  as  a 
prominent  chief  among  the  Iroquois,  he  influenced  several  can- 


tons of  the  celebrated  league  to  join  the  British  standard.  Dur- 
ing that  war  he  was  chiefly  engaged  in  raids  upon  the  border 
settlements  of  New  York  ana  Pennsylvania,  with  John,  the  son 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


151 


of  Sir  Win.  Johnson,  antl  Col.  Butler.  Durliij^  the  Itevolution 
ho  held  a  colonel's  commission  from  the  king.  At  the  close 
of  the  war  ho  removed  to  Canada, 
and  obtained  from  Governor  llal- 
dimand,  for  the  Six  Nations,  tho 
grant  of  a  territory  on  tho  Grand 
river,  six  miles  in  width,  from  its 
source  to  its  mouth.  Tho  town 
of  iirantford,  or  Brant's  ford,  on 
tho  river,  was  named  after  him ; 
as  was  also  the  county  of  Brant, 
in  tho  same  locality,  and  tho  town- 
ship of  Thayendanega,  on  tho  Bay 
of  Quinte,  where  a  number  of  the 
Mohawks  had  settled.  He  trans- 
hitcd  tho  whole  of  the  Gospel  of 
St.  Mark  into  tho  MohaAvk  lan- 
guage, and  in  many  ways  exerted 
himself  to  promote  tho  temporal 
and  spiritual  welfare  of  his  people. 
He  Avas  greatly  respected  and  beloved  by  them  and  l)y  the 
English.  He  visited  England  in  1783 ;  and  died  near  Bur- 
lington, Ontario,  on  November  24,  1807,  aged  sixty-tivo  years. 
His  remains  wore  removed  to  the  Mokawk  village.  Grand 
river,  and  interred  near  tho  church  which  ho  had  erected 
there.  His  son  John  subsequently  led  the  jSlohawks  at  the 
victorious  battle  of  Queenstown,  in  October,  1812.  Joseph 
Brant  was  a  noble  specimen  of  a  Christian  Indian,  and  did 
much  to  alleviate  the  horrors  of  Indian  warfare  during  the 
period  of  the  American  Ilovolutionary  War. 

9.  With  English  reinforcements  Canada  had  now  a  better 
heart  to  resist  her  foes  and  deceivers.  Tho  American  invading 
force  was  driven  out  of  Canada,  and  oven  from  the  forts  of 
Ticondcroga  and  Crown  Point,  on  Lake  Champlain.  However, 
under  Gen.  Burgoyne's  poor  mauagemeut,  the  campaign  ended 
in  disaster  in  October,  1777. 


Thayendanega  (Josepli  Brant.) 


152 


IIISTOUY   OF   DOMINION  OF  CxYNADA, 


CHAPTER  xn. 


TUB  WAR  FOR  INDEPENDENCE,  1760  TO   1774. 


TIIIJ   WAR    OF    THE    REVOU'TION  —  THE    CAUSES    WHICH     LEI)   TO   THE    WEVOLT — A 
HKETCU   OF   THE    WAU   WHICH    LOST    TUE   COLONIES    TO    ENGLAND. 

1.  TuuNiNO  aside,  for  a  few  moments,  to  trace  events  in 
these  revolting  Anglo-American  eolonies,  I  linil  myself  in  a 
delicate  position.  It  has  ever  been  a  practice  of  Canadian  and 
American  historians  to  color  these  records  to  snit  the  taste  of 
their  respective  readers.  This  was  an  easy  matter,  ii^  hut  one 
class  was  expected  to  read  their  works ;  not  so,  however, 
v,ith  my  book,  which  must  be  read  in  both  countries,  antl  in  both 
of  which  1  desire  my  readers  to  perceive  my  loyalty  to  tlio 
British  crown,  together  with  my  complete  impartiality  in  treat- 
ing these  matters.  On  the  one  hand,  Americans  will  prize  my 
work  the  higher  because  of  its  independence;  while,  on  tho 
other,  I  fear  that  some  of  my  own  countrymen  will,  without  a 
cause,  think  mo  A/iierican,  because  I  camiot  tind  a  sutKcient 
excuse  for  the  wholesale  condemnation  of  every  American  act 
during  the  war.  This  I  frankly  confess  I  cannot  do,  Avhilo  I 
regret,  as  nuich  as  any  one  can,  the  struggle,  or  the  termination 
of  it,  which  separated  America  from  England,  yet,  tho  more  I 
study  the  history  of  tho  Kevolution,  the  more  I  am  convinced 
that  it  was  not  less  England's  lame  policy  than  America's  im- 
pudence that  worked  the  unfoj'tunate  separation.  But  to  my 
task. 

2.  There  was  leisure,  after  the  French  and  Indian  war,  for 
men  to  consider  tho  circumstances  in  which  they  stood.  There 
was  no  longer  an  enemy  at  their  doors  stirring  tho  worst  blood 
of  the  Indians  to  spoliation  and  rapine,  and  tho  animosities 
which  had  separated  the  diCerent  nationalities  from  each  other 
were  gradually  sinking  to  rest.  Men  Avero  becoming  neither 
British,  French,  Swedes,  nor  Dutch,  but  American  ;  and  in  that 
sentiment  there  was,  in  one  sense,  true  patriotism.  Tho  colo- 
nies, thirteen  in  all,  numl)ered  little  short  of  two  millions  at  tho 
close  of  Pontiac's  war,  and  there  Avas  but  a  small  remnant  of 
the  religious  rancor  which  at  one  time  stirred  souls  against 
each  other ;  so  that  there  was  more  room  for  tho  consideration 


ENGLAND,  AND  TUB  UNITED  STATES, 


153 


of  tlio  claims  of  all  mankind  to  equal  jubtico  in  matters  social 
and  political. 

3.  Lcarnlni^  commoncod  to  take  root  in  the  soil  of  America 
from  tlic  lirst  landinj,^  in  l)e(!(!ml)er,  1020,  at  ForclathcrH'Kock, 
as  the  people  were  deeply  impressed  with  the  value  of  their 
sacred  literatm-e  ;  and  nine  colleges,  beside  numerous  schools, 
had  been  already  established  in  the  colonies,  the;  (MKhnvnient 
for  Harvard  from  the  funds  of  the  colonists  connncnci.ig  when 
the  New  England  settlement  was  only  sixteen  years  old.  Such 
institutions  were  due  to  the  people  themselves  in  cvei-y  instance 
save  that  of  one  college.  Conse(|uent  upon  a  love  for  learning, 
and  zeal  for  the  instruction  of  the  connnunity,  came  an  early 
demand  for  the  labors  of  the  i)rinting-prcss,  which  in  the  year 
1G39  was  brought  into  operation  in  Cambridge,  and  upon  the 
accession  of  King  James  II.  was  especially  interdicted  by  royal 
proclauiation.  Most  of  the  books  published  then  were  theo- 
logical elfusions,  chieily  sermons,  but  in  1G90  the  lirst  news- 
paper appeared  in  lioston,  bearing  date  Thursday,  September 
25.  The  lirst  numlx'r  of  "I'ublick  Occurrences"  contained  so 
many  unsound  truths  that  the  government  censured  lieiijamin 
Harris,  and  suppressed  the  issue  after  only  one  pa[)er  had  been 
circulated.  The  "  News  Letter  "  was  publ'  hcd  in  Boston,  in 
1704;  and  among  some  others,  the  best  [taper  of  those  early 
days,  the  "  New  England  Courant,"  published  by  James  Frank- 
lin, and  written  for  by  the  compositor,  his  brother,  Jjenjamin 
Franklin,  came  into  existence  in  1721,  in  the  same  town.  The 
number  did  not  very  rai)i(lly  increase,  but  the  influence  of 
journalism  was  felt  extensively.  Besides  the  library  at  Har- 
vard, and  some  small  beginnings  in  other  colleges,  there  was  a 
public  circulating  library  in  New  York,  The  first  action  for 
libel  tried  in  the  colonies  was  an  attempt  to  suppress  the  "Xew 
York  Weekly  Journal,"  in  1735  ;  but  the  ed'ort  was  defeated  by 
the  jury.  There  Avas  no  newspaper  in  Virginia  until  173G,  and 
then  it  was  a  government  organ. 

4.  Industries  and  manufactures  were  identical  witli  the 
commencement  of  the  Ncav  England  colonies,  and  even  in  Vir- 
ginia, where  such  employments  Avcro  less  kindly  embraced, 
necessity  compelled  the  settlers  to  work  or  starve.  Agricul- 
ture commanded  first  attention,  and  CA^en  the  Indians  learned 
something  in  that  direction,  as  one  of  the  tribes,  having  pro- 
cured a  supply  of  poAvder,  planted  it  as  seed,  expecting  to  reap 
a  harvest  of  ammunition.  Some  kinds  of  mani^factures,  rudely 
carried  on,  Avero  prosecuted  from  the  beginning  of  the  colonies, 


i 


154 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


?'  ■  1 


«  t  *  • 


and  in  Boston  ship-bnilding  dates  from  tho  first  year.  Cloths 
and  cloth-weuving,  shoes,  paper,  hats,  fariniii«^  iini)lenient8, 
furniture,  and  eutUjry  were  nianiifaetured,  althoiigii  there  was  a 
hjiig  series  of  t oniplaints  that  English  njaniifaetures  were  injured 
by  sui'h  attion.  Counneree  was  cri[)pled  by  tlio  operation  of 
tho  English  Navigation  Laws,  which  Avcro  supplemented  by 
regulations  under  which  it  was  provided  that  tho  ])roductiona 
of  the  colonies  nnist  be  sliii)pcd  to  England  in  British  vessels 
only,  and  that  no  mamifactures  nor  supplies  of  any  kind  should 
be  sent  into  any  colonial  port  except  through  tho  intervention 
of  English  vessels,  sailing  from  the  ports  of  that  country.  These 
restrictions  were  not  rigorously  observed  by  tho  colonists,  but 
wherever  the  government  was  strong  enough  the  system  was 
enforced.  IJi'sides  these  important  industries  tho  fisheries  of 
Newfoundland  were  improved  as  far  as  possible,  and  whaling 
enterprises  to  the  far  north  were  also  undertaken. 

5.  Travel  and  trallic  between  tho  colonies  come  next  in  im- 
portance to  industries  and  intellectual  culture,  and  aro  identi- 
tied  with  each.  For  a  long  time  journeys  were  made  on  foot, 
on  horseback,  or  by  means  of  coasting  sloops.  From  Now 
York  to  lMnladoli)hia  was  a  three  days'  trip,  with  fair  winds, 
and  a  wagon  ran  twice  a  week  between  New  York  and  differ- 
ent localities  in  Now  Jersey.  It  was  an  immense  improvement 
when  conveyances,  called  "flying-machines,"  for  their  speed,  in 
17G6,  made  the  journey  from  Pliiladelphia  to  New  York  in  two 
days,  and  a  stage-route  from  Providence  to  Boston  occupied 
tho  same  time.  Tho  post-office  had  been  inaugurated,  and  its 
influence  was  so  highly  appreciated,  that  Franklin,  when  post- 
master-general, occupied  tivo  months  in  his  carriage,  travelling 
through  the  colonies  to  perfect  the  arrangements  of  his  depart- 
ment, and  ho  took  an  extra  horso  with  him  for  occasional  ser- 
vice. Tho  monthly  mail  was  commenced  in  1G72,  between 
Boston  and  Now  York,  by  way  of  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

6.  Sumptuary  laws  and  customs  reveal  the  life  of  a  people, 
and  Now  England  lived  by  lino  and  rule.  Scriptural  teaching 
was  the  standard  of  conduct,  ministers  were  tho  recognized 
censors,  and  were  themselves  above  reproach  for  some  time. 
Cards  and  games  were  prohibited,  Sabbath-breaking  was  an 
ofience,  and  a  man  who  shot  some  birds  on  Sunday  was 
■whipped.  Tavern-keeping  was  strictly  under  surveillance,  and 
drunkards  could  not  buy  liquor.  Connecticut  forl)ade  tobacco 
to  youths  under  twenty,  nor  could  any  one  indulge  more  than 
once  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  he  must  then  be  distant  from 


dol 


my 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


155 


any  rcsitliMieo.  Tlio  clotliin<jf  to  Im  worn  by  tlio  dillVrent 
clusscs  Wiis  niguliitcd  in  regard  to  thoir  wi'jdth  mid  condition. 
Grand  datnoa  rode  i)illion  with  their  husbands,  th<M)logieal 
que  *ions  were  engrossing  topics,  and  a  reproof  in  churcli  was 
tho  nltiniatum  of  social  severity.  The  niainiers  of  Now  York 
closely  approximated  in  simplicity  to  those  of  New  England, 
j)hts  a  tritle  more  of  sociality,  which  remains  crystallized  in  the 
custom  of  N(!W  Year's  visitings. 

7.  The  plantations  in  tho  southern  colonies,  wherein  largo 
estates  and  numerous  servants,  often  negro  slaves,  made  tho 
rule,  had  an  effect  in  changing  the  manners  of  the  people. 
The  negroes  had  their  own  (juarters,  and  were  kindly  treated 
genera II3'.  Tobacco  was  tho  staple  production,  and  the  [)lanter 
made  his  own  establishment  servo  every  purpose.  lie  shii)ped 
his  own  tobacco  to  agents  in  London,  ground  his  own  Hour 
from  corn  and  wheat  raised  by  his  slaves  ;  his  bondsmen  were 
taught  such  trades  as  ho  required  in  operation  ;  luxury  was  the 
rule  among  such  men  ;  labor  fell  more  and  more  daily  into  dis- 
repute ;  hospitality  was  the  rule  everywhere,  and  dis[)lay  bo- 
came  the  fashion  in  dress,  furnitm*e,  and  equipages,  stami)ing 
characteristics  upon  a  people  which  may  yet  1)0  seen  in  action. 

8.  Schools  and  teachers  were  obliged  to  labor  under  diffi- 
culties in  tho  southern  colonies,  as  tho  governors  appointed 
from  England  were  in  some  measure  opposed  to  such  innova- 
tions upon  the  rule  of  ignorance,  especially  for  the  working- 
class.  Free  schools  were  denounced  in  comicction  witli  print- 
ing-presses, by  Governor  Berkeley,  in  Virginia,  Avith  great 
emphasis ;  but  in  Maryland,  under  tho  rule  of  tho  Baltimore 
family,  there  were  free  schools  in  1696,  and  in  1712  Charles- 
ton, South  Carolina,  followed  that  example.  Irivato  schools 
wore  more  generally  established,  and  church  rule  was  ample 
for  all  purposes.  The  minister  had  a  fanr.  of  one  hundred 
acres,  and  a  share  in  the  best  corn  and  tobacco  first  gathered. 
Non-attendance  at  church,  or  disrespectful  words  to  the  minis- 
ter, were  oficnces  punished  among  the  slaves  by  whipping  and 
deprivation  of  food,  with  cumulative  sentences  of  terrible 
import.  Even  freemen  were  held  under  heavy  restrictions  in 
many  parts,  fines  being  substituted  for  corporal  punishments. 
Slave-owners  in  Georgia  were  liable  to  a  penalty  of  twenty-five 
dollars  if  they  failed  to  send  their  slaves  to  church. 

9.  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  esteemed  education  next 
to  religion  itself,  and  with  the  colonists  life  was  a  worthless 
burden,  unless  sanctified  by  worship.      The   endowment  of 


M  ^i'khi 


>Wk^: 


lii 


156 


IIISTOPY  OF  DOMINION   OF  C.iNADA, 


Harvard  University,  then  known  as  a  seminary  at  Cambridge, 
by  the  town  of  Boston,  when  the  settlement  was  only  six  years 
old,  tells  its  own  story,  unsurpa.^.-^d  in  the  Avorld's  history. 
The  invested  funds  of  the  instit''  »i,  besides  the  grounds, 
buildings,  libraries,  and  other  pn  ^  ^ty,  amounted  in  1878  to 
two  mi  [Hon  seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  Since 
1G42  there  have  only  been  live  years  withont  a  graduating 
class ;  nearly  thirteen  thousand  persons  have  received  degrees 
there,  and  fully  half  that  number  are  now  alive.  The  people 
at  one  time,  when  money  w^as  scarce,  contributed  from  each 
family  a  peck  of  corn,  or  one  shilling,  towards  the  college. 
Educ".cion  Avas  provided  for  every  age;  in  1GG5  every  town 
had  a  free  school,  and  every  considerable  towa  a  grammar 
school ;  besides  which,  there  were  town  meetings  for  general 
discussions,  which  every  freeman  was  expected  to  attend.  In 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  those  who  failed  to  bo  present,  imless 
excused,  were  fined.  Yale  College  Avas  founded  in  Connecti- 
cut, in  1700,  being  first  established  at  Saybrook,  and  the 
lil)rary  afterwards  removed  to  Ncav  HavcJi. 

10.  New  York,  Delaware,  arid  Pennsylvania  Averc  not 
behind  the  other  colonies  in  solicitude  for  early  training.  The 
country uien  of  Erasmus  loved  books,  and  there  Avero  many 
schools  in  NcS'-''  York  in  which  English  Avas  reckoned  among  the 
accuuiplishmcni&  Princeton  College  had  made  an  excel!. -nt 
start,  and  in  1768  nad  ai).  orrery,  to  teach  as  to  the  movemc  :its 
of  tlie  heavenly  bodies,  such  as  no  European  college  could  then 
excel.  Among  the  Quakers  and  other  non-conformists  at  Lcav- 
iston,  Delaware,  the  first  coloniid  school  for  girls  had  its  origin; 
and  among  men  of  tlie  same  class  in  Penns3'lvan'u,  in  1(!83, 
before  Penn  had  retur)ied  to  England,  a  connnercial  school 
Avas  ir  lugurated,  the  fees  being  two  dollars  per  annum.  Bo- 
fore  the  arrival  of  the  founder  of  that  colony  the  Swedes  had 
places  of  worship,  and  every  denomination  made  provision  in 
its  OAvn  Avay  for  preacliers  and  meetings.  "Wampum,  beaA^r- 
skins,  and  sometimes  tobacco,  served  as  currency  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  salary  of  minister  or  teacher;  but  in  no  case  was  it 
known  that  the  colonists  omittcl  to  provide  fairly  for  education 
and  Avorship. 

11.  The  ncAvspaper  press  generally  confined  itself  to  local 
matters  and  ncAvs  until  about  and  after  1745.  Such  men  as 
the  Franklins  and  Zenger,  av'io  Avas  tried  for  libel  at,  the 
instance  of  the  government,  Avere  raro  exceptions ;  but  after 
1745   rev  olui  iou'iry  ideas   began   to  find  utteranje.      Samuel 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


157 


Adains  became  a  journalist  in  Boston,  1748;  but  the  printer 
having  been  imprisoned,  tlic  puljlication  was  suspended.  The 
"Boston  Gazette,"  which  came  out  in  17r)5,  plainb' indicated 
the  desire  of  the  colonists  to  be  left  untrammelled  by  Great 
Britain.  Samuel  Adams  and  John  Adams,  Maylicw,  Otis, 
Warren,  Gushing,  Dexter,  Austin,  Cooper,  and  others  of  that 
stamp,  Ibnght  every  abuse  through  its  columns.  This  marked 
a  new  era  in  the  value  of  the  press,  and  the  spirit  thus  indicated 
compelled  the  British  government  to  repeal,  in  17G6,  the 
odious  Stamp  Act,  which  had  become  law  in  March,  17G5.  The 
oppressive  plans  of  George  III.,  and  the  fatal  subserviency  of 
his  ministers,  could  not  rest  at  that  point,  the  king  being  re- 
solved that  ho  would  comj^el  the  colonists  to  pay  taxes  to  the 
mother  country ;  and  in  1767  the  duties  on  tea,  pajier,  glass, 
and  on  other  commodities,  having  been  imposed,  the  battle  of 
pu]>lic  opinion  continued  with  increasing  vigor.  The  duties 
could  not  be  collected,  and  in  1768  British  troops  were  sent 
to  Boston  ;  but  notwithstanding  every  endeavor  the  duties  were 
afterwards  abolished  by  the  British  Parliament.  Exasperation 
had  become  almost  unbounded ;  many  of  the  newspapers  sug- 
gested an  appeal  to  arms  as  a  means  of  redress  against  the 
oppressions  of  governors  and  troops,  and  the  years  1773-4 
were  signalized  by  momentous  events.  The  Tea  Iliot  in  Bos- 
ton took  place  in  the  year  tirst  named,  and  the  latter  year  saw 
asseml)lcd  in  Philadelphia,  on  the  5th  of  September,  the  first 
"Continental  Congress."  The  Boston  Port  Bill  was  the  imme- 
diate cause  of  that  Congress,  the  declaration  of  rights  its  first 
outcome,  and  proximately  the  independence  of  the  nation  is 
due  to  those  events. 

12.  Growing  exasperation  on  both  sides  left  but  little  hope 
that  there  would  be  a  peaceful  end  of  colonial  difficulties  after 
the  Declaration  of  Kights  had  been  adopted,  although  there 
were  many  parliamentary  precedents  for  such  action  on  the  ])art 
of  English  subjects;  ])nt,  unfortunately,  George  III.  Avas  more 
nearly  absolute  than  any  king  had  ever  been  in  England  since 
the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.,  and  his  hatred  of 
America  already  verged  upon  insanity. 

13.  Oppressive  enactments  crippled  every  branch  of  trade, 
in  the  hope  that  the  depletion  of  the  colonies  would  enrich  the 
mercantile,  manufacturing,  and  shipping  interests  of  the  mother 
country.  The  navigation  laws  were  not  stringent  enough  to 
secure  the  desired  ends,  and  there  were  additional  restrictions 
which  were  gradually  narrowing  the  industries  of  the  colonists 


I  mf 


It;  51 


'Wi^^' 


ill^l  '■ 


'If  ■         H 


158 


niSTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


to  a  point  at  which  they  must  have  become  agriculturists  only, 
without  permission  to  sell  their  products  anywhere,  except  in 
England,  taking  therefor  such  wares  as  manufacturers  in  that 
country  would  send,  at  any  prices  they  thought  tit.  The  yoke 
was  unbearable.  The  small  beginnings  of  that  iron  industry, 
on  which  modern  nations  must  base  their  civilization,  were 
common  nuisances  in  that  country  in  the  sight  of  English  law- 
makers, and  all  manufactures  were  prohibited.  Edmund 
Burke  and  the  great  William  Pitt,  now  become  Earl  of  Chat- 
ham, manfully  upheld  the  cause  of  the  colonists,  one  in  the 
House  of  Commons  and  tljo  other  in  the  House  of  Lords  ;  but 
nothing  availed  as  against  the  will  of  the  king. 

14.  The  Stamp  Act  had  been  repealed,  but  not  before  it  had 
worked  a  terril)Ie  state  of  feeling  among  the  colonists.  News- 
papers, documents  to  have  force  in  law,  and  printed  pamphlets, 
as  well  as  other  matters  which  it  would  bo  tedious  to  particu- 
larize, had  to  bear  a  government  stamp  before  publication;  and 
many  newspapers  just  struggling  to  live  were  compelled  to 
suspend  while  the  act  remained  in  force.,  The  colonists  met 
the  attack  with  a  peculiar  energy.  When  it  became  known 
that  a  man  had  accepted  office  as  the  British  Stamp  Agent,  he 
was  visited  by  a  delegation  in  many  instances,  and  so  completely 
overawed  that  he  forthwith  had  to  resign  his  office.  Houses 
were  attacked,  supporters  of  the  exaction  were  burned  in  elfigy, 
and  stamps  were  destroyed  whenever  a  capture  was  made. 
Associations  were  formed,  pledged  to  wear  no  clothes  but  such 
as  could  be  produced  in  the  colonies,  nor  to  consume  any  article 
of  English  manufacture.  "  Sons  of  Liberty"  were  enrolled  in 
all  the  colonies,  and  in  some  the  organization  Avas  very  powerful. 
The  aspect  of  the  people,  no  less  than  the  eloquence  of  their 
leaders,  gave  evidence  that  the  system  would  not  be  endured; 
but  when  the  Pailiameni':,  much  to  the  disgust  of  the  king, 
receded  from  their  enactment,  they  yet  affirmed  their  right  to 
tax  the  unrepresented  colonies. 

15.  Boston  had  earned  already  a  leading  place  among  the 
leaders,  and,  in  consequence,  when  the  British  Government 
proceeded  to  the  next  act  of  taxation,  a  Board  of  'J^rade  to  sit 
in  Boston  was  nominated,  having  authority  above  all  colonial 
assemblies.  The  tolling  bells,  days  of  mourning,  minute-guns, 
suspended  business,  and  other  signs  of  determination,  which, 
by  moral  force  mainly,  had  rendered  the  Stamp  Act  inoperative, 
were  now  to  be  treated  with  disdain,  and  troops  were  sent  to 
enforce  the  laws.     The  Mutiny  Act  would  have  compelled  the 


rft.lv         W 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


159 


colonists  to  give  quarters  and  food  to  tho  soldiery ;  but,  one 
after  another,  the  colonies,  by  their  representative  assemblies, 
refused  obedience.  New  York  led  tho  van  in  such  vindication 
of  the  rights  of  the  people,  and  tho  Assembly  was  innnediately 
disfranchised.  Massachusetts  backed  up  New  York,  by  sending 
an  appeal  to  the  other  colonies,  inviting  union,  and  nearly  all 
tho  colonies  asserted  that  taxation  without  representation  meant 
tyranny.  Parliament  in  vain  called  upon  tho  i)eoplo  to  abandon 
the  position,  froni  which  no  show  of  right  could  dislodge 
them. 

IG.  General  Gage,  the  last  Governor  of  jNIassacluisetts  ap- 
pointed by  George  111.,  had,  previous  to  1774,  visited  Boston, 
being  chosen  by  tho  government  to  enforce  the  odious  pro- 
visions of  the  Mutiny  Act.  Tiio  struggle  seemed  to  bo  as  of 
Boston  against  all  England,  and  Sanuiel  Adams  was  Boston. 
General  Gage  came  with  his  troops,  marching  to  martial  music, 
with  colors  ilying,  through  Boston  streets,  one  Sunday  morning. 
Demanding  quarters,  and  being  refused,  ho  took  possession  of 
Boston  State  House.  Boston  Common  was  made  into  a  military 
camp,  cannon  were  planted  to  command  tho  town,  and  every- 
thino:  -indicated  a  state  of  war. 
Quarrels  were  common  between  the 
younger  citizens  and  tho  soldiery, 
and,  during  one  of  these  encounters 
with  tho  City  Guard,  two  young 
men  were  badly  wounded  and  tlu-ec 
killed.  This  event',  kp';.>n  as  the 
Boston  massacre,  was  the  si<^ial  for  J 
a  general  rallying  of  the  colonists 
of  Massachusetts,  and  it  was  thought 
best  that  tho  soldiery  sliould  retreat 
to  Castle  AVilliam  until  the  efter- 
vescence  subsided.  Tho  soldiers 
engraffed  in  the  iveUe  were  tried  for 
murder ;  but  John  Adams  and  Josiali  Quincy  defended  them, 
and  all  save  two  were  acquitted, — tho  two  being  convicted 
of  manslaughter  only. 

17.  Faueuil  Hall  was  crowded  durini?  tho  cvenino:  of 
December  16,  1773,  T)y  men  who  were  determined  that  the 
obnoxious  tea  duty  should  never  l>e  collected  in  America. 
There  were  three  ships  in  the  harbor  laden  witli  tea,  and  tho 
agents   were   willing   to    send   it   back   to   England ;    but  the 


IVU1£UIL  HAtU 


British  authorities  refused  to  grant  perniission  for  the  departure 


IGO 


HISTORY  OF   DOMIXIOX  OF   CANADA, 


of  the  vessels.  All  the  duties,  except  that  on  tea,  had  been 
abandoned  ;  but  that  impost  was  insisted  npon,  to  aflirm  a  right. 
Euglish  traders  were  now  so  anxious  for  peace  that  they  reduced 
the  price  of  the  comniodit}^  so  that  the  tea  delivered  in 
Boston,  inclusive  of  duty,  Avould  cost  less  than  it  had  ever 
cost  the  people  before  ;  but  it  was  a  question  of  principle,  not 
of  price.  From  other  ports  the  tea  was  only  returned  ;  and 
the  same  course  was  to  have  been  pursued  at  Boston,  but  for 
the  stubborn  refusal  of  the  officials  to  grant  clearances  for  the 
ships.  The  conclusion  was  only  made  known  that  night,  and 
the  Boston  Tea  Bart}^  disguised  as  Indians,  boarded  the  ships, 
emptying  three  hundred  and  forty-two  chests  of  tea  into  the 
harbor.  T'lierc  was  no  attempt  to  conceal  the  fact  that  the 
Indian  costume  Avas  oidy  a  disguise,  as  one  of  the  party  con- 
versed with  Admiral  Montague  on  the  subject,  immediately  after 
the  operation  had  been  elicctcd,  and  before  his  war-paint  had 
been  removed. 


« ♦  ♦ 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


THE  WAR  FOR  IXDEPENDEXCE,    1774  TO   1777. 


I 


I 


EVENTS     OF    THE     REVOLUTION IXCIDEXTS     OF    THE    AVAR   WHICH   LOST    THE 

COLONIES    TO    ENGLAND. 

1.  The  new  Governor  of  Massachusetts  came  to  Boston, 
May  17,  1774,  as  the  English  government  thought  General 
Gage  precisely  the  man  to  carry  out  their  loyal  scheme  of  ven- 
geance against  the  head-quarters  of  the  rel)ellion.  Boston  port 
had  been  shut  against  all  commerce  by  act  of  Barliamentj  and 
much  distress  was  being  experienced.  Virginia,  by  its  Assem- 
bly, denounced  this  act  of  oppression,  and  Avas  immediately 
dismissed  by  the  royalist  governor.  The  popular  side  in  the 
struggle  took  the  name  of  AVhig,  and  the  opposition  set  were 
Tories.  ]Minute-mcn  were  enrolled,  ready  to  asseml)le  and 
tight  for  the  cause  at  one  minute's  warning.  The  governor, 
alarmed,  commenced  the  fortilication  of  Boston  Neck,  and  it 
became  more  evident  every  day  that  there  Avould  be  a  war  and 
a  Continental  union. 

2.  Under  such  auspices  the  first  Continental  Congress  ae- 
semblcd  in  the  City  of  Brotherly  Love,  and  every  colony  was 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


IGt 


roprcscnted  except  Geor^ria,  the  youngest  of  the  thirteen.  In- 
dependence, in  the  l)r()!i(ier  sense,  was  yet  only  the  dream  of  a 
feu\  The  Congress  denounced  the  presence  of  a  standing  army ; 
sustained  Massachusetts  in  its  resistance  ;  dischiimed  the  recent 
acts  of  the  English  government,  and  resolved  to  hold  no  inter- 
course with  the  mother  country.  The  rights  of  the  colonists 
were  to  bo  upheld,  but  the  men  forming  the  Congress  believed 
that  so  much  could  be  etfcctcd  without  breaking  the  coimection. 
3.  The  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  having  ascertained  that 
there  ■were  military  stores  at  Concord,  belonging  to  the  people, 
concluded  that  he  Avould  procure  them  for  his  own  use,  or  de- 
stroy them,  and  an  expedition  of  eight  hundred  men,  under 
Colonel  Smith,  was  detailed  April  lU,  1775,  for  that  purpose. 
The  people  started  off  ni(>ssengers  to  rouse  the  miiuite-men,  and 
a  signal  lantern  on  the  steeple  of  North  Church  called  assist- 
ance from  considerable  distances.  Lexiui'ton  was  one  of  the 
rallying  points  of  the  colonial  forces,  and  when  the  Britishers 
arrived  there  they  found  almost  a  company  of  minute-men  as- 
sembled on  the  village  green.  Major  Pitcairn,  second  in  com- 
mand of  the  royalists,  ordered  the  people  to  disperse,  and,  upon 
their  declining  to  do  so,  a  battle  ensued,  in  which  seven  of  the 
Americans  were  killed.  The  troops  pushed  on  to  Concord,  and 
the  stores  were  hastily  destro3'ed,  as  it  had  now  become  evident 
that  the  retreat  to  Boston  must  l)e  conducted  through  a  coimtry 
swarming  with  minute-men,  impatient  to  avenge  the  blood  spilt 
at  Lexington.  Every  point  that  could  give  shelter  to  a  marks- 
man, trees,  rocks,  buildings,  fences,  iue(pialities  of  surlace, 
were  all  turned  to  good  purpose  by  the  colonial  troops,  and 
three  hundred  loyal  troops  fell  before  the  remainder  were  res- 
cued by  reinforcements  from  Boston.  The  war  had  commenced, 
and  as  the  news,  carried  by  swift  messengers,  coursed  through 
the  land,  men  left  their  work  in  the  fields  unfinished  to  hurry 
to  the  scene  of  conflict.  Israel  Putnam,  a  brave  man,  was  one 
of  the  earliest  recruits,  and  he  was  in  Boston  almost  as  soon 
as  the  retreating  regulars,  leaving  his  cattle  yoked  in  the 
field.  There  was  no  longer  a  vestige  of  authority  in  the 
hands  of  British  governors  from  INIassachusetts  to  Georgia, 
other  than  that  their  troops  could  compel  obedience.  Twenty 
thousand  men  worked  at  the  entrenchments  that  were  to 
shut  up  General  Gage  and  his  forces  in  Boston.  Congresses 
were  formed  instanter  in  all  the  colonies,  to  consider  the  situ- 
ation, and  committees  were  duly  authorized  to  call  out  the 
troops  should  emergencies  arise.     Governor  Gage   had  com- 


M 


I 


Iff 


II-! 


ir>2 


ITISTOKY  OP  POMINION'   OF   CANADA, 


nuMK'cd  !i  "svar  Avbicli  he  diJ  not  live  to  soo   fought   out  to  ita 

uuhappy  result. 

4.  Tho  col- 
onists "wore  dc- 
torniiiKMlloKseo 
tlio  nmUer  to 
an  end,  or  per- 
ish in  tho 
attempt,  and 
Colonel  Pros- 
cott  "Was  cho- 
sen to  com- 
mand in  tho 
tirst  rei>:ular 
engagement. 
Tlie  President 
of  Harvard 
prayed  at  tho 
head  of  tho 
troops  before 
they  started 
from     Cam- 

PUT.ViUl  SUMMONED  TO  WAR.  OlKlge    TO      lOr- 

tify  ]>unkcr 
Hill,  and  they  worked  through  tho  bright  moonlight  mitil 
morning,  when  their  earthworks  were  com[)letcd.  They  had 
preferred  Breed's  Hill  for  their  fortification,  as  they  found 
it  more  connnaudiiig ;  and  so  silent  had  been  their  labors, 
although  within  hail  of  tho  sentinels  in  Boston,  that  the 
British  troops  knew  nothing  of  tiieir  proceedings  until  they 
saw  the  redoubt  fully  constructed,  Juno  17,  1775.  Sir 
AVilliam  Howe  commanded  an  attack,  and  three  thousand  men 
ascended  the  hill  to  within  ten  rods  of  the  redoubt  Avithout  being 
molested.  Tho  colonel  had  given  orders  that  tho  defenders 
should  not  tire  until  they  could  sec  the  whites  of  their  o[)po- 
nents'  eyes,  and  they  were  soldierly  enough  to  obey  his  orders. 
At  the  proper  moment  tho  word  "Fire  !"  ^vas  heard,  and  con- 
sentaneously every  rifle  vomited  forth  its  messenger  of  death. 
Tho  redcoats,  innuovable  as  a  wall  one  second  ])efore,  had  fallen 
in  their  ranks,  or  were  in  rapid  retreat  when  tho  smoke  lifted. 
They  had  anticipated  nothing  so  terrible  as  that  act  of  slaughter. 
The  A'illago  of  C'harlestoAvn,  set  on  tire  by  Governor  Gage,  was 
the  rallying  point  of  the  regidars,  and,  having  reformed  there, 


^  '.I 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


1(33 


the  troops  oiico  more  breasted  the  hill.  The  (leadly  volley  met 
them  iis  before,  and  they  were  compelled  a  second  time  to  re- 
tire ;  this  time  so  shattered  that  they  could  not  renew  tlic  attack 
Avithout  reinforcements.  Had  the  colonists  possessed  a  siilK- 
cicncy  of  annnnnition  tlio  whole  force  under  Howe's  connnand 
would  have  been  insutHcienttt^  dispossess  them  ;  but  tiieir  weak- 
ness consisted  in  that  lacking.  When  the  third  assault  was 
made  there  Avas  only  i)owtler  and  ball  sutHcient  for  one  volky, 
but  that  was  delivered  with  emphasis  and  terribU;  eft'ect.  'J he 
British  troops  paused  for  a  moment,  and  then,  lindiug  no  repe- 
tition of  the  sanguinary  salute,  charged  over  the  earthworks  at 
the  point  of  llie  l)ayonet,  and  the  colonists,  having  no  vea[)ons 
but  their  clul)bed  nniskets,  were  com[)elled  reluctantly  lo  retire 
from  the  scene  on  which  th(\y  had  already  innnortalized  the 
name  American.  Twice  the  British  had  come  in  contact  wjih 
the  continentals,  whom  they  j)rofessed  to  d('S{)ise,  and  on  each 
occasion  they  had  won  success.  Jiefore  this. engagement,  and 
after  the  battle  of  Lexington,  the  Provincial  Congress  of  Massa- 
chusetts  had,  in  ]\[ay,  177"),  de('iar<>d  (rcneral  Gage  unworth}^ 
.of  obedience,  and  he  had  responded,  in  dune,  by  a  i)roclamation 
olfering  pardon  to  all  rebels,  exce[)t  Sanmel  Ailams  and  John 
Hancock.  The  same  document  cstabiislied  martial  law.  Four 
months  after  the  battle  of  IJunker  Hill  (xeneral  (lage  was  re- 
lieved of  his  otHce  bv  Sir  William  Howe,  and  returned  to  Emx- 
land,  Avhere  ho  died  within  two  years. 

5.  AVitiiin  one  month  of  the  Battle  of  Lexington  the  fortress 
of  Ticonderoga,  so  often  assaulted  in  vain  bv  rcii'ulars  and 
volunteers  combiiied,  was  surprised  and  cai)tured  b}-  a  body  of 
volunteers,  under  Colonel  Ethan  Allen  and  General  Benedict 
Arnold.  The  commander  was  in  l)ed  wIkmi  Allen  demanded 
his  surrender,  aiul  tluire  was  nothing  possil)l(!  in  the  way  of  re- 
sistance. The  oUit'cr  demanded  in  whoso  name  the  force  of 
Green  Mountain  boys  had  made  the  demand,  and  Colonel  Allen 
replied  :  "  In  the  name  of  the  Great  Jehovah  and  the  Continental 
Congress!"  Crown  Point  was  captured  soon  afterwards,  and 
the  continental  forces  were  thus  made  masters  of  large  cannon, 
small  arms,  and  amnuinition.  There  was  not  one  life  lost  in 
the  expedition. 

fi.  The  second  Continental  Congress ,  assembled  at  Phila- 
delphia on  the  day  of  the  ca[)ture  of  Ticonderoga,  May  10, 
177t),  and  it  was  concluded  that  twenty  thousand  u.  mi  should  bo 
raised  for  the  war,  to  servo  under  the  orders  of  Gen.  Washington, 
commander-in-chief.     A  petition  to  the  king  waj  adopted  at 


M.. 


1(34 


HISTOIIY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


the  sunio  time,  hut  George  III.  refused  to  receive  the  doeu- 
ineut.  Tlic  coniniander-iu-chief  proceeded  to  the  camp  before 
Uorfton,  and  there  found  about  fourteen  thousand  men,  ill  chid 
and  Avorse  armed,  uiany  of  them  unlit  for  the  service  which 
tliey  had  taken  ui)  on  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  and  of 
Avhich  they  were  already  heartily  sick.  Very  few  knew  any 
thing  about  drill  or  discipline,  and  there  were  only  nine  car- 
tridges per  man  in  the  magazine  with  M'hich  the  war  of  inde- 
pendence was  to  be  fought.  Gen.  )\'ushington  did  all  that 
could  be  done  under  the  circumstances,  and  Gen.  Gage  re- 
mained enclosed  in  Boston. 

7.  As  already  described,  in  the  autuum  of  1775  Gen. 
Montgomery  led  a  force  by  the  Avay  of  Lake  Cliamplain,  now 
open  to  the  operations  of  the  colonists,  toc^k  St.  Johns  and 
Montreal,  appearing  before  Q  lebec  in  Dcceml)er,  where  he 
was  joined  by  a  band  of  men,  almost  famished,  led  by  Gen. 
Arnold.  The  new-comers  had  ascended  the  Kennel)ec,  and 
made  a  road  through  the  wild(>rness  to  the  point  of  attack. 
The  two  forces  joined  were  less  than  .one  thousand  ell'ec- 
tivcs ;  l)ut  with  this  small  body  a  siege  was  maintained  for 
three  weeks,  until  an  assault  was  thought  practicable,  and,  in  a 
blinding  storm  of  snow,  the  forlorn  hope  advanced  by  two 
divisions,  one  led  by  Gen.  i\I()ntg()mery,  the  other  by  Benedict 
Arnold.  Fortunately  for  the  English,  the  chief  in  command  fell 
inortally  wounded  ;  and,  j-etmore  fortunately  for  the  Americans, 
Arnold  fell  wounded,  but  not  mortally.  Gen.  Morgan,  who 
succeeded  Arnold  in  the  command,  was  hennned  in  on  all 
sides  and  compelled  to  surrender;  and  the  little  army,  after 
maintaining  a  blockade  of  the  city  until  spring,  retreated  on 
the  approacli  of  the  British  troops  to  reinforce  the  garrison. 

8.  Gen.  Washington  steadily  pursued  his  purpose  all 
through  the  Avinter  of  1775-70,  to  bring  his  army  into  form 
and  to  compel  tlie  British  to  evacuate  Boston.  Dorchester 
Heights  were  fortiiied  during  the  night  of  March  17,  177(5,  and 
in  the  morning  the  trooi)s  in  the  city  saw  an  opportunity  to 
repeat  the  experience  of  Breed's  Hill ;  but  a  storm  prevented 
action  at  once,  and  every  hour  of  delay  made  the  carthAvorks 
more  complete.  Gen.  Howe  saw  the  necessity  for  an  instant 
retirement  Avith  his  army  and  fleet  before  worse  happened,  and 
many  of  the  Tories  accompanied  him.  Admiral  Parker,  Avith 
a  British  fleet  of  nine  sail  and  two  hundred  and  seventy 
guns,  appeared  ofl'  Charleston  harbor,  Juno  28,  177(), 
uud,    finding   a  fort   of  palmetto   logs   on  Sullivan's  Island, 


■i'l;-. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


1G5 


with  oartliworks  carrying  twciity-six  guns,  tho  admiral  boni- 
hardod  the  torfilication.  Col.  William  Moultrie,  who  was 
in  command  of  the  fort,  us('d  hi.s  forces  so  well  that, 
alliiough  (Jen.  Clinton,  with  a  consid(!i'al)le  body  of  troojjs, 
cooperated  with  the  naval  contingent  and  tried  an  attack  in  the 
rear,  the  assailants  were  beaten  olf  with  considerable  loss. 
This  exploit  was  connncMnorated  in  the  Ix'st  possible  way  by 
naming  the  position  Fort  Moidlric,  and  strengtiiening  the 
works.  The  report  of  this  victory  was  well  received  all  over 
the  colonies,  and  it  was  opportune. 

I).  While  Boston  was  being  abandoned  by  the  British 
troops,  and  in  tho  South  the  naval  arm  of  Great  Britain  was 
sustaining  a  defeat.  Congress  had  been  deeply  pondering  the 
problem  which  demanded  solution ;  and  on  the  J}d  of  Jul}', 
177(5,  by  a  n)!ijorily  of  one  colony,  a  resolution,  introduced  by 
liichard  Henry  Lee,  of  Virginia,  was  carried,  atKrming  that: 
"The  United  Colonies  are,  and  ought  to  be*,  free  and  indepen- 
dent States."  Thomas  Jeti'erson,  John  Adams,  Benjamin 
Franklin,  Kogcr  Sherman,  and  Kobert  !>.  Livingston,  were 
appointed  to  draw  up  "Tho  Declaration  of  Independence,"' 
and  at  two  in  the  morning  of  the  eventful  Fourth  of  July  tho 
charter  of  tho  liberties  of  a  nation  of  freemen  was  ratified  by 
Congress,  tho  report  of  the  connnitteo  being  adopt(>d.  The 
})eople  of  Philadelphia  had  been  intensely  anxious  all  tho  day 
as  to  tho  outcome  of  the  debate,  and  when  tho  news  was  at 
length  promulgated,  the  bell  in  tho  steeple  of  the  old  State 
House  joyfully  rang  out  tho  tidings,  which  tho  people  reechoed 
in  all  directions.  The  old  bell  is  now  preserved  as  a  curiosity, 
l)earing  the  prophetic  motto  :  "Proclaim  liberty  throughout  uU 
the  land,  to  all  the  people  thereof." 

10.  Signing  the  "Declaration  of  Tndepcndenco "  was  an  act 
which  left  for  the  men  who  had  taken  that  step  no  retreat. 
They  must  conquer  the  liberty  towards  which  they  aspired,  or 
sink  under  the  punishment  awarded  to  rebels  by  a  king  such 
as  George  HI.  was  known  to  bo.  Tho  men  who  had  already 
drawn  the  sword  could  well  afl'ord  to  throw  away  the  scal)bard  ; 
and,  as  the  event  proved,  the  liberties  of  tho  people  were  in 
able  hands.  Gen.  Washington,  with  seven  thousand  men  lit  for 
service,  turned  his  attention  toward  Xew  York  as  soon  as  Boston 
had  been  freed  ;  and  he  was  correct  in  his  anticipations  that  the 
British  onnnander-in-chief  would  make  a  descent  in  that  quar- 
ter. Gen.  Howe  proceeded  from  Boston  to  Halifax,  where  he 
retitted,  and  then  sailed  for  New  York.     His  brother,  Admiral 


Hi 


166 


IlISTORV   OK   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


Lonl  llow'o,  ji)iii(>(l  him  tlicro  with  n  ilcct  iiiul  rcinforccnicnts, 

'     '  ... .^.y 

lit 


■which,  when  joined  to  the  troop.s  coiiiiiiaiKJcd  by  (icii.  Sirliiir 
( -liiitoii,  <fiiv(!  nil  aniiy  ot"  thirty  thousjuid  inrii.  The  <i()\ cniiue... 
liiid  scut  by  the  iuhuiral  j)()\vcrs  to  treat  witii  tiie  Auiericans,  but 
they  wei'o  to  be  (h'alt  \\  ith  as  revoUcd  coh)iii.sts,  not  as  ji  I'rce 
and  iiKh'pendcnt  peoph-.  An  ollicci"  was  sent  t/)  tlie  American 
caiii[)  with  a  k'tter  a(l(h'08sed  to  (rcor^ro  Washington,  Ks(|uire  ; 
bnt  tho  ''C'ommander-in-Chiet'  of  iiiv  Annies  of  tlie  I'nited 
States"  refused  to  receive  a  communication  which  i'aik'd  to  rec- 
oirnizc  his  ollicc;  and  rank,  and  the  messeiiijer,  after  many 
attempts  to  overcome  the  dilHculty,  carried  back  the  letter. 

11.  'J'he  lh"st  defeat  sustained  l)y  the  American  troops 
occin-red  on  Lonn'  Island,  where  Gen.  I'utman,  with  nine  thou- 
sand men,  hehl  a  tort  and  defences  on  the  hills  south  of  Brook- 
lyn. Tho  enemy  advanced  in  three  divisions,  one  of  which,  un- 
observed, turned  tho  tlank  of  the  defenders  and  assailed  them  in 
the  rear.  The  American  troojjs,  althouuh  outnumbered,  were 
tightiui^  bravely,  when  tlu;  sound  of  tiring  from  the  third  division 
of*  ho  attacking  force  tcdd  the  et)lonists  that  they  were  surrounded, 
lii  carnago  was  terrific,  as,  of  the  live  thousand  men  engaged, 
two  thousaiul  were  slain  or  taken  prisoners,  to  endure  a  i'alt; 
almost  worse  than  death.  The  fort  at  IJrooklyn  was  not 
attacked  immediately,  as  the  fleet  was  required  to  coiiperate  in 
the  assault,  and  a  delay  of  two  days  gave  the  troops  an  oppor- 
tunity to  retn.'at.  During  the  night  of  the  esca])e  a  negro  ser- 
vant, sent  by  a  Tory  to  inform  the  lU-itish  of  the  movement, 
was  captured  by  Hessian  troops,  —  hired  from  Hesso  Cassel  for 
the  war, — and  they,  unable  to  comprehend  the  message,  de- 
tained him  until  the  morning,  so  that  Putnam  withdrew  his 
troops  witiiout  additional  loss. 

12.  Strategic  movements  were  now  the  order  of  the  day,  as 
tho  liritish,  well  furnished  with  all  the  munitions  of  war,  and 
much  mor(>  mnuerous  than  tiio  colonial  troops,  could  not  bo 
assailed  with  safety.  Cien.  ^\'ashington  had  taken  up  a  strong 
position  oil  Ilarlem  ileights,  and  the  liritish  comiiKinder-in- 
ehief  did  not  daro  an  attack  ;  but  the  movements  of  the  enemy 
obliged  Washington  to  withdraw  to  White  JMains,  where  ])art  of 
his  army  was  di'feated  ;  with  tho  remainder  ho  occupied  a 
strong  camp  at  North  Castle,  and  llcnvo  prudently  retired  to 
New  York.  Fort  Washin<rlon,  which  stood  where  IS  1st  and 
ISfJth  streets  now  are,  was  taken  l)y  tlie  Hessians,  Mov.  1(5, 
177(!,  after  a  very  obstinate  defence,  Avith  two  thousand  six 
hundred  prisoners.     The  American  army,  small  from  the  first, 


ill    I  i: 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


K) 


a 


was  now  luirdly  three  IhoiisaiKl  stronjr,  Jind  it  avms  necossMry  to 
retreat  into  New  Jersey  to  resist  ii  niiucli  on  IMiiiiidelpliiii. 
Lord  (  ornwiillis,  with  six  thojisand  troops  in  jjood  condition, 
followed  the  shoeless  ranks  of  the  Ai'niy  of  Jndei'endenee  for 
t-liree  weeks,  until  W'ashiniilon  crossed  tin;  Delaware*  into 
i*ennsvlvania.  (ien.  Lee,  who  was  slowly  followiui'  the  com- 
niander-in-chief,  was  taken  jjrisoner  by  the  British  dnrinu:  this 
retreat.  The  boats  on  tlu^  Delaware  had  been  secured  by  tlio 
colonists,  and  (Jen.  Howe  conchided  that  ho  would  cross  the 
river  on  the  ice  as  soon  as  practicable,  to  follow  \i\)  his  suc- 
cesses by  takin<(  IMiiladclphia.  The  villaires  aloni;  the  river 
were  occui)ied  by  his  troops,  and  he  waited  for  his  op[)ort  unity. 
This  Avas  the  darkest  nionient  in  the  wai'  for  ,the  Americans. 
The  troo[)s  were  outnund)ered,  disheartened,  and  ill-sui)ported, 
and  the  strong  places  wore  fallinjr,  or  had  fallen,  into  the  hands 
of  the  British  ;  l)ut  the  sun  was  still  shining  Ix'hind  the 
clouds. 

1 .').  Christmas  night,  1 77(5,  was  made  memorable  by  an  event 
which  reanimated  the  soul  of  the  rebellion  throughout  the 
United  States.  There  was  a  terrible  storm, —  so  severe  that  men 
were  frozen  to  death  that  night,  —  Avhen  Wnshiugton  recrossed 
the  J)elaware,  with  two  thousand  four  hundred  men,  and  at- 
tacked the  Hessian  troops  iii  Trenton,  killing  their  leader  and 
capturing  one  thousand  prisoners,  with  u  loss  of  only  four  of 
his  own  men.  The  suri)rise  was  perfect,  and  Avhen  Washington 
returned  to  his  camp  alter  that  victory  the  prospects  of  the 
colonial  army  had  improved  wonderfully.  Kecruits  came  in 
daily  ;  men  Avhosc  term  of  service  had  expired,  remained  ;  and 
Lord  Cornwallis,  who  was  to  have  carried  to  England  the  news 
of  tlie  almost  complete  extinction  cf  the  American  army,  was 
recall(Ml  by  his  commander-in-chief  to  enter  upon  a  a\ inter's 
campaiLTU. 

14.  Washington  recrossed  the  river,  Jan.  .3,  1777,  at  the 
same  point,  and  established  himself  at  Trenton  to  await  llio 
coming  of  Cornwallis.  The  royalist  forces  came  up  about  sun- 
set and  attacked  the  colonial  army  ;  l)ut  they  were  repulsed  with 
some  loss,  and  the  British  general  resolved  to  wait  until  morn- 
insT.  lie  had  no  cause  for  hurr^•in^• ;  there  Avas  no  escai)c'  for 
the  troops  under  Washington  ;  they  should  all  l)e  taken  in  the 
nu)rniug,  as  his  force  was  enormously  superior,  and  they  were 
shut  in  by  his  lines  and  the  impassal)le  river.  \\'nsliingtou  was 
no  sluggard,  and  neither  his  troojjs  nor  himself  could  sice})  that 
night.     The  watch-fires  burned  brightly  along  the  whole  line, 


>iii 


ifi 


^ 


!  U 


it 


108 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


and  lu'liiiul  thiit  wall  of  flamo  Iho  colcuiial  anny  niovod  noise- 
lessly away  with  forty  cannon,  over  the  newly  frozen  country 
roads,  which  a  few  hoiiis  afterwards  were  impassable.  The 
lirilish  lr<)o[)s  at  I'rinccloii  were  entirely  nnpreparcnl  for  an 
attack,  wlu'ii  the  Aniei'ieans  icll  ii[)on  them  and  routed  the  force, 
ca[)turiii^  three  hundred  ijrisoners,  with  whom  the  <j^eneral 
marched  to  Morristowii  Ilei;j;hts  without  pausin*^.  Lord  Corn- 
wallis  arrived  at  Princeton  too  late  to  redeem  the  fortune  of 
war,  and  his  foes  were  heyond  his  power.  The  praise  of  U'ash- 
in<j^ton  was  on  every  American  lip,  and  all  that  winter  ho 
harassed  tlu*  Ihilish,  until  Xew  Jersey  was  all  hut  rescued 
from  their  arms. 

lo.  The  American  ai-niy  was  so  small  aiul  ill  pi-ovitled  that 
it  M'as  impossible  for  (Jen.  >Vashiugton  to  carry  out  any  large 
scheme  of  oi)erations.  He  could  only  wait  upon  fortune,  and 
reserve  such  foi'ce  as  h(^  i)()ssesse<l  for  the  most  promising 
enterprises.  The  Urilish  general  wanted  a  decisive  battle, 
but  the  American  commander   could   not  be    entrapped  ;  and 

after  waiting  until  Sei)tember,  1777, 
(len.  IIow(^  despatched  a  force  of 
eighteen  thousand  men  to  the  Chesa- 
peake in  his  brother's  lleet,  to  assail 
I'hilndclphia  from  that  direction. 
There;  was  now  no  option  ;  a  general 
ongagement  must  ])e  risked,  and  the 
^  colonial  troops  must  be  ])()sted,  as 
•^^i  well  as  circumstances  will  permit, 
.  at  r>hadd's  Ford,  on  the  Hrandy- 
-  Avine  Creek,  thirty  miles  south-AVest 
of  th(!  city.  The  army  was  only 
".  elevt'u  thousand  strong,  and  the 
struggle  was  unsuccessful  for  the 
British.  The  IJritish  mou  the  day, 
Sepl"uil)er  11,  1777,  and  took  pos- 
session of  Philadelphia,  establishing  winter-quartei's  at  Gei'uian- 
town.  The  Mar(]uis  I)e  La  Fayette  and  the  Count  Tulaski 
won  gohhMi  opinions  by  their  gallant  behavior  during  the 
battle  of  l)randywine  Creek. 

16.  Just  after  the  enemy  hi'd  settled  down  in  winter- 
quarters,  AVashington  made  an  attack  on  their  cantonments  at 
sunrise,  Oct.  4,  1777,  his  troops  having  marched  all  night  to 
carry  out  the  design.  The  assault  at  lirst  was  su(;cessful,  but 
eventually   the   colonial    soldiers   were    compelled   to   retreat 


MARQUIS    DE    LA    FAYETTE. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


1G9 


before  n  superior  Ibrec.  A  douse  fo<^,  which  prcvaikHl  meiiii- 
Avhih',  prevented  such  eo('>p<'riiti()H  as  had  heeii  plaimc<l  by 
AN'ashiiiirloii.  The  forts  on  the  Delaware  were  now  honiI)ai'(h'd 
by  the  Mi-itisii  <^(Mieral,  and  the  American  troops  coiniK'Hed  to 
retreat,  after  wliieh  th(!  armies  went  into  winter-cpuirters  :  Howo 
and  his  men  in  (Jermantown  and  lMiiladcl[)hia ;  AVashingtoii 
unil  his  troops  at  ValU'y  For<^e. 

17.  'rii(>r(;  was  blotter  news  for  tlio  Amerieiins  eomin<i^  in 
from  the  north,  where  an  army  of  ten  thousand  men,  under 
Gen.  ]{nrir(»yne,  was  to  have  demolislied  tiie  rebeMi»)n.  The 
general  took  eonunand  in  Canada  in  the  summer  of  1777,  and 
in  -Inne  commenced  liis  march,  aftende(l  by  about  two  thousand 
Indian  allies.  His  army  was  cxeccdingly  well  a[)i)ointed,  and 
much  was  expceted  tVom  his  abilities.  The  forts  at  Crown 
Point,  Tieonderoga,  and  Hdward,  were  eaptni-ed  immediately, 
and  the  supplies  at  Whitehall  were  taken  ;  tlm  small  body  of 
men  under  (Jen.  Schuyler  being  utterly  disproportioncd  to  the 
force  under  Burgoyno.     The  roads  were  obstructed,   l)ridges 

destroyed,  and  such  work 
as  untiring  valor  founil 
possible  was  aeeom- 
plished  ;  still  the  enemy 
advanced,  and  the  out- 
ragesof  llu;  Indians,  more 
than  even  the  loss  of  the 
forts,  roused  the  Amer- 
ican p(M)ple  to  partic-ipate 
in  the  war.  From  all  the 
surrounding  states  mili- 
tia-mcn  w-cro  arriving, 
and  daring  officers,  such 
as  Lincoln,  ]\lori:-an,  and 
Arnold,  Averc  sent  to 
w  a  t  e  h  t  h  o  a  d  v  a  n  e  e  . 
Schuyler  is  symi)athized 
with  l)ecauso  he  was 
I  su[)erseded  by  Ceneral 
Gates  just  at  the  moment 
when  his  schemes  ap- 
proached fruition  ;  but  he  was  too  bitter  towards  the  English 
to  allow  that  eircumstani-e  to  dampen  his  ardor.  The  urmy, 
speedily  formed,  was  drilled  as  rapidly,  and  a  position  on  rxnnis 
lieiy-hts  was  fortitied  under  the  direction  of  the  brave  Thuddeus 


THE   ALARM    AT    FORT    STAXWIX. 


J 

1 

a 

a  'r 

;i 

it 

1 
1 

i 

1 

t 

t. 

^m"* 

•    it 

!*''_•■       ^    ''■'.'.! 


Il;      «: 
If    • 


170 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


Kosc'iiisUo,  who   'tvas  to  light  for  liberty  on  both  sitlos  of  the 
Athiiitic. 

]y.  Ijni-<i'(>yno  had  not  found  affairs  exactly  io  his  mind, 
althoiigh  he  had  found  no  aiMuy  rea<1y  to  attack  him.  Col.  St. 
Ijcgcr  was  (<i  have  taken  Fort  Stanwix,  and,  after  ravishing 
the  Mohawk  Valley,  rejoin  the  general  at  Albany.  Benedict 
Arnold,  with  an  inferior  force,  was  despatched  l)y  Schuyler  to 
create  a  diversion  in  favor  of  the  fort  and  the  valley,  and  ho 
conlrived  to  lill  the  Uritish  troops  with  the  belief  that  a 
larg(>  American  army  was  close  at  hand  ;  so  that  by  a  ruse  he 
cam(>  into  possession  of  their  cannon  and  camp  equipments, 
and  defeated  their  expedilion  without  striking  one  blow. 
Another  party  was  detailed  to  seize  the  American  sui)i)lies  of 
Bennington,  Yt.  ;  but  General  Stark  and  a  body  of  militiamen 
defeated  the  foragers,  taking  nearly  six  hundred  prisoners. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  WAR  FOR   INDEPENDENCE,  1777   TO    1783.       *     ■  ;^ 

EVENTS    OF    THE    KEVOL'TION  —  CLOSING    SCENES    OF   THE   AVAR    FOR 

INDEl'EXDESCE. 

1.  BcitGOYNE  sullerod  for  the  want  of  reinforcements  and 
supplies,  and  his  trooi)s  were  becoming  demoralized,  so  that  it 
became  necessary  to  make  some  vigorous  mov(?ment ;  hence  he 
attackecl  Cen.  (Jates'  strong  position  on  Beniis  Heights,  Sep- 
tember IS),  1777.  The  l)attle  raged  all  the  day  long;  but  it 
•was  not  a  decisive  victory  for  the  Americans,  and  at  niuht  both 
armies  retired  to  their  respective  camps,  and  no  other  en- 
ffa<i"ement  has  to  ])e  recorded  until  October  7tli.  '^i'he  cainp  of 
the  British  troops  had  been  kept  in  continual  alarm,  but  no 
attack  in  force  had  been  attemi)ted.  Gates  waited  for  some 
false  move  on  the  part  of  Burgoyne,  and  the  British  general 
had  come  to  the  point  where  he  nnist  win  a  victory,  surrender 
at  discretion,  or  starve.  He  preferred  fighting,  and  a  last 
desi)erate  eflbrt  was  made.  It  is  claimed  that  the  success  of 
the  American  arms  on  the  second  day's  work  at  Stillwater, 
sumelimes  known  as  the  ])attle  of  Saratoga,  Avas  due  ((>  Bene- 
dict Arnold,  who  was  undoubtedly  brave  :  but  in  any  cas(i  the 
victory  this  time  Avas    unquestioned.     There   was  a  vigoroua 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


171 


cliargc  on  the  British  line  of  attack,  and  the  soldiers  Avcro 
driven  back  to  their  eamp,  where  the  Hessians  iled  in  con- 
fusion, alter  lirin_<>^  <"dy  one  voll(>v. 

2.  The  del'eated  general  tell  hack  lo  Saratoga,  and  there 
deliberated  upon  the  chances  of  "war.  Provisions  Avero  sciirco, 
and  (iangers  hennned  him  in  on  every  side  ;  nor  Avas  there  any 
hope  of  reinforcements.  The  cannon  on  Jiemis  Heights  com- 
manded the  camp,  and  a  surrender  Avas  the  oidy  course  that 
could  1)0  suggested  by  a  council  of  Avar.  The  Ii.dian  allies, 
once  so  "vviiyj  had  nothing  to  suggest,  anil  the  Tories  had 
ulreaoj  taken  their  departure  ;  so  the  general  made  the  best 
capitulation  possible  under  the  ciri-nmstances,  surrendering  six 
thousand  men,  Avith  all  !'i'^  material  for  an  army  of  twice  that 
number,  to  the  compj  i  at  ivily  raAV  levies  at  Saratoga;  hence 
the  news  from  the  nortli  vonnpensated  the  Union  for  the  misfor- 
tunes that  had  befallen  niiladeli)hia. 

3.  There  is  an  adage  that  the  darkost  hour  is  that  l)eforc 
the  daAvr..  A^'inter  in  Valley  Forge  Avas  very  dark  indeed. 
Continental  curreuiy  had  so  depreciated  that  it  Avas  no  longer 
current.  Clothing,  food,  Aveapons,  even  i)hysical  strength 
seemed  to  have  been  exhausted,  and  death  came  as  a  relief  to 
brave  men  who  had  vowed  themselves  to  the  cause  of  freedom. 
The  endurance  manifested  bv  A\'ashington  and  his  braA'^c  follow- 
crs  in  that  fearful  s(>ason  of  trial 
Avas  more  truly  heroic  than  to 
Avin  unnumbered  battles  Avith  the 
advantages  of  Aveallh  and  complete 
ef(uipment.  IMie  men  who  struggled 
through  the  av inter  of  1777-8,  under 
Gen.  Washington,  Avere  sustained  by 
the  courageous  example  of  their 
leader.  l>enjamin  Fi'anklin,  Avhose 
clforts  in  Knuland  not  avert  in"'  the 
neeessitv  for  Avar,  had  lonix  since 
been  sent  to  tin)  court  of  France, 
Avherc!  he  speediiy  became  A'ery  popu- 
lar, and  the  dreary  Avinter  Avas  en- 
livened as  it  drew  toAvards  its  dose 
by  neAvs  that  France  had  acknowl- 
edged the  iud(>[)endence  of  the  Fnited  States,  and  would 
despatch  a  ileet  to  assist  in  vindicating  the  rights  of  the 
country. 

4.  Gen.   AVashington  Avas  surrounded  by  men  Avho  Avould 


BKN.I AMI N    I  I! AN K I.I V. 


IH 


i  ! 


<f  ^'i 


;«^:1^ 


172 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


die  for  him,  l)ut  there  were  ainoiiL''  his  officers  not  a  few  "who, 
in  their  wrong-headed  obstinacy,  imperilled  his  best-hiid 
schemes.  Gen.  Leo  was  a  man  of  that  condition.  After  the 
conchision  of  the  campaign  of  1777  Gen.  Howe  returned  to 
Enghind,  and  Clinton  assumed  the  connnand.  That  general, 
having  learned  that  the  French  licet,  nnder  D'Estaing,  was 
approaching,  resolved  npon  concentrating  his  forces,  and 
Kew  York  was  to  be  his  centre.  AVashington  followed  him 
across  New  Jersey,  and  the  two  forces  met  at  Monmouth, 
where,  just  at  the  moment  when  victory  was  innninent.  Gen. 
Lee  connnanded  a  retreat.  Fortunately  for  the  Americans  the 
commander-in-chief  was  on  the  ground,  and  ho  changed  the 
fortune  of  the  battle  by  his  personal  intrepidity.  The  engage- 
ment lasted  all  the  day,  and,  in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  Gen. 
Sir  Harry  Clinton  made  a  hasty  retreat  to  New  York.  Count 
IVEstaiiig  arrived  with  his  fleet,  and  it  was  arranged  that  he 
should  coJiperate  with  the  army  under  Gen.  Sullivan  in  an 
attack  upon  the  British  forces  in  Newport,  Khodo  Island  ;  but, 
just  at  the  time  when  the  combined  operation  wasi  to  have 
been  carried  out,  Jlowe,  with  the  British  fleet,  arrived  off 
the  harbor,  and  the  French  connnander  went  out  to  meet 
him.  The  storm  in  Avhicli  l)oth  fleets  were  involved  damaged 
the  ships  so  badly  that  both  admirals  put  back  for  i'cpairs,  and 
there  was  no  farther  aid  from  France  during  the  campaign  of 
1778  ;  but  the  presence  of  D'Estaing  prevented  IIowo  entering 
the  Hay  of  Narragansett  just  when  he  might  have  coijperated 
with  the  forces  under  Gen.  Clinton. 

5.  The  scalping-knife  and  the  tomahawk  seem  more  terrible 
than  at  any  other  time  when  civilized  races  summon  their  aid. 
The  massacre  of  AVyomini*'  illustrates  the  sickeninj?  barbarities 
which  are,  nnder  such  circumstances,  likely  to  give  a  new 
horror  to  war.  The  men  who  were  cai)able  of  taking  part  in 
the  war  were  mostly  engaged  in  the  held,  when  Butler,  com- 
manding a  band  of  British  and  Indians,  entered  the  Valley  of 
AVyoming.  There  was  a  fort  in  which  the  wc^men  and  children 
found  refuge,  and  the  old  men  and  youths  bravely  fought  the 
invaders  ;  but  they  were  outnumbered  and  defeated,  and  every 
torture  that  malignity  could  devise  was  exi)ended  U[)on  them 
by  the  Indians  ))efore  they  were  put  to  death.  The  fort  was 
surrendei'cd  upon  conditions  that  were  shamelessly  disregarded, 
and  the  whole  valley  was  desolated,  the  survivors  flying  for 
thei'"  lives  through  the  Avilderness. 

t).     Georgia,  the  youngest  of  the  States,  was  made  the  bceno 


1^  >' 


.'■-v^-^-/^ 


'.•  °>:^^ 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE   UNITED   STATES.  173 


of  British  operations  in  tho  latter  part  of  1778.  Savannah 
and  Au<i^usta  fell  innncdiately,  and  the  M'hole  StatQ  was  over- 
run. Clinton  seemed  to  have  despaired  of  sucecss  in  tho  more 
populous  States,  and  therefore  his  attentions  were  directed 
against  a  comparatively  defenceless  section  of  the  Union. 
Oliarleston,  S.O.,  was  the  next  point  of  attack;  hut  the  siege 
under  Prevost  was  precipitately  raised  on  the  approach  of  an 
American  force  under  Gen.  Lincoln,  and  Prevost  returned  to 
Savannah.  The  recapture  of  Savannah  was  gallantly  attempted, 
in  Sept.,  1779,  by  Lincoln,  in  combination  with  thelleet  under  tho 
French  Admiral,  l)ut  a  thousand  lives  were  lost  in  an  attack, 
after  a  severe  bombardment  of  the  city,  and  tho  Count  D'Estaing 
then  r(!fused  farther  assistance.  The  Americans  blamed  him 
very  severely  for  his  conduct.  Tho  brave  Pole,  Pulaski,  found 
a  grave  here,  and  his  services  with  the  legion  bearing  his  name 
were,  at  a  later  date,  commemorated  by  a  monument  in  Sa- 
vannah. 

7.  Northern  operations  under  Clinton  were  little  other  than 
acts  of  spoliation,  where  no  defence  was  possible  and  where 
no  military  advantage  followed  his  course  of  action.  Xorwalk, 
Fairiield,  and  iS'ew  Haven,  Conn.,  were  ])lundercd  and  set  on 
lire,  and  tho  work  of  destruction  was  made  as  complete  as 
possible.  AVherever  a  few  men  could  bo  gathered  to  make  a 
show  of  opposition,  the  predatory  bands  were  restrained.  Gen. 
Putnam  rendered  go(id  service  to  the  American  cause,  and  dis- 
tinguished himself  at  Ilorso  Neck,  operating  against  Tryon  this 
summer.  Stony  Point  was  captured  by  Gen.  AVayne,  with 
a  force  of  eight  hundred  men,  with  the  aid  of  a  negro  who  was 
in  the  habit  of  visiting  the  fort  and  knew  tho  countersign.  The 
general  led  the  attacking  party  by  a  route  well  known  to  him, 
and,  advancing  alone  to  the  sentinel,  gaA'o  the  word,  after 
which  he  remained  conversing  with  the  soldier  until  he  could 
be  sur[)rised  and  prevented  from  giving  an  alarm.  From  that 
point  the  troops  passed  over  the  causeway  and  reached  the  hill 
undiscovered.  About  midnight  the  assault  was  made,  Avith  every 
[)recaution  to  secure  silence,  but  the  attacking  party  was  tired 
upon  by  tho  tirst  picket  of  the  fort,  and  Wayne  was  one  of  the 
iirst  wounded;  bit  at  his  own  request  ho  was  carried  at  the 
head  of  his  column,  and  tho  caplure  was  speedily  eflected.  Tho 
det(>ndors  lost  .six  hundred  men  in  killed,  wounded,  and  pris- 
oners, besides  the  fort  and  its  contents.  Chastising  the  Tories 
and  their  .allies,  the  red  mer.,  Avas  the  task  allotted  to  Gen. 
Sullivan,  in  the  Genesee  country,  and  tho  Wyoming  massacre 


171 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


was  not  forgotten.  There  was  a  battle  near  JOlmira,  N.Y.,  and 
the  enemy  receiv^ed  a  crushing  defeat,  after  which  the  American 
force  hiid  waste  the  Indian  viliages. 

8.  John  Paul  Jones,  whoso  real  name  was  John  Paul,  ren- 
dered ellectual  service  to  the  cause  of  the  Union  on  the  sea. 
The  naval  service  was  necessarily  small,  ])ut  it  consisted  of  able 
and  daring  men,  in  small  vessels,  generally  fitted  out  as  letters  of 
manjuo  and  privateers,  and  within  the  first  three  years  of  the 
Avar  live  hundred  l>ritish  vessels  had  been  takei\  along  the  coast. 
The  naval  department  had  no  more  active  and  enteri)rising 
man  than  Paul  Jones,  who  ravaged  the  coasts  of  Great  Britain. 
After  several  noteworthy  exploits,  Jones  [Jrocured  a  French 
vessel,  which  he  Jianied  "La  IJon  Ilonnne  Ivichard,"  in  honor 
of  JJenJamin  Franklin'.s  genius,  and  with  that  vessel  captured  the 
"Serapis,"  an  pjiglish  frigate,  in  every  way  a  better  shi[)  than 
bis  own,  and  carrying  heavier  guns.  Jones'  ship  Avas  old 
and  rotten  before  the  French  gave  her  to  him  ;  but  she  was 
made  scrviccahU!  until  the  "Serapis"  had  been  taken  in  a  des- 
perate hand-to-hand  encounter,  and  from  that  time  the  British 
vessel  was  sailed  by  Paul  Jones,  under  the  American  flair,  a 
terror  to  English  commerce.  The  i)ride  of  our  mother  country 
was  more  touched  by  such  exploits  than  l)y  the  surrender  of  an 
army. 

D.  Charleston,  S.  C,  Avas  again  attacked  in  1780,  and  this 
time  an  overwhelming  force  by  land  and  sea  compelled  a  sur- 
render, after  a  bombardment  and  sieg(>  of  forty  days'  duration. 
Gen.  J^incoln  managed  the  defence  admirably.  Cornwallis  sent 
predafoiy  parties,  under  Tarleton,  and  other  such  leaders,  to 
distress  tlu^  colonists  in  all  directions  ;  and  t(>rrible  brutalities 
Avere  [)er[)etrat<>d.  GeUi  Gates  took  command  of  the  southern 
army  ;  but  his  conduct  in  this  campaign  favors  the  idea  that  his 
previous  success  Avas  not  duo  to  his  oAvn  energy.  Gates 
])lannc'(l  a  night  attack  on  C'oruAvallis,  near  Camden,  and  the 
British,  who  had  entertained  a  similar  jjroject  for  the  .'■amc 
time,  Avcre  met  in  the  Avoods,  marching  to  surprise  die  Amer- 
ican camp.  After  skirmishing  in  the  dark  for  a  time.  ]).')tli 
forces  waited  for  day,  and  the  advantage  of  the  encount(>r  A\as 
entirely  on  the  side  of  the  British.  Baron  de  Kalb,  niajor- 
jg'cneral  of  the  force,  and  second  in  command,  fell  mortally 
AA'^ounded  on  the  field,  and  his  conu'ades  w^ere  overpowered  light- 
ing bi'avelv.  The  militia  fled,  and  Gates  avjw  nowhere  diu'ing 
the  engageiuent.  The  Union  forces  in  the  South  Averc  entirely 
broken  up. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


175 


10.  The  defoncc  of  tho  South  bceuuit;  little  other  th.'iii  a 
guerilla  warfare.  Marion,  Sumptcr,  Leo,  and  Pickens  rallied 
the  nio;st  daring  men  in  the  Caroliniis,  —  Xoi-th  and  South,  — 
and  British  detachments  Avere  cut  olf  in  all  directions.  Sorao 
garrisons  were  captured,  and  a  sx'stem  of  repi-isals,  rendered 
neccsfary  l)y  tho  conduct  of  Tarleton  and  tlu;  British,  made  tho 
country  very  warm  during  tho  continuance  of  British  rule;.  Some 
of  the  Anxnicans  Avere  so  poorly  armed  that  they  dei>en(led 
largely  upon  procuring  the  wea[)(ms  and  annnunition  of  their 
enemies.  Such  tactics  prevailed  at  Hanging  Kock,  August  0, 
and  at  Kinji'n  ^lountain,  Octol)er  7,  in  both  of  which  enffiiure- 
ments  the  Americans  were  victorious. 

11.  Unlimited  inflation  had  been  the  policy  of  Congress  in 
all  monetary  concerns  from  tho  first,  and  two  hundred  million 
dollars  issued  ])y  authority  could  be  l)()uirht  for  fifty  million  dol- 
lars  specie.  Currency  would  luudly  buy  necessary  arlicles,  and 
the  soldiers  Avere  unal)le  to  procure;  boots  Avilh  their  pay.  Tho 
British  helped  tho  financitd  nuiddlo  by  circulating  counterfeit 
notes,  and,  in  some  districts,  the  troops  wore  at  tho  jioint  of 
famine.  Ivobert  ]Mori-is,  of  l'hiladel[)hia,  sent  three  million  ra- 
tions to  the  army,  and  relief  associations  were  formed,  l)ut  tho 
distress  Avas  so  imminent  that  Pennsyh'ania  troops,  to  tho 
number  of  one  thousand  six  hundred,  left  the  camp  at  Morris- 
town  to  secure  redress  by  force  in  Philadeli)hia.  Sir  Henry 
Clinton,  Avhose  spies  were  everywhere,  improved  the  occasion 
1)y  oli'cring  bribes  to  tho  revolting  Union  soldiers  as  a  premium 
for  desertion,  and  num])ers  of  these  creatures  Avero  handed  OA'or 
to  the  authorities  by  tho  men  Avhose  jioverty  they  hoped  to  cor- 
rupt. A  congressional  conunittee  speedily  pacified  the  clamor 
by  shoAving  that  they  Avcro  doing  all  in  their  power  to  carry 
tho  Avar  to  a  successful  conclusion. 

12.  While  the  soidiery  Avere  suffering  heroically,  and  in  the 
main  Avithout  comi)laining,  Benedict  Arnold  meditated  an  act 
of  treason  unsiu'i)assed  in  the  world's  history.  His  bravery  had 
long  been  his  only  reconnnendaf ion  to  employment,  and  ho 
never  sullered  .vant,  if  it  was  possil)1e  to  rob  the  men  suffering 
under  hiuj,  or  anybody  else.  Charges  of  a  grave  nature  Avoro 
proved  against  him,  and  it  ))ecame  necessary  that  he  shoidd  bo 
publicly  rebuked  l>y  the  commander  in  chief.  Gen.  Wash- 
ington performed  his  duty  as  gently  as  circimistances  Avould 
permit,  in  consideration  of  Arnold's  services;  l)ut  tlu;  disgraco 
Avas  keenly  felt  by  tho  imprinci[)led  man,  and  ho  souglit  an 
opportunity  to  revenge  himself  upon  his  country.     Having,  by 


\>n 


,.i.L. 


tf^. 


■^^i 


170 


HISTORY  OP    DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


t 


soliciliitiou,  proeurod  the  coiniiiand  of  West  Point,  iindor  the 
pn^tciK'c  that  ho  wished  to  redeoiii  his  eharacter,  this  position, 
the  most  important  in  the  poss(>ssion  of 'tlie  Americans,  he  at 
oiiee  olfered  to  Sir  Ilcnry  Clinton,  for  a  pric(>,  and  the  tei'ms  of 
tlu!  infamons  comi)at't  were  arraiiijed  without  delay,  'i'lu;  phm 
of  surrender  required  an  int(U'view  Avith  an  ai^ent  above  the 
status  of  an  ordinary  sp}^  and  jNIaJ.  Andre,  an  Eniilisii  otheer 
much  resjjccted,  passed  the  American  lines  to  complete  the 
details.  The  British  sloop  "Vulture"  conveyed  him  np  the 
Hudson  to  West  Point;  but  fire  haviui;^  been  opened  on  the 
vessel  she  dropped  down  the  river,  and  Andre  was  under  the 
necessity  to  return  overland  to  New  York.  The  papers  were 
concealed  in  his  dress,  and  Andre  reached  Tarrytown  on  his 
return,  when  three  men,  Pauldini^,  AVilliams,  and  Van  Wart, 
seized  him  on  suspicion.  Knowiuj^  that  one  American  otHeer 
Avas  corrupt,  Andr6  thought  he  could  prf)cure  his  release  l)y 
Inibes ;  but  his  otiers  convinced  the  men  that  they  had  obtained 
u  valuable  prize,  and  he  was  conveyed  to  the  nearest  post.  A 
safe-conduct  from  Arnold  Avas  looked  upon  as  a  forgery,  and  the 
otHcer  in  command  Avas  oi  the  ])oint  of  sending  Andre  to  West 
Point  as  a  prisoner;  but  Pros  ideuce  intervened.  A  note  from 
the  ofKcer  conveyed  to  Arnold  the  intelligence  that  his  treason 
had  miscarried;  so  that  ho  had  time  to  escape  on  board  the 
'■  \'ulture,"at  a  point  loAver  on  the  Hudson,  and  he  detained  the 
boatmen  as  prisoucn-s.  The  price  obtained  by  the  traitor  Avas 
aI)out  thirt3'-two  thousand  dollars,  and  a  coloneTs  command  in 
the  English  army  ;  but  otHcers  of  standing  Avould  not  associate 
Avith  him,  and  ho  Avas  continually  insulted  to  the  end  of  his  life, 
although  lu'otccted  by  the  king.  Andre,  sympathized  with  by 
all  classes,  AA'as  necessarily  hanged  as  a  spy,  and  the  I'nion  ser- 
vice AA'as  justrly  purged  of  a  bra\e  aiid  able,  but  most  iniquitous, 
officer  in  the  desertion  of  Arnold. 

13.  Gen.  (ireeno  succeeded  (o  the  connnand  Avhicli  had  been 
demoralized  by  Gates,  and  found  only  about  two  thousand  men, 
in  the  last  stages  of  destitution.  The  battle  of  Cowpens  avj18 
fought  by  r,  ])art  of  this  force  under  (Jen.  Morgan,  Avho  Avas 
attacked 'oi>  the  17th  of  Jamuiry.  17S1,  by  Col.  Tarleton.  Tho 
militia  ret  vated  in  confusion,  and  the  Continenbds  made  a  retro- 
grade moAement,  to  secure  a  strong  posit i(»u.  Tarleton  thought 
the  Avhole  force  Avas  routed,  and  the  soldiers  rushed  forAvard  to 
i'unihilate  the  colonists  ;  but  the  American  troops,  facing  about 
at  tho  Avord  of  command,  dcdivered  a  destructive  tiro  at  point 
blank  range,  and  the  British  coloncd  Avas  completely  defeated, 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE   FNITED   STATES. 


177 


many  prisoners  l)oin<^  taken.  Lord  Cornwallis  was  desirous  to 
retrieve;  this  disa.ster;  l)ut  Mor<j^an  retreated  into  \'iri;inia, 
earryiniij  his  spoils  with  him,  and  Ww  Catawba,  just  swollen  h}-- 
heavy  rain,  prevented  an  instant  [)ursnit. 

14.  General  Morgan  was  now  joined  hy  the  commander, 
and  the  retreat  from  this  point  was  eonduet(>d  by  (freene.  The 
weather  fuvored  the  American  forces.  .Jnst  after  the  Yadkin 
hud  been  ci'ossed  by  the  Americans,  the  river  was  so  swollen 
that  Cornwallis  Avas  forced  to  make;  a  detour  before  passing  the 
stream.  The  start  thus  obtained  saved  (ireenc's  eonnnand 
from  absolute  demolition  by  a  siipcM-ior  force.  The  patriotism 
of  the  South  was  proved  by  many  noble  deeds  of  self-saerilicc; 
during  this  cam])aigu,  and  when  at  last  the  fords  of  the  Dan 
were  crossed  before  Cornwallis  could  come  up  to  dispute  the 
passage,  the  Ihitish  conunander  abandoned  the  chas(>.  Gen. 
Greene  won  and  deserved  the  unanimous  thauks  of  Congress 
for  his  masterly  conduct. 

15.  (ireene  wanted  a  respite  only  for  his  men,  and  he  had 
given  them  confidence  in  his  and  tlu'ir  own  powers.  AVe  lind 
him  at  (iuih'ord  Court-llouse,  ^larch  1."),  17^1,  fighting  against 
great  odds,  but  now  the  assailant.  The  militia  did  not  stand 
fire,  l)ut  the  contincuital  troops  held  their  own  splendidly,  and, 
although  there  was  not  a  victory,  Cornwallis  retreated  to  AVil- 
mington,  pursued  b}^  (Jr(>ene  iimnedialely  afterwards.  The 
force  under  his  eonnnand  being  insufficient  to  invest  Wilming- 
ton, Greene  now  joined  Marion,  Sumpter,  Pickens,  and  Lee  in 
South  Carolina,  and  harassed  the  English  until  Georgia,  as 
well  as  South  Carolina,  were  almost  entirely  free  from  the 
ti'oops  of  Kngland.  Tiie  enemy  was  so  broken  ])y  the  battle 
at  Eutaw  .Springs,  September  8,  that  they  retired  ui)ou 
Charleston,  South  Carolina.  The  conunander  of  the  enemy, 
relieved  from  tlus  presence  of  Greene,  made  a  raid  into  \'ir- 
ijinia,  and  altliouirh  the  liriiish  uuidc  manv  demonstrations,  the 
regular  war  in  the  South  had  come  to  an  end,  although  Charles- 
ton Avas  not  evacuated  until  the  following  year,  1782. 

1(5.  Arnold,  the  traitor,  in  the  eyes  of  Americans,  was  in 
V'irginia,  covering  himself  with  jjoor  glory  by  his  eudeavois  to 
prove  his  usefulness  to  the  British.  La  Fayotte,  with  an  infe- 
rior force,  held  him  sonu^what  in  check  until  Cornwallis,  com- 
ing from  South  Carolina,  assumed  the  command,  and  continued, 
with  a  mtu'h  greater  force,  the  same  horrible  system  of 
butchery,  plunder,  and  destruction.  Gen.  Clinton,  conunander- 
in-chief,  recalled  Cornwallis  from  his  marauding  expedition  in 


Ml 


4     .    - 


178 


IIISTOUY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


tho  interior,  directing  him  to  kee[)  near  the  coast,  ready  to 
cooperate  in  a  selicnie  of  defence,  should  Washin<;ton  attack 
I\e\v  York,  and,  in  consequence,  that  olHcer  fortilied  hiniseif  in 
Yorktown.  The  French  allies  of  the  Americans  and  their  own 
forc(!s  now  proceeded  to  hem  in  CornAvallis  at  Yorktown. 
Washington  assumed  tho  offensive  at  New  York,  so  that  (Clin- 
ton believed  himself  in  momentary  danger  of  an  assault, 
until  tiu^  commander-in-chief  Wiis  drawing  near  his  actutd  })oint 
of  attack,  and  on  the  28th  of  ►September  twelve  thousand  men 
■were  before  Yorktown.  IJatteries  were  opened  inuncdiately, 
and  red-Jiot  shot  and  shells  tired  tho  shipping  in  tli(!  harlxn*. 
The  American  force  carried  one  redoubt,  Avhile  the  French 
troops  carried  another,  and  the  tinest  si)irit  of  emulation  made 
every  soldier  equal  to  the  work  of  two  men.  The  Avails  were 
soon  breached,  and  an  assault  was  imminent,  when  Lord  Corn- 
wallis  followed  the  example  of  Burgoyne,  and  capitulated,  on 
the  lUth  of  October,  1781. 

17.  Gen.  Washington  ct)mmanded  that  tho  sword  of  Corn- 
AA'allis  should  be  delivered  to  Ucn.  Lincoln,  who  had  been  com- 
pelled to  surrender  Charleston ;  and  the  captive  army,  seven 
thousand  stronj?,  marched  out  from  the  fortifications  with  cased 
colors  and  arms  shouldered,  l)ctwcen  the  two  armies,  French 
and  American.-  Cornwallis  escaped  the  humiliation  of  being 
present,  by  a  convenient  tit  of  sickness ;  but  the  defeat  "was 
entire  and  com[)lete,  and  every  person  felt  that  the  Avar  had 
com(!  to  an  end.  There  Avas  great  rejoicing  in  every  American 
heart.  Hardships,  until  noAV  all  but  nnbearable,  Avere  SAval- 
lowed  up  in  A'ictory  ;  joy -bells  Avero  ringing,  and  the  Avatchmen 
in  the  streets  announced  the  intelligence  Avith  tears  of  thank- 
fuhu'ss,  as  they  made  tlu'ir  nightly  rounds  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia. Men,  awakened  from  their  slumbers,  rushed  to  the 
Avindows  to  l)e  sure.  Congress  assembled  very  early  in  the 
morning,  and  in  the  afternoon  succeeding  marched  to  the  Lu- 
theran Church,  Avhere  the  Te  Detnn  of  thanksiiiviuir  from  full 
hearts  ascended  to  the  God  of  Battles,  for  signal  mercies 
vouclisafetl  to  the  youngest  nation  on  the  glol)e,  b(>ginning  then 
and  there  a  career  of  great  prosi)erity.  England  saw  that  the 
coufjuest  of  such  a  people,  under  the  circumstancts,  Avas  im- 
possible, and  the  populace  d<'manded  that  the  ministry  which 
had  advised  on  tho  Avar  should  1)0  dismissed.  Tho  House  of 
Commons  denounced  farther  action,  and  George  HI.  a\t.s  com- 
pelled by  his  A\x'akness  to  submit. 

18.  The  greatest  peril  that  ever  menaced  a  country  was 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


179 


now  prcssliii^  upon  the  I'nitod  States,  although  tho  war  was 
virtually  imkIocI.  There  was  no  conuneroe,  no  trade,  no  manu- 
factures ;  and  agriculture  liad  long  heen  neglected,  because  of 
the  war,  which,  since  the  hattle  of  licxiugton,  had  decimated 
the  people,  and  inisettled  all  avocations.  ^lany,  who  were 
wealthy  when  tho  struggle  commenced,  were  now  penniless, 
and  tho  currency,  whicli  had  heen  forced  into  circulation  for 
some  time  past,  would  buy  nothing.  1'he  army  was  almost  in 
open  reheliion,  because  there  was  no  prospect  of  their  servio-cs 
being  acknowledged  l)y  the  scanty  pay  to  which  they  were  en- 
titled, and  Avithout  whicli  they  could  not,  in  many  cases,  reach 
liome.  Under  similar  ci  numstances,  during  the  C'ommonwoalth 
in  England,  the  Puritan  soldiers  compelled  the  Parliament  to 
succumb  to  their  demands,  and  their  action  made  Cromwell 
dictator ;  but  Congress  contained  men  of  a  higher  type  than 
the  I'arliament  that  was  dismissed  by  Cromwell,  and  the  incor- 
ruptible AVashington  was  superior  to  tho  promptings  of  ambi- 
tion. Petitions  to  Congress  for  redress  could  not  ])e  answered 
from  an  empty  treasury,  and  the  angry  troops  otl'en^d  the  crown 
to  tho  connnander-in-chief ;  but  tlu;  inihienco  of  tho  great  and 
good  man  prevailed  with  both  parties  to  prevent  violent  meas- 
ures, and  every  dithculty  was  accommodated  by  Jiis  interven- 
tion, so  that  there  was  no  pcri(.Hl  of  internecine  strife  to 
Cis  ourage  tho  English  government  to  resume  hostilities  from 
the  points  which  Avere  still  in  their  hands. 

Id.  Peace,  long  since  established  (January  20,  1783),  and 
the  independence  of  the  United  States  substantially  recognized 
by  all  the  European  goA^ernments,  Avas  formally  inaugurated  by 
the  treaty  signed  in  Paris,  September  3,  1783.  The  army  Avas 
disbanded,  and  the  commander-in-chief  carried  Avith  him  to 
Mount  Veru-on  such  devotional  regard  as  has  been  increasing 
in  iho  hearts  of  Americans  ever  since  that  day  fc»r  a  ruler  of 
priceless  integrity. 


•i 


1^     -    /"HP* 


!!■ 


it: 


180 


IIISTOllY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


ciiArxicji  XV. 

EVENTS    FUOM    AN   ENGLISH   VIEW,  17r.O   TO    1778. 

FIRST  ICICIITEICN  YKAUS  OF  TIIK  nElCN  OF  CEORaE  III.  —  EUROPEAN  AND  AMEUiCAN 
AVAI18  —  THE  DEFENCE  OF  lilHRAl.TAU. 

1.  It  will  noAv  he  Intcrostiui^  to  view  these  events,  whieli 
Avere  traiispiiMnu,-  in  Caiindii  and  llie  United  States,  from  an 
English  .staiid-])()lnt,  and  to  look  at  allairs  in  that  quarter  diu"in<^ 
the  sanu!  period.  Jt  was  on  the  2r)tii  of  October,  17(!i),  and  at 
the  aue  of  twenty-two,  that  George  III.  entered  n])on  the 
lon^reNt  and,  in  some  respects,  tiie  most  prosperous  reign  in 
the  annals  of  England.  In  the  following  }'ear  he  was  married 
to  Charlotte,  Princess  of  ]\reckleiil)urg-Strelilz,  and  th(i  royal 
couple  were  crowned  Avith  magniticent  ceremonies  at  A\'e.st- 
niinster.  At  this  time  the  power  and  glory  of  William  I'itt 
Avere  at  Iheir  height,  tiu^  French  had  }H'on  defeated  in  India 
and  America  and  on  (ho  conlinen(  ;  but  thesis  triunijihs  had 
been  gained  at  an  immense  expense,  and  a  party  headed  by  the 
Earl  of  Bute,  then  the  most  inlluential  adviser  of  the  king,  Avas 
solicitous  for  peac<>.  AVliile  peace  Avas  l)eing  negotiated  the 
kings  of  France  and  Spain  entered  into  a  secret  compact,  Avhich 
resulted  to  Enghmd's  disadvantage.  This  arrangement,  called 
the  family  compact,  because  the  kings  Avho  made  it  Avere  both 
l>ourl)ons,  came  to  tlie  knowledge  of  AVilliam  Pitt,  Avho,  to 
avert  the  calamity,  proposcul  a  Avar  against  Spain  ;  but,  being 
nnable  to  prevail,  he  retired  from  office,  being  succeeded  by  the 
Earl  of  Bute.  Three  months  after,  however,  the  new  ministry 
was  oldiged  to  declare  Avar  against  Spain,  Avhich  greatly  added 
to  Pitt's  popularity,  the  more  so  Ijccause  the  grandest  achieve- 
ments of  the  Avar  —  the  conquest  of  Havana  and  Manilla  in 
the  East  Indies  —  Avere  planned  by  Pitt  himself.  In  17G2 
Frances  and  Spain,  hunibh^I  by  their  h)sscs,  were  anxious  for 
peace,  and  a  treaty  Avas  signed  at  Paris,  Feb,  10,  17G3.  Soon 
after  the  unpopularity  of  the  Earl  of  Bute  became  so  great  that 
he  Avas  obliged  to  resign,  and  Sir  George  Grenville  succeeded 
him  as  prime  minister,  Avhose  administration  was  characterized 
by  the  prosecution  of  AVilkes  and  the  taxation  of  the  American 
colonies. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


181 


2.  .loiiii  \\'iik('s  was  a  mcinhcr  of  I'nrliiiincnt  aiul  odilcjr  of 
a  iicwspaixT  callcMl  "'I'lic  North  IJrilon."  In  lliis  paper  ho 
iha<.l(!  ail  attack  on  tin;  personal  eharaeter  of  tlie  kinji',  for  which 
his  i)a[)er  was  scizetl,  and  \\'ilke.s  imprisoned  in  the  Tower. 
A  few  (hiys  after,  h(!  Avas  liberated  by  ti  writ  of  habeas  corpus 
before*  the  Court  of  Connnon  PUnis.  Ilo  Avas  next  an-aignod 
before  the  bar  of  Conuuons  for  libel,  but  eHea[)ed  to  I'aris.  lie 
Avas  then  expelled  from  the  Commons,  and  a  sentence  of  out- 
lawry passed  against  him.  In  1H')H  Ikj  returned  to  England, 
and  was  elected  to  Parliament  for  Middlesex  ;  but  lu;  Avas  not 
allowed  to  lake  his  seat.  "These  attacks  on  tin;  fnjedom  of 
elections  and  liberty  of  the  press  made  Wilkes,  although  a  man 
of  corrni)t  morals,  extremely  popular,  and  excited  much  feeling 
throughout  the  country.  At  length,  in  177  1,  govci-nnient  grew 
tired  of  this  pcrsi'cution.  He  Avas  elected  lord-mayor,  and 
allowed  to  sit  in  I'arliament.  The  English  colonies  in  the  wilds 
of  America,  although  harassed  by  Indian  and  colonial  Avars,  had 
grown  in  numbei's  and  pros[)erity.  'iluyhad  rec(>ive(l  l>ui  little 
fostering  care  or  kindly  encouragement  from  the  mother  country, 
ye(  their  alfection  for  England  was  l)oth  ardent  and  sincere. 
They  had  fought  in  her  battles,  and  rejoiced  in  her  triumphs. 
They  gloi'ied,  too,  in  the  rights  of  English  freemen,  and  were 
determined  that  these  rights  should  llourish  in  tlu;  new  land  to 
Avhich  they  had  been  trans[)lantcd.  One  of  these  rights,  host 
known  and  valued,  Avas  that  of  not  being  taxed  Avithout  their 
own  consent.  Once,  during  Sir  Kobert  \Valpole's  administra- 
tion, a  suiTijestion  Avas  made  to  lew  a  tax  on  th<5  American 
colonies.  'lie  who  shall  pi-ojjose  it  Avill  be  a  much  bolder  man 
than  I  am,'  Avas  the  Avise  statesman's  reply.  And  in  the  days 
of  ^Valpole  the  colonies  Avere  far  less  capable  of  resisting  than 
in  17(!5.    But  in  17()5  the  bolder  man  Avas  found.     In  that  year 


Sir  George  Grenville,  at  the  suggestion  of  tlu^  king,  not  only 
proposed,  but  carried  through  Parliament,  an  net  imposing  a 
stamp  duty  on  the  North  American  colonies,  —  colonies  unrep- 
resented in  the  ParlianuMit  of  England.  Sir  George  GreuA'ille 
had  retired  from  otfice  Avhen  news  came  across  the  wat(>rs  that 
the  indignant  colonies,  from  Massachusetts  to  Georgia,  had, 
Avith  one  consent,  resisted  this  unjust  attack  upon  their  English 
riirhls  and  liberties.  AVhen  th"  announcement  Avas  made,  Pitt,  • 
now^  Earl  of  Chatham,  rose  in  liie  House  of  Commons,  and  ex- 
claimed :  'I  rejoice  that  America  tias  resisted.  Three  millions 
of  people  so  dead  to  all  the  feelings  of  liberty  as  A^oluntarily  to 


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182 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


If' 


submit  would  have  becu  fit  instruments  to  mi'ke  slaves  of  the 
rest.'" 

3.  Wg  have  already  traced  the  results  in  America.  The 
voice  of  the  latter  broke  forth  in  a  Declaration  of  Independence, 
which  has  already  stood  a  hundred  years.  For  seven  years 
England  withstood  this  declaration,  and  the  Avar  progressed  as 
^ve  have  recorded  it.  The  conduct  of  the  English  king  and 
ministry  was  censured  during  the  whole  war  by  a  strong  party 
in  Parliament.  In  June,  1781,  a  motion  was  made  in  the  Hou«o 
of  Connnons  "that  his  majesty's  ministers  ought  immediately  to 
take  every  possible  measure  for  concluding  peace  with  our 
AmericjHi  colonies."  The  motion  Avas  ably  defended  l)y  Wil- 
liam Pitt,  tlic  youtliful  son  of  the  great  orator  and  statesman, 
who,  in  1705,  had  so  strongly  censured  the  taxing  of  the  colonies. 
By  the  year  1782  the  war  had  become  so  unpopular  that  the 
ministry  of  Lord  jS'oilh  resigned.  A  new  AVhig  ministry  suc- 
ceeded, and  a  treaty  of  peace  Avas  concluded,  by  Avhich  the 
Independence  of  vlie  United  States  of  America  ^vlls  acknowl- 
edged. But  England  did  not  lose  all  her  American  posses- 
sions by  this  disaster  ;  there  still  remains  tlie  loyal,  prosi)erous 
Dominion  of  Canada.  When  Mr.  Adams,  the  tirst  American 
minister  to  the  court  of  Si.  .lainen,  appeared  before  the  king, 
his  majesty  said:  ''I  AA^ns  the  ■  >s^  man  in  the  kingdom,  sir,  to 
consent  to  the  Independence  of  A.nerica  ;  but  noAV  it  is  granted 
1  shall  be  Iho  last  man  in  the  Avorld  to  sanction  a  violation 
of  it." 

4.  It  must  not  bo  forgotten,  hoAvever,  that  ICngland  was  in 
the  midst  of  great  European  Avars  Avhilc  she  sought  to  quell 
the  revolution  in  .Vmerica,  and,  if  her  elibrts  in  the .  latter 
resulted  unfavorably,  they  were  triun^phant  in  the  former.  The 
closing  year  of  the  contest  in  Europe  was  marked  by  the 
defence  of  Gibraltar,  one  of  the  bravest  and  noblest  achieve- 
ments ever  recorded  in  the  annals  of  war.  "  The  recovery  of 
this  strong  fortress  had  for  years  been  the  constant  hope  and 
aim  of  the  Spaniard.  Again  and  again  had  it  been  attempted, 
but  the  lirm  old  rock,  and  the  iirrn  hearts  upon  it,  had  defied 
every  attack.  At  length,  in  the  summer  of  the  year  1782, 
after  the  fortress  had  been  in  a  state  of  siege  for  fL;-cc  years, 
vnst  jjreparations  were  made  for  an  assault,  before  A\)iich  it  was 
deemed  that  Gibraltar  must  inevitably  fall.  Forty  thousand 
Frencl.  and  Si)aniards  Avere  assembled  for  the  land  attack.  In 
the  bay  lloated  a  formidable  fleet.  Ten  huge  tl()ating-1)atteries, 
made  fire-proof,  as  the  besiegers  fondly  believed,  and  armed 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


183 


with  two  liundrcd  and  twelve  brass  guns,  thrcAV  bomb-shells 
into  the  fortress,  whilst  one  thousand  pieces  of  artillery 
thundered  against  the  rock.  'Is  it  taken?'  was  the  first  ijues- 
tion  asked  l)y  the  Spanish  king  each  morning  on  awaking. 
'  Not  yet,'  was  tiio  daily  repeated  reply.  '  Well ;  but  it  must 
soon  b(5  ours,'  was  the  response  of  the  confident  monarch.  To 
resist  this  mighty  array,  one  of  the  gi'catest  ever  brought 
against  a  single  fortress,  there  Averc  but  seven  thousand  Eng- 
lish soldiers,  commanded  by  General  Elliott,  and  in  the  bay  a 
single  brigade  of  gunboats,  nnder  Captain  Curtis.  On  the 
morning  of  the  l.'Uh  of  Septeml)er  were  seen  crowds  of 
Spaniards  assembled  on  the  hills  which  surround  Gibraltar. 
From  this  natural  amphitheatre  they  gazed  upon  a  scene  of 
intense  and  fearful  interest.  By  nine  o'clock  the  enemies' 
fleet  came  within  gunshot  of  the  walls  of  the  fortress,  and  a 
fire  Avas  opened  upon  it,  Avhlch  was  soon  returned.  Four 
hundred  pieces  of  heavy  artillery  made  the  hills  resound.  All 
day  long  the  firing  Avas  kept  up,  but  early  in  the  evening  the 
hearts  of  the  assailants  failed  them,  for  the  red-hot  shot  from 
the  garrison  had  set  the  ships  on  fire,  and  by  midnight  '  the 
only  flashes  from  the  floating-batteries  Avere  the  flames  that  Avero 
consuming  them.  At  five  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  14th 
one  of  these  huge  constructions  blcAv  up  Avith  a  fearful  explosion 
•and  a  second  soon  shared  the  same  fate.  AVhat  folloAA^ed  on  the 
part  of  the  conquerors  is  become  a  household  Avord,  —  a  touching 
and  a  sacred  tale,  Avliich  tAvo  generations  of  Englishmen  have 
learned  in  the  cradle,  and  Avhlch  succeeding  generations  avIU  tell 
to  their  children,  as  the  l)est  excmpliflcatlon  of  the  axiom,  that 
the  bravest  are  ever  the  most  merciful.  On  shore  General 
Elliott  ordered  the  firing  to  cease,  Avhllst  the  noble  crew  of 
C.'.ptain  Curtis,  those  few  but  gallant  spirits,  dashed  among  the 
b'.a'ning  Avrecks,  to  save,  not  their  own  m-m,  but  the  drowning, 
burning  Spaniards,  Avho,  clinging  to  spirs,  or  still  on  the  blazing 
decks,  AA^erc  exposed  to  a  fearful  death.  From  the  flames  and 
from  the  Avavos  tAvo  hundred  and  fifty  Avere  rescued  by  the 
intrepidity  of  this  noble  enemy.  The  French  and  Spnnlsh 
navy  Avas  still  formidable,  and  they  hoped  that  l)y  intercepting 
supplies  to  the  garrison  they  might  yet  coinpel  Gibraltar  to 
surrender.  This  hope  vanished  Avhen  Admiral  Lord  Howe,  on 
the  11th  of  October,  sailed  through  the  straits,  and  a  few  days 
later  landed  stores  and  ti'oops  Avlthin  the  devoted  fortress.  Tlio 
hopeless  slego  Avas  continued,  but  Avlth  little  spirit  on  the  part 
of  the  Spaniards,  mitil  the  peace  Avas  signed.     From  the  rock 


I; 


V  t'    ! 


m 


184 


IIISTOIIY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


of  fiibniltar,  at  the  proud  licight  of  fourteen  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  EngHsh  feet,  the  tla<^  of  Great  Britain  still  Avaves 
over  those  narrow  straits,  the  key  of  the  jNIcditerranean,  wliieh 
she  has  so  bravely  won,  and  so  nobly  guarded." 

a.  The  year  sueeeeding  the  treaty  William  Pitt,  second  son 
of  the  Earl  of  Chatham,  l)eeamc  prime  minister,  lie  was  only 
in  the  twenty-iifth  year  of  his  age  Avhen  he  thus  assumed,  the 
government  of  the  country.  AVith, great  ability  and  success 
he  held  the  reins  of  state  for  seventeen  years.  The  period  of 
his  administration  was  an  eventful  one,  and  his  statesmanship 
Avas  quite  equal  to  that  of  his  illustrious  father.  The  elder  l*itt, 
created  in  17G()  Karl  of  Chatham,  had,  in  1778,  been  committed 
to  an  honored  tomb  in  "Westminster  Abbev. 


♦  »♦• 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ENGLAND  DURING  THE   EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

RELIGION LITERATURE  —  DISTINGUISHED        AVRITERS  —  THE        MINISTRY OLD 

AND    NEW    STYLE  —  AUCIIITECTURE  —  TAINTING  —  MLSIC  —  MANUFACTURES  — 
TRAVELLING. 

1.  George  AViiiTFiELD  and  John  Wesley  appeared  in  the 
early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  to  aAvaken  the  people  to 
greater  piety.  They  had  been  members  of  the  same  college 
at  the  uiuA'crsity  of  Oxford,  and  AA'ere  distinguished  during 
their  studi(>s  for  thejr  high  moral  character.  It  was  Avhile 
pursuing  their  studies  that,  through  their  rigid  mode  of  life, 
they  acquired  the  nickname  of  "Methodists,"  —  a  name  subse- 
((uently  given  the  religious  society  of  which  they  Aver'c  founders. 
These  two  men  Avent  forth  proclaiming  the  simple  gospel,  from 
Avhich  the  most  astonishing  results  followed.  AVesley,  although 
a  clergyman  of  the  Established  Church,  found  himself  denied 
the  church  i)ulpits,  on  account  of  his  peculiarities.  This  gave 
rise  to  the  itinerancy,  — a  distinguished  feature  of  Methodism. 
At  AVesley's  dcnith  there  Avero  seventy-one  thousand  jVIeth- 
odists  in  England  and  forty-eight  thousand  in  Auicrica. 
Whittield  struck  a  higher  vein  of  society,  infusing  religious 
zeal  thereni.  He  was  aided  by  the  Countess  of  IIuntiuLrdon, 
Avhich  accounts  for  his  success  in  the  upper  classes.  The 
Methodism   of    Wesley  found   its   Avarmest  Aveleomo    among 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


185 


the  working-classes.  The  pov/crful  and  eloquent  preaehing 
of  the.se  men,  together  \vith  the  elibrts  of  Watts,  Doddridge, 
and  others,  was  the  means,  in  the  hands  of  God,  of  doing 
much  good.  The  elForts  of  these  men  were  followed  by  sueh 
men  as  Fletcher,  tiic  vicar  of  Maudsley,  the  elder  Venn,  John 
Newton,  and  Rowland  Hill. 

2.  Until  1778  the  lioman  Catholics  in  the  whole  realm  were 
subjected  to  the  severest  privations,  being  denied  the  right  to 
say  mass  or  teach  the  youth  concerning  their  doctrines.  How- 
ever, in  this  year  a  bill  was  passed  allowing  lionianists  to 
engage  in  education  without  being  subjected  to  imprisonment,  to 
exercise  the  rites  of  their  religion,  and  to  enjoy  their  property; 
but  thc}^  Avere  not  allowed  to  hold  any  civil  othce.  "  The  con- 
cessions of  tnc  Relief  Bill,  limited  as  they  were,  met  with 
some  opposition  m  England,  and  when  it  was  proposed  to 
extend  them  to  Scotland  the  most  tumultuous  excitement  broke 
out  in  that  country.  A  society  Avas  formed,  called  '  The 
Protestant  Association,'  the  object  of  Avhi^h  Avas  to  oppose  all 
relief  to  Roman  Catholics.  The  president  Avas  Lord  George 
Gordon,  a  fanatical  nobleman,  Avho  is  supposed,  from  some 
of  his  extra A^afjances,  to  liaA^e  been  insane.     The  "Protestant 


Association"  soon  extended  to  England,  and  an  immense 
body  of  meVi,  aninuucd  by  a  spirit  of  bitter  intolerance, 
rauii'ed  themselves  imder  the  command  of  Lord  CJeorge. 
On  the  2d  of  June,  1780,  sixty  thousand  members  of  this  asso- 
ciation assembled  in  St.  George's  Fields,  and  thence  pro- 
ceeded through  London  to  the  Parliament  House,  bearing 
a  petition,  signed,  it  is  said,  Avith  the  names  or  marks  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  Protestants.  Entering 
the  house,  the  rabble  made  the  old  hall  of  Westminster  ring 
Avith  their  shouts  of  '  No  Popery  ! '  '  Xo  Po[)ery  ! '  The 
riots  continued  during  the  Aveek,  from  the  2d  to  the  Dtli  of 
June,  Avith  ever-increasing  violence.  On  the  night  of  the  7th 
thirty-six  tires  blazed  in  different  parts  of  the  city,  Avhilst  the 
uproar  of  the  mob  and  the  tiring  of  the  military  added  to  the 
terror  of  the  scene.  At  length,  by  armed  force,  the  ricjters  Avere 
subdued,  but  not  before  five  hundred  lives  had  been  lost  and 
an  innnensc  amount  of  property  destroyed.  Lord  Mansfield's 
beautiful  mansion  and  A'aluable  law-lil)rary  fell  a  sacritice  to  the 
fury  of  the  mob.  When  this  learned  and  aged  judge  pleaded, 
a  few  days  later,  the  lawfulness  of  empioying  the  military 
against  the  rioters,  he  nnuh^  a  slight  but  touching  yllusion  to 
his  own  great  loss. 


, 


i 


It 


W 


\m 


I  ill 


'I  have  founded  my  opinion  without  con- 


I 


I 


J! 


■?  I' 


i        .1 


186 


HISTORY   OF  DOMIJsION  OF  CANADA, 


suiting  my  Ijooks,'  said  he  ;  adding,  '  Indeed,  I  have  no  books 
to  consult.'  These  riots  and  the  excited  state  of  feeh'ng  in 
Scothuid  prevented  the  extension  of  the  Kehef  Bill  to  that 
country." 

ii.  The  literature  of  this  period  was  similar  in  tone  to  tho 
state  of  the  church,  and  the  English  essayists  sought  to  elevate 
its  character.  Tliey  also  founded  periodical  literature,  their 
cssaj's  being  issued  in  small  tri-weekly  sheets,  at  tho  cost  of  a 
penny  each.  The  first  of  these  papers,  called  the  "Tattler," 
wad  established  by  Sir  Ivichard  Steele.  "The  Spectator"  was 
the  most  distinguished  of  those  periodicals  ;  its  cohnnns  being 
enriched  by  the  writings  of  Addison.  Jonathan  Swift,  tho  Dean 
of  St.  Patrick's,  Avas  the  principal  wit  of  Queen  Anne's  reign. 
lie  M'as  u  powerfid  writer,  but  his  personal  character  was  bad. 
The  last  nine  jcars  of  his  life  were  spent  in  hopeless  insanity. 
In  tho  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  poet  Pope  began 
to  attract  attention,  and  ho  was  rirrounded  by  such  talent  as 
Swift,  Gay,  Arbuthnot,  Purnell,  and  Prior.  Pope  gave  us  the 
iirst  English  translat"  n  of  Homer's  Iliad  and  Odj'ssey.  The 
other  poets  of  this  period  wore  Young,  Thomson,  and  Gray, - 
and,  later.  Goldsmith  and  Cowpor.  This  ccntuiy  gave  rise  to 
prose  liction.  The  tirst  author  in  this  style  was  Daniel  Defoe, 
who  wrote  "Robinson  Crusoe."  IIo  was  suceeodc(5  hy  llichard- 
son,  Fielding,  Smollett,  and  Sterne.  The  woi-ks  of  these 
authors  wore  interesting  in  their  day,  but  are  too  coarse  to 
meet  the  rctined  tastes  of  our  time.  The  prose  writers  of  this 
period  are  headed  by  Iluine,  Avhose  excellent  "History  of 
England  "  is  still  popular.  His  contemporaries  were  Robertson, 
who  wrote  a  celebrated  "  History  of  the  Reign  of  the  Emperor 
Charles  V. ;  "  and  Gibbon,  the  able  author  of  tho  "  Decline  and 
Fall  of  tho  Roman  Empire."  The  religious  inlidelity  of  Hume 
and  Gibljon  is  the  only  cloud  on  tiieir  works.  Macpherson  and 
Chatterton  were  also  celebrated  writers  in  17G0. 

4.  liut  tho  greatest  literary  hero  of  his  ago  Avas  Dr.  Samuel 
Johnson,  the  sage  of  Lichfield,  tho  compiler  of  the  celebrated 
"Dictionary  of  the  English  Language."  He  was  an  essayist, 
moralist,  biographer,  and  poet.  IJlackstone's  valuable  "  Com- 
mentaries on  the  Laws  of  England"  were  published  in  17()5. 
The  female  writers  were  Miss  Burney,  afterwards  Madame 
D'Arl)lay,  who  Avrote  the  agreeable  and  celebrated  novels, 
"  Evelina,"  and  "  Cecilia  ;  "  the  learned  Greek  scholar,  Elizabeth 
Carter;  INIrs.  Barbauld,  Lady  j\Iary  Wortley  ^Montagu,  and  tho 
crowning  glory  of  female  authorship,  Hannah  More.     lu  her 


ENGLAND,   AND   THE  UNITED   STATES. 


187 


l^lcasant  lionio  at  Cowslip  Green,  and  later  at  Barley  A\'oocl, 
this  good  and  gifted  woman  drew  aronnd  her  the  Ijest  and  most 
aceomplislied  men  and  women  of  her  day.  The  great  Dr. 
Johnson,  often  rough  and  uncouth  in  his  manners  to  others,  was 
ever  gentle  and  atfectionate  towards  Hannah  More.  Garriek, 
the  tlramatist,  Horace  Walpohi,  Newton,  ^^'ilberforcc,  and  Sir 
Joshua  licynolds,  were  all  numbered  among  her  friends. 

5.  It  was  only  with  the  l)eginning  of  the  eighteenth  century 
that  the  king's  chief  otKccr,  who  was  the  lord  treasurer,  re- 
ceived the  name  of  i)reniier,  or  prime  minster.  Subsequently 
this  minister  became  the  chief  executive  officer  in  the  realm,  by 
whom  all  the  principal  departments  of  government  arc  filled. 
The  men  at  the  heads  of  these  departments,  Avith  the  premier 
at  their  head,  constitute  the  ministrj^  to  whom  the  administra- 
tion of  public  atl'airs  is  entrusted.  The  great  architects  of 
the  eighteenth  century  Averc  Sir  Christopher  AVren  and  Van- 
brugh.  The  great  painters,  named  in  chronological  order,  are 
Sir  Godfrev  Kneller  and  Hogarth.  The  latter  died  in  17G4, 
and  four  years  later  "The  lioyal  Academy  of  Arts"  Avas 
founded.  Sir  Joshua  Ivcynolds  Avas  founder  of  the  English 
school  of  painters.  His  associates  Avcro  West,  Wilson,  and 
Gainsborough.  Music  Avas  also  making  great  progress  during 
this  period.  The  oratorio,  one  of  the  most  mngniticent  triumphs 
of  musical  talent,  Avas  brought  out  in  1770,  by  Frederick 
Handel,  Avho  had  made  England  his  home. 

G.  The  industrial  arts  Avere  also  making  progress.  Hitherto 
the  woollen  manufacture  had  been  one  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance, but  noAV  the  manufacture  of  cotton  became  the  great 
source  of  English  AA'calth.  In  1704  James  Hargreavcs  invented 
the  spinning-jonny,  which  Avas  made  to  spin,  lirst  eight,  and 
then  sixteen,  spindles  at  a  time.  A  fcAV  years  later  Sir  Kiciiard 
ArliAvright,  at  lirst  a  poor  barber,  gave  to  the  Avorld  his  great 
invention  of  spinning  by  rollers.  But,  to  croAvn  all,  in  1785, 
AYatt  invented  the  steam-engine,  by  Avhich  all  machinery  of  all 
inventions  was  subsequently  driven.  "The  silk  manufacture 
increased  and  improved  greatly,  especially  Avhen  the  revocation 
of  the  Edict  of  Nantes  had  brought  many  skilful  French  artisans 
into  England.  Early  in  this  century  tlie  Sillv  Weavers'  Com- 
pany reported  the  manufacture  in  England  as  twenty  times 
greater  in  e:.tcnt  than  in  the  year  1GG4,  and  the  silk  equal  in 
quality  to  that  imported  from  France.  Until  the  year  1715  the 
Aveavers  Avero  dependent  upon  Italy  for  their  supply  of  silk 
thread,  in  Avhich  country  the  machiner};  for  its  manufacture  had 


188 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


been  brou^iht  to  f^roat  porfcetiou.  la  the  abovc-naniecl  year  an 
English  silk  merchant  went  to  Italy,  determined  to  learn  the 
secret  of  (his  sn[)erior  maehiner}'.  After  much  difllcuity  ho 
obtained  employment  in  an  humble  capacity  in  one;  of  tho 
Italian  mills,  rieadiug  great  destitution,  ho  was  permitted  to 
slec'p  in  the  work-room ;  hero  ho  employed  his  nights  in 
making  drawings  of  tho  machinery.  After  obt?'ining  tho  rcq- 
uisit(i  informatron,  ho  left  his  Italian  employers,  relurned  to 
England,  and,  in  1711),  estal)lished  at  Dcrb}',  in  connection 
witli  his  brothers,  the  iirst  English  silk  factory.  In  tho  manu- 
facture of  porcelain  and  earthenware  tho  most  useful  discoveries 
and  improvements  were  made  during  the  course  of  this  century. 
In  1703  Yv^edgwood  produced  tho  beautiful  article  known  us 
queen's  Avarc." 

7.  Travelling,  even  until  tho  middle  of  this  century,  pre- 
sented no  convcmiences  or  comforts  until  the  method  of  trans- 
portation by  canals  Avas  introduced.  Tho  iirst  was  tho  Bridge- 
water  Canal,  constructed  by  the  Duke  of  Bridgowater,  in  1655. 
It  produced  a  great  sensation.  Soon  after,  Brindloy,  tho 
engineer  of  the  earliest  canals,  cut  through  a  hill  a  tunnel 
nearly  three  thousand  yards  in  hniglh.  This  was  one  of  the 
most  Avondorful  achievements  of  its  day.  Society  in  England 
during  this  period  was  at  a  Ioav  ebl),  particularly  among  tho 
women  ;  but  an  inspiration  to  a  higher  and  better  life  came  with 
the  progress  in  tho  arts  and  industries. 


♦  ♦  ♦ 


CHAPTER  XYII. 

THE    CANADAS,  1780  TO  1840. 

EVENTS    IN   THE    IIISTORV    OF   UPPER   AND     LOWER   CANADA  —  THE    DOMINION   AND 
UNION   OF   THE    PROVINCES THE    REBELLION. 


1.  Turning  again  to  the  main  thrcvid  of  our  narrative,  let 
us  look  at  Canada  internalh',  in  her  progress  after  the  Ivcvolu- 
tionary  vv\ir,  and  wo  may  at  once  state  that  tho  issue  of  that  war 
was  attended  with  considerable  advantage  to  Canada.  .  A  largo 
number  of  disl)anded  English  soldiv'rs  and  loyalists  from  the 
United  States,  Avho  had  sought  refuge  in  tho  liritish  territories, 
received  liberal  grants  of  land  in  the  Upper  Province,  border- 
incT  on  the  St.  LaAvrence  and  Eake  Ontario.    These  now  settlers 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


189 


wero  Icrtnod  "United  Empiro  Loyalists,"  and  were  prroatly  cn- 
coiiiii/^cd  by  the  Kii<^lish  govcnuncnt.  Tluy  received  not  only 
afrll  sui)i)ly  of  land,  but  also  tho  noccssaiy  fanning  ntensiLs, 
budiling  materials,  and  even  subsistence  for  two  years.  These 
induceiiu'nls  not  only  increased  the  settlements  in  Canada,  b»it 
the  appearance  «f  it.  A  wonderful  chan'ge  Avas  soon  produced, 
and  a  great  extent  of  wilderness  converted  into  fruitful  lields. 
Kingston,  on  the  site  of  Fort  Frontenac,  rose  ii-  >  connnercial 
importance,  an(l  was  for  a  long  time  the  capital  of  Ontario. 
The  town  of  York,  afterward  Toronto,  founded  soon  after  by 
General  Simeoe,  rose  rapidly,  and  everywhere  Canada  moved 
forward  in  prosperitv.  \\"\\h  this  advancement  came  a  demand 
for  representative  government,  and  in  1791  Canada  was  divided 
into  two  provinces,  called  Upper  and  Lower,  afterwards 
Ontario  and  Quebec,  over  which  representative  governments 
were  established  on  a  British  constitution  basis.  A  governor 
"was  appointed  for  each  province,  and  to  him  was  gi\  en  the  same 
power  for  convoking,  proroguing,  and  dissolving  the  represen- 
tative Assembly  that  the  king  himself  enjoyed  in  England.  A 
legislative  council,  with  members  appointed  by  tho  king  for 
life,  was  also  established.  There  was  also  an  executive 
council,  appointed  by  the  king,  to  advise  and  assist  the  governor 
in  the  performance  of  his  executive  duties.  The  representative 
Asscmldy  in  each  province  had  but  little  direct  power.  It 
formed  a  concurrent  body  in  tho  general  Legislature.  Each 
provincial  government  had  control  over  all  matters  pertaining 
to  the  province,  excepting  the  subjects  of  religion,  its  ministers 
and  revenues,  and  tho  waste  lands  beloni>;in2r  to  the  crown. 
Acts  atiecting  these  su])jects  could  not  be  valid  without  the 
sanction  of  the  Kinj?  and  Parliament  of  Enii'land. 

2.  In  171)7  General  Prcscott  was  made  Governor  of  LoAver 
Canada,  and  in  1803  a  decision  of  the  Chief  Justice  of  Mcmireal 
declared  slavery  unlawfiH  in  that  countr}^  and  a  few  individuals 
held  in  bondage  were  freed.  In  1807,  apprehensions  l)eing  felt 
of  a  war  with  tho  United  States,  Sir  James  Craig,  an  olHcer  of 
distinction,  was  sent  out  as  Governor-General  of  the  iiritisii 
Provinces.  Tho  principal  events  of  the  war  of  1812,  so  far  as 
they  belong  to  Canadian  history,  will  be  related  in  a  sidjsequeni 
chapter  of  this  work.  Soon  after  the  close  of  that  war  internal 
dissensions  began  to  disturl)  the  quiet  of  the*  two  provinces,  but 
more  particularly  that  of  Lower  Canada.  So  early  as  1807 
the  Assembly  of  the  province  made  serious  complaints  of  an 
undue  influence  of  other  branches  of  government  over  their 


I'.?* 


if 


1'  'n 


11)0 


IIISTOIIY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


;  i 


Ur| 


proceedings ;  but  in  vaiu  they  dcniandcd  that  the  Judges,  who 
were  d('i)eii(K'nt  u[)oii  the  executive  und  removuI>Ie  by  him, 
should  be  expelled  from  their  body. 

.').  The  administration  of  Sir  (>.  Druinmond,  in  ISl.'),  ^vaa 
marked  by  a  discontent  amon<^  the  pco^jlc  that  found  em[)hatic 
expression.  lie  was  succeeded  in  the  otKco  of  governor- 
general  hy  Sir  John  Sh(>rl)rooke,  who  reached  Canada  in  1810, 
and  by  whom  harmony  was  restored  to  the  provinces.  He 
elfected  a  compromise  with  the  Assembly  as  to  the  support  of 
the  government;  but,  in  1818,  this  governor  was  succeeded  l)y 
the  JJuke  of  Jiichmond,  Avho  reversed  the  pacific  policy  of  his 
prcdecessoi-,  and  exercised  a  tyrannical  rule.  However,  in 
1811),  the  life  of  the  didcc  suddenly  terminated  in  an  attack  of 
hydrophobia,  and,  in  the  following  year,  Lord  Dalhousio  was 
appointed  to  succeed  him.  Ho  imniediately  became  involved  in 
the  same  diihculties  Avith  the  Asseml^iy  that  his  predecessor  had 
encountered,  and,  assumir.g  even  a  higher  tone,  demanded  a 
large  sum  as  a  permanent  annual  grant  for  the  uses  of  the 
government.  But  the  Assembly  still  adhered  to  their  purposes 
until  a  compromise  Avas  agreed  upon.  There  seemed  to  bo  a 
growing  dislike  to  the  tyranny  of  the  governor-general  by  the 
people  ;  and  in  1823  the  popular  cause  was  strengthened  by 
the  insolvency  of  the  receiver-general  or  treasurer  of  the 
province,  Avho  proved  to  be  indebted  to  the  public  over  four 
hundred  thousand  dollars; 

4.  Lord  Dalhousio  was  absent  in  1825,  during  which  time 
the  government  was  administered  by  Sir  Francis  IJurton,  who, 
by  yielding  nearly  all  the  points  in  dispute,  succeeded  in  pacify- 
ing the  Asscm))ly.  But  every  concession  made  by  the  governor 
to  the  Assembly  only  created  other  demands  on  the  pait  of  that 
body,  and,  on  the  return  of  Lord  Dalhousio,  in  182(5,  the 
dissensions  between  the  Assembly  and  the  governor  became 
violent.  On  the  meeting  of  the  Assembly  in  the  following  year 
Mr.  Papineau  was  elected  speaker.  Ho  was  the  leader  of  the 
opposition  to  the  government,  and  the  governor  refused  to 
sanction  his  appointment.  The  house  continued  obstinate,  and 
the  result  was,  no  session  was  held  during  the  following  Avinter. 
Li  1828  a  petition,  signed  by  eighty-seven  thousand  residents 
of  Canada,  was  ])resented  to  the  king,  complaining  of  the .  con- 
duct of  Lord  Dalhousio,  and  also  his  predecessors,  and  demand- 
ing compliance  with  the  policy  of  the  Assembly.  The  petition 
was  referred  to  the  House  of  Commons,  and  that  body  favored 
its  demands.     This  report  was  received  by  the  Canadians  with 


KNOLAN'D,   AXn  TIIK   I'N'^TEn   STATES. 


101 


the  greatest  satisfiiotioii,  and  their  joy  was  incroasod  when, 
near  tho  cl()3(5  of  the  same  3'ear,  Sir  Jatnes  Kempt  Mas  sent  ont 
as  <i^ovcrnor,  M'ith  instrn('ti(»ns  to  earry  the  new  poliey  into 
cli'eet.  The  ju(l<^es,  j'Uhouirli  they  refused  to  r<\si<rn  their  piaees 
ill  tho  Assembly,  withdiew  from  its  sittings,  and  seats  in  tho 
exeeutivo  couneil  wero  even  (>lfered  to  Ncilson,  Papineau,  and 
other  popuhir  leaders. 

5.  Lord  Ay  liner  succeeded  to  tho  government  in  1830, 
giving  assurances  that  ho  would  earry  out  the  liberal  p(diey  of 
the  Assembly.  The  homegovermnent,  however,  had  instructed 
him  that  certain  casual  revenues,  arising  fromth(!  sale  of  lands, 
the  cutting  of  timb(M",  and  other  sources,  wero  still  to  bo  con- 
sidered as  belonging  to  the  crown,  and  wero  to  bo  ap[)ropriated 
chicHy  to  tho  payment  of  tho  stipends  of  tho  clergy  of  the 
Established  Church.  When  these  instructions  l)ecam(3  known, 
the  designs  of  government  met  with  violent  opposition,  and  the 
Assembly  declared  that  "under  no  circumstances,  and  upon  no 
consideration  whatever,  would  it  abandon  or  com[)romisc  its 
claim  of  control  ovcu'  the  whoh;  public  levcnuo."  A  long  peti- 
tion was  drawn  up,  setting  forth  the  grievances  of  tho  people. 
It  received  tho  endorsement  of  tho  government,  and  soon  after 
tho  British  Parliament  conferred  upon  tho  provincial  Assembly 
full  control  over  tho  most  important  revenues  ;  but,  in  turn, 
permanent  salaries  wero  demanded  for  tho  judges,  the  governor, 
and  a  few  of  tho  chief  executive  officers.  "  Tho  Assembly  con- 
sented to  make  tho  recpiired  provision  for  tho  judges,  but  on 
the  condition  that  tho  casual  revenues,  which  had  been  sought 
to  bo  reserved  to  the  crown,  should  bo  a[)propriate(l  for  this 
purpose.  This  condition,  however,  tho  homo  government 
refused  to  accede  to.  A  large  majority  of  tho  Assembly  voted 
against  making  a  permanent  provision  for  tho  governor  and 
other  executive  ofticers,  on  the  ground  that  tho  executive,  not 
being  dependent  on  tho  representatives  of  tho  people  for  a  naval 
and  military  establishment,  would,  in  case  of  such  permanent 
establishment,  have  been  entirely  free  from  that  provincial 
control  and  dependence  essential  to  pul)lic  security  and  wel- 
fare." 

6.  The  province,  in  and  through  its  representatives,  Avas 
now  in  direct  conflict  with  tho   crown.     The  Assembly  now 

.began  to  name  conditions  for  tho  payment  of  salaries,  and  de- 
manded that  tho  Legislature  appointed  by  the  crown  should  be 
abolished,  and  a  new  one  instituted  that  should  compare 
somewhat  with  the  United  States  Senate,  with  members  elected 


'  *  I 


192 


IIIKTORV   OF   DOMINION    OF  CANADA, 


tsT-i- ------* 


by  popular  voto.  In  1833  a  i^ctition  urging  this  incasnrc 
was  traiisuiitliMl  to  the  kiii^,  autl  in  r('i)ly  the;  IJritish  niiiiistiy 
not  only  (li'clarcd  (he  proposcil  <.iian;u:('  disloyal,  hut  hinted  at 
the  possihilily  that  events  nii«^lit  nnhappily  force  npon  I'ariia- 
iiKMit  the  exercise  of  its  supreme  authority  to  put  a  stop  to  the 
internal  dissensions  of  Canada,  or  even  to  niodity  the  charter  of 
th(!  Canadas.  This  intelligence  threw  the  Assembly  into  a  fury, 
and  it  refused  to  pass  any  measures  cociperating  Avith  the 
ministry,  and  the  session  of  1884  was  passed  in  the  i)reparati()n 
V)f  anotlier  petition  or  remonstrance,  settinjj  f</rth  th(>  "rrievan/e 
o*'the  pro\  inces,  and  closing  with  a  peremptory  demand  fov  an 
elective  legislative  coimcil.  Meanwhile,  atfairs  cliangrd  in 
England,  and  in  183,')  the  Earl  of  (iosford  was  sent  out  as 
governor  of  Canada.  lie  at  onc(>  pi-omis'-d,  in  an  indirect  way, 
the  speedy  [)erf()rmance  of  all  that  the  Asscmhly  demanded. 
IJnt  if  these  promises  or  intimations  produced  any  good  feeling, 
it  Avas  speedily  swept  aAvay  when  his  real  instructions  from  the 
home  government  were  made  known.  Lord  Gosford  [)rol)al)ly 
concealed  his  instructions  from  the  crown,  Avith  a  A'iew  to  ol)- 
taining  the  needed  funds,  bat  his  designs  were  discovered 
before  he  gained  his  point.  Sir  Francis  Bond  Head,  who  had 
been  sent  out  as  governor  of  Upper  Canada,  Avas  the  means  of 
disclosing  tho  instructions  to  both  governors.  The  Uritish 
nunistry  had  proclaimed  that  "  the  king  was  mosi  unwilling  to 
admit,  as  open  to  debate,  the  question  Avhether  one  of  the  vital 
principles  of  the  provincial  government  shall  undergo  altera- 
tion." 

7.  The  excitement  that  folloAved  these  developments  AA'as 
intense  ;  "  the  Assembly  not  only  complahied  of  disappointment, 
but  charged  the  governor  Avith  perfidy  ;  the  customary  sup- 
plies Avere  withheld,  and  no  provision  Avas  made  for  the  public 
serAace.  In  the  autumn  of  183()  the  majority  of  the  Assembly, 
in  an  address  presented  to  the  governor,  declared  their  positive 
adherence  to  their  former  demands  for  an  elective  council ; 
maintained  that  they  themselves,  in  opposition  to  the  then 
existing  legislatiA'c  council,  'the  representatives  of  the  Tory 
party,'  Avere  the  only  legitimate  and  authorized  organ  of  the 
people  ;  and  hnally  they  expressed  their  resolution  to  grant 
no  more  supplies  until  the  great  Avork  of  justice  and  reform 
should  be  completed."     A  crisis  had  noAV  come. 

8.  Appearances  declared  that  violent  measures  Avould  ensue. 
The  provincial  Assembly  Avas  firm  in  its  radical  demands, 
while  the  ministry  were  unAvilling  to  concede  the  monarchical 


m 


hM 


ENGLAND,    AND   TFII'   T'NITED   STATES. 


lo:? 


prerogatives.  "Early  in  1837  tho  l^ritish  Parliainont,  }iy  a 
voto  of  thrco  lmii(li(Ml  uiid  eighteen  to  titlty-six,  declared  the 
inexpediency  of  making  the  legishitivo  council  eh»ctive  by  tho 
pc()[)U',  and  of  rcndei-ing  the  cxccutiv(^  council  responsihie  to 
tho' Assembly.  Intelligence  of  this  vot(5  occasioned  violent 
commotions  in  theCanadas,  and  various  meetings  of  tho  jieopio 
wore  held,  in  which  it  was  aOirmed  that  tho  decision  of  Par- 
liament had  extinguished  all  hopes  of  justice,  and  that  no  far- 
ther attempts  should  be  nuide  to  obtain  redress  from  that 
(piarter.  A  general  convention  was  proposed,  to  consider  what 
farther  mcasu"es  Avero  advisabh;,  ivnd  a  recommendation  M'as 
mado  to  discontinue  tho  use  of  British  manufactures,  and  of 
uU  articles  paying  taxes." 

9.  Tho  situation  now  became  unpleasant,  and  (iov.  Gosford, 
fearing  the  intluence  of  Papineau,  early  in  June,  1837,  called 
upon  tho  Governor  of  Now  lirunswick  for  a  regiment  of  trooj)s, 
and  issued  a  proclamation  warning  iho  people  against  all 
attempts  to  seduce  them  from  their  allegiance.  ^lootings  of  tho 
loyalists  were  also  held  in  Montreal  and  (Quebec,  condeujning 
tho  violent  proceedings  of  tho  Assembly,  and  deprecating  both 
the  objects  and  the  measures  of  tho  so-called  patriot  party.  In 
August,  Lord  Gosford  called  a  meeting  of  tho  provincial  Legis- 
lature, and  submitt(>d  measures  for  amending  iho  legislative 
council ;  but  the  representatives  adhered  to  their  former  pur- 
poses of  withholding  supplies  until  all  their  grievances  should 
bo  redressed,  when  the  governor,  expressing  his  regret  at 
measures  which  he  considered  a  vital  aimihilation  of  the  con- 
stitution, prorogued  tho  Assemblj'."  A  resort  to  arms  seems 
now  to  have  been  resolved  upon  by  tho  popular  lead(n's  of  tho 
people,  as  against  tho  government  of  Great  Britain,  and  it  was 
no  doubt  hoped  by  this  class  that  the  struggle  would  result  in 
complete  independence.  A  central  committee  Avas  formed,  Avitu 
head-cpiartcrs  t  Montreal,  and  an  association  known  as  "  Sons 
of  Liberty  "  »v'as  organized  by  this  management,  which  marched 
in  procession  through  the  streets,  demonstrating  a  fooling  of 
disloyalty,  or  dislike,  to  tho  British  yoke,  and  calling  upon  the 
people  to  rally  round  the  standard  of  freedom. 

10.  Violent  demonstrations  against  tho  crown  officers  wore 
now  witnessed  in  many  quarters.  In  the  county  of  Two  Moun- 
tains, north  of  the  Ottawa  and  adjoining  Montreal  on  tho  west, 
the  people  deposed  their  magistrates,  and  reorganized  tho  militia 
under  officers  of  their  own  choice,  thereby  overriding  British 
authority  in  that  section.     These  proceedings  were  soon  after 


m 


194 


HISTORY  OF  DOMIXIOX  OF  CANADA, 


imitated  in  other  places.  In  six  counties  south-west  of  the  St. 
Liiwfcuce,  all  persons  holding  office  under  the  crown  were 
fo'-ced  to  resign  their  situation  or  leave  the  country.  Loyalist 
associations  were  also  formed  in  o))position  to  the  freedom 
party,  and  these,  backed  by  the  Catholic  clerg}',  exhorted  the 
people  to  loyalty.  In  JNIontreal  the  "  Sons  of  Liberty  "  wero 
attacked  in  the  streets  and  dispersed  by  the  loyalists,  and, 
although  none  were  killed,  many  were  seriously  wounded.  The 
office  of  the  "Vindicator"  was  destroyed,  and  the  residence  of 
Papineau,  the  great  opposition  agiiator,  was  set  on  fire  by  the 
loyalists,  but  was  saved  from  the  flames  iifter  great  exertion. 
Lxnggerated  reports  of  these  doings  spread  through  the  country, 
creating  the  wildest  excitement.  The  disloyal  movement  was 
now  assuming  such  shape  that  the  government  is;;ued  warrants 
for  the  arrest  of  twenty-six  of  the  most  prominent  agitators,  of 
whom  seven  were  memliers  of  the  Assembly,  including  the 
popular  Papineau,  the  speaker  of  that  body.  Several  wero 
arrested,  but  the  speaker  cculd  not  be  found.  Considerable 
opposition  Avas  put  forth  against  the  parties  endeavoring  to 
make  the  ai'rests,  and  many  rescues  were  eflected.  "  In  the 
latter  part  of  N(n'ember  strong  detachments  of  govcrnmejit 
troops,  commanded  by  Cols.  Gore  and  AVetherall,  were  sent  to 
attack  arnicd  bodies  of  insurgents,  assembled  imder  Pai)ineau, 
Brown,  and  Neilson,  at  the  villages  of  St.  Denis  and  St.  Charles 
on  the  Sorel.  Col.  Gore  proceeded  against  St.  Denis,  which 
he  attack  d  with  great  s})irit ;  but  was  repulsed  with  a  loss  of 
ten  killed,  ten  Avounded,  and  six  missing.  Col.  "Wetherail  was 
more  successfuL  Although  St.  Charles  Avas  defended  by  a 
thousand  men,  the  place  Avas  carried  after  a  severe  engagement, 
in  Avliich  the  insurgents  lost  nearly  three  hundred  in  killed  and 
Avounded.  This  all'air  suppressed  the  insurrection  in  that 
(piarter.  The  peasantry,  panic-stricken,  thrcAV  doAvn  their 
arms  ;  Xeilson  was  taken  jirisoner,  and  ProAvn  and  Papineau 
sought  sjifety  by  escaping  to  the  United  States." 

11.  The  Avork  of  suppressing  the  insurrection  continued. 
In  December.  1837,  thirteen  hundred  regular  and  A'olunteer 
troops  were  sent  against  tho  districts  of  Two  Mountains  and 
Terrebonne,  Avhich  were  still  n.  a  state  of  rebellion.  "At  St. 
Euslache  an  obstinate  stand  Avas  made  by  the  insurgents,  Avho 
Averc  iinally  defeated  Avith  severe  loss.  Numbers  of  the  inhabi- 
tants Avere  remorselessly  massacred,  and  their  beautiful  village 
burned.  The  villaijo  of  St.  Benoit,  Avhich  had  been  the  chief 
seat  of  insurrection,  surrendered  Avithout  rcsistan(ie ;  but  such 


:IV  »• 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


lO.J 


Avas  ilio  rago  of  the  royalists,  avLo  had  bcpii  phindcfod  and 
driven  out  of  the  country,  that  they  reduced  a  hirgc  portion  of 
the  vilhigo  to  ashes.  Several  of  the  patriot  loaders  were  taken, 
and,  at  tiio  close  of  the  year  1837,  the  who'e  province  of  lA)wer 
Canada  was  again  in  a  state  of  tranquillity." 

12.  But  the  war  was  not  conlincd  to  Quebec  or  Lower 
Canada.  While  these  incidents  of  strife  were  transpiring  in  the 
lower  i)rovrnc'e,  events  of  great  importance  took  place  in  Uppor 
Canada.  A  discontented  party  had  arisen  there,  demanding 
reforms  quite  as  distastefid  to  Great  Britain  as  those  urged  in 
Lower  Canada,  and  in  183(5  the  Assembly  had  stopped  the  or- 
dinary supplies  ;  but  in  the  following  year,  when  a  new  election 
for  members  was  held,  the  intlucuce  of  the  governor,  Sir  Francis 
Head,  succeeded  in  causinjj  the  election  of  a  maioritv  of  mem- 
bors  friendly  to  the  existing  government.  "  From  this  time 
tranquillity  prevailed  'nitil  the  breaking  out  of  the  insurrection 
in  the  lower  province,  when  the  leaders  of  the  popular  party, 
who  had  long  desired  a  separation  from  Great  Britain,  seized 
the  opportunity  for  putting  their  plans  in  execution.  During 
the  night  of  the  otli  of  December,  1837,  about  five  hundred 
men,  under  the  command  of  Mackenzie,  assembled  at  Mont- 
gomery's Tavern,  four  miles  from  Toronto,  with  a  view  of  taking 
the  city  by  surprise.  Several  persons  proceeding  to  the  city 
M'cre  ^aken  prisoners,  but,  one  of  them  escaping,  tlie  alarm  was 
given,  and  by  morning  three  hundred  loyalists  were  mustered 
under  arms,  and  the  design  of  attacking  the  place  was  a))an- 
doned."  On  the  7th  the  loyalists  marched  to  the  attack,  and 
the  insurgents  were  easily  driven  back  and  many  of  them  made 
prisoners. 

13.  The  excitement  now  spread  along  the  border  of  the 
United  States.  Mackenzie,  having  fied  to  liuft'alo,  succeeded 
in  raising  there  a  ffreat  enthusiasm  for  the  cause  of  Canada.  A 
small  force  was  quickly  raised,  and  Van  Kensselaer,  Suthei'land, 
and  others  presented  the?nselves  as  military  leaders.  This  force 
took  possession  of  ISiivy  Island,  in  the  Niagara  Channel,  and 
erected  fortifications  on  it,  which  were  mounted  hy  thirteen 
pieces  of  cannon.  A  thousand  recruits  soon  flocked  to  this 
post.  Col.  IVlcXab  soon  arrived  opposite  the  island,  but  with- 
out the  facilities  for  crossing  the  channel  or  successfully  can- 
nonading the  fortifications.  These  scenes  and  incidents  drew 
around  them  muay  Americans,  who  were  disposed  to  espouse 
the  cause  of  the  "jxitriots  ;"  but  President  Van  I'ureu  issued 
t..o  successive  proclamations,  warning  the  people  (  f  the  penal- 


I 


m 


106 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


tics  to  ^vllieh  an  active  participation  in  the  conflict  would  make 
thcni  liable.  Gen.  Scott  was  appointed  to  the  command  on  the 
frontier,  with  instructions  to  maintain  a  strict  neutrality.  jNIean- 
while,  a  small  steamer,  named  the  Caroline,  which  had  been  cni- 
l>l()ycd  by  the  insurgents  in  the  channel  for  conveying  supplies, 
Avas  attacked  in  the  night  by  Capt.  Drew,  while  moored  to  the 
American  shore.  One  of  the  crew  was  killed,  and  the  vessel, 
after  being  toAved  to  the  middle  of  the  stream,  was  set  on  lire. 
The  burning  craft  Avas  carried  over  the  falls.  This  act,  having 
occurred  in  United  States  Avaters,  occasioned  great  excitement 
throughout  the  Union,  and  led  to  an  angry  correspondence 
})ctween  the  British  and  United  States  ministers. 

14.  After  the  arrival  of  Gen.  Scott  on  the  frontier,  the 
insurrection  in  that  vicinity  AA^as  soon  quelled.  ''  Effective  meas- 
ures Avere  taken  to  prevent  further  supplies  and  recruits  from 
reaching  NaA'y  Island,  Avhen,  the  force  of  the  assailants  con- 
tinually increasing,  and  a  scA'crc  cannonade  having  been  ccmi- 
nienced  by  them,  the  insurgents  evacuated  their  position, 
on  the  14th  of  January.  Van  Rensselaer  and  jNIackenzio, 
escaping  to  the  United  States,  Avere  arrested  by  the  Ameri- 
can authorities,  but  admitted  to  l)ail.  A  number  of  the 
fugitives  fled  to  ihe  West,  and  under  their  Jeader,  Sutherland, 
formed  an  establishment  on  an  island  in  the  Detroit  Channel. 
After  meeting  Avith  some  reverses  this  part}'  also  voluntarily 
dis1)anded.  Tranquillity  Avas  now  restored  to  both  Canadas 
Parliament  made  some  changes  in  the  constitution  of  the  loAA'er 
l^rovince,  and  in  May,  \S',]H,  the  Earl  of  Durham  arrived  at 
Quebec,  as  Governor-Cicnoral  of  all  British  America.  Having 
taken  the  responsibility  of  banishing  to  Bermuda,  under  penalty 
of  death  in  case  of  return,  a  number  of  prisoners  taken  in  the 
late  insurrection,  and  charged  Avith  the  crime  of  high  treason, 
his  conduct  met  Avith  some  censure  in  the  British  Barliament, 
Avhich  induced  him  to  resign  his  commission,  and  on  the  1st  of 
NoA'ember  he  sailed  from  Quebec,  on  his  return  to  England." 

15.  Soon  after  Sir  Francis  Head,  the  governor  of  the  upper 
province,  left  for  ]'2ngland,  several  bands  of  Americans,  invited 
by  the  "patriots,"  crossed  the  Niagara  Channel,  but  Avere  driA'cn 
back  by  the  militia.  "A  party  also  crossed  near  Detroit,  but, 
after  losing  a  few  of  their  numl^er,  Avere  compelled  to  return. 
On  the  3d  of  Novcml)er,  only  tAvo  days  after  the  departure  of 
the  Earl  of  Durham,  a  fresh  rebellion,  Avhicli  had  been  organiz- 
ing during  the  summer  along  the  Avhole  line  of  the  American 
frontier,  broke  out  in  the  southern  counties  of  Montreal  Dis- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


197 


trict.  At  Napicrville,  west  of  tho  Sorel,  Dr.  Ncllson  iuid  other 
leiulers  had  collected  about  four  thousand  nieu,  several  hinidred 
of  Avhoni  were  detached  to  open  a  communication  with  their 
friends  on  the  American  side  of  the  line.  These  were  attacked 
and  repulsed  by  a  party  of  loyalists,  who  afterwards  posted 
themselves  in  Odoltown  Chapel,  Avliere  they  v/ere  in  turn  at- 
tacked by  a  large  body  of  the  insur<^ents,  headed  by  Neilson 
himself;  but  after  a  severe  engagement  the  latter  were  obliged 
to  retreat  with  considerable  loss. 

IG.  But  while  these  movements  were  going  on,  Sir  James 
McDonnell  was  marching  at  the  head  of  seven  regiments  of  the 
lino  upon  the  insurgents.  So  rapid  and  effectual  were  his 
movements  thot  in  loss  than  two  weeks  the  whole  rdicllion  in 
Lower  Canada  was  suppressed.  Not  long  after  these  events 
several  hundred  Americans  sailed  from  the  vicinity  of  Sackett's 
Harbor,  and  landed  near  Prescott,  where  they  were  joined  by  a 
force  of  "patriots."  The  party  was  promptly  attacked  by  the 
government  troops,  but  the  latter  were  repulsed  ;  but,  being  re- 
inforced, the  invaders  were  repulsed  or  tak(!n  prisoners.  Later 
in  the  year  a  party  of  Americans  crossed  from  Detroit,  and, 
after  creating  considerable  disturbance,  they  were  defeated  and 
dispersed.  A  number  of  prisoners  were  ordered  to  be  shot  by 
the  Canadian  authorities  immediately  after  the  engagement. 
These  events  closed  the  year  183S,  and  were  the  closing  acts 
of  the  rebellion.  During  the  struggle  the  American  govern- 
ment had  exerted  itself  to  maintain  neutrality;  but  it  was  evi- 
dent that  the  feeling  of  the  people  of  the  United  States  was  iu 
warm  sympathy  with  the  Canadians  who  fought  for  liberty. 
.  17.  On  the  23d  of  July,  1840,  the  British  Parliament,  after 
much  bitter  discussion,  passed  an  act  by  which  the  provinces 
of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada  were  united  into  one,  under  the 
name  of  the  Province  of  Canada.  The  form  of  government  was 
l)ut  little  changed ;  the  governor  was  ajjpointed  by  her 
majesty,  a  legislative  council,  ana  a  representative  asseml)ly. 
The  old  executive  council  was  abolished.  "The  members  of 
the  legislative  council  were  to  consist  of  such  persons,  not 
being  fewer  than  twenty,  as  the  governor  should  sunnnon,  Avith 
her  majesty's  permission,  each  meml)er  to  hold  his  seat  during 
life.  The  meml)ers  of  the  repi'esentativo  assembly  were  to  bo 
elected  by  the  people,  but  no  person  was  eligible  to  an  election 
wlio  was  not  possessed  of  land,  free  from  all  iucural)rances,  to 
the  value  of  live  hundred  pounds  sterling.  The  duties  and 
revenues  of  the  two  former  provinces  were  consolidated  into 


I 


1 


;iiiii 


:P'i 


198 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


one  fund,  from  whit-h  sovcnty-flvG  thousand  i)ounds  sterling 
were  made  })ayiil)lo  annually  for  tlio  expenses  of  tlie  govern- 
ment. After  being  sulyeet  to  these  eharges,  the  sur[)lus  of  the 
revenue  fund  miglit  be  appropriated  as  tlie  Legislature  saw  iit, 
but  still  in  aceordanee  witn  the  reeomniendations  of  the  gov- 
ernor." Wo  turn,  at  this  point,  to  bring  forward  the  history 
of  ether  events. 


»♦  ♦ 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


THE   WAR  OF   1812-15. 


EVENTS    IX    THE    UNITED     STATES     FROM     1780    TO     1840,    INCLUDING    AN    ACCOUNT 
OF  THE    WAU   OF    1812-15,    AND   OTHER   MATTERS. 


\x 


1.  Affairs  across  the  border,  in  the  United  States, were  not 
in  a  state  of  perfect  harmony,  notwithstanding  the  Revolutionary 
War  had  resulted  in  granting  that  country  its  much-valued  in- 
dependence. The  coimtry  was  without  any  adequate  form  of 
government,  and  the  iirst  imi)ortant  step  taken  was  to  secure 
a  more  perfect  system  of  government.  Philadelphia  was  the 
city  chosen  for  the  assemljlage  of  a  convention  to  revise  the 
articles  of  confederation,  and  General  Washington  Avas  chosen 
president  of  the  Assembly,  The  Avhole  of  the  States,  except 
Rhode  Island,  sent  delegates,  and  the  deliI)eratious  were  at 
times  anything  but  calm  and  conciliatory  ;  but,  after  much  de- 
bate, the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  Ava^  adopted  by  that 
body,  on  the  17th  of  September,  1787,  and  the  Avork  of  organ- 
ization having  been  carried  out  during  the  following  year,  after 
a  sulHcient  number  of  the  States  had  ratitied  the  articles  to  give 
them  the  force  of  laAv,  the  constitution  aajis  brought  fully  into 
operation  in  1789.  Four  of  the  States  delayed  their  ratification 
for  some  time  ;  Rhode  Island  did  not  accept  the  constitution 
mitil  17ilO,  but  North  Carolina,  Rhode  Island,  and  the  rest 
came  under  the  operation  of  the  law  notwithstanding. 

2.  General  Washington  was  the  President  of  the  Philadel- 
phia Convention  in  1787,  and  his  moral  power,  more  tlian  the 
influence  of  any  other  single  individual,  ruled  the  Union  from 
the  dose  of  the  war  until  he  Avas  eleetexl  President  of  the 
United  States,  in  1780.  His  inauguration,  on  the  3()th  of  April, 
was  an  almost  unanimous  outburst  of  gratitude  toward  the  two- 


ENGLAND,    AND   THE   UNITED    STATES. 


199 


fold  tlelivorcr  of  his  countiy.  lie  had  cxpclloci  the  British,  and 
he  had  saved  the  nation  from  tlic  tyranny  of  an  armed  dictator. 
His  journey  from  Mount  A'ernon  to  New  York,  tlic  temporary 
capital,  Avas  an  ovation,  and  the  people  "would  have  crowned 
him  "vvith  ilowers  in  every  village.  His  oath  to  support  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States  Avas  taken  on  the  balcony  of 
the  old  Federal  Hall. 

3.  Want  of  funds  constituted  the  first  difficulty  Avith  Avhich 
the  government  Avas  obliged  to  contend.  The  treasury  Avas 
empt\',  a'.id  the  experiment  of  a  democratic  republic  being 
ncAV,  the  moneyed  men  of  the  Avorld  had  no  credit  to  bestoAV 
upon  novelties.  The  Indians  Avcre  hostile,  and  there  Avere  no 
forces  save  the  unpaid  militia  to  hold  them  generally'  in  check. 
The  navy  could  not  i^srotect  the  merchant  vessels  from  Algcriue 
corsairs.     The  navigation  of  the  jMississii^pi  Avas  under  Spanish 


Jaflitnoa       Sdox. 


lUndoIfh.  lliinilliiiu.  'WuUagioit 

Washington's  cAsmET. 


control,  and  that  nation  refused  Americans  the  right  to  travel 
on  its  Avaters.  The  Avhimsical  hatred  of  George  III.  prevented 
the  nomination  of  an  English  minister  to  the  United  States 
goverinnent,  and  there  Avas  no  treaty  of  commerce  l)etween  the 
countries.  AVashington  called  around  liim  the  men  of  leading 
minds,  Avho  represented  all  i)arties  of  the  Union,  and,  firmly 
holding  them  together,  proceeded  to  arrange  the  aflairs  Avhich 
his  government  nmst  reduce  into  order,  or  fail  entirely.  Jef- 
ferson, Hamilton,  Knox,  and  Eandolph  Avcre  associated  Avith 
liini  in  the  cabinet. 


200 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


t:M' 


4.  Alexander  Ilamiiton,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  iu- 
tlucecl  Congress  to  assume  tlie  l'al)ilities  incurred  liy  the  several 
States  durhig  the  war  of  independence,  and  to  pay  the  national 
debt  in  its  totality.  Funds  were  raised,  for  the  purposes  of 
govei'unient,  by  duties  on  imported  goods,  and  an  excise  on  dis- 
tilled li(]Uors.  Philadelphia  was  made  the  home  of  the  United 
States  Mint,  and  of  a  National  Bank.  The  vigor  exhibited  in 
these  measures  established  credit.  Thei'e  was,  in  1704,  an  or- 
ganized opposition  to  the  tax  on  spirits  in  western  Penn- 
sylvania, but  fiftecui  hundred  militia-men  subdued  the  riot,  and 
the  strength  of  the  government  was  fully  established. 

5.  The  Indians  had  defeated  two  armies,  sent  for  their  sub- 
jugation, in  the  north-west ;  but  the  appointment  of  General 
AVayne  to  the  connnand  Avas  the  signal  of  better  action.  The 
wiser  Indians  coimselled  peace,  but  a  long  career  of  rapine  in- 
duced the  majority  to  dissent,  and  the  battle  of  I\[aumec  was 
the  consequence,  August  20,  1794.  The  Indians  were  routed 
and  destroyed,  their  towns  laid  waste  for  fifty  miles,  and  they 
were  glad  to  purchase  peace  b}'  a  treaty  whereby  they  surren- 
dered the  territory  now  forming  Ohio  and  part  of  Indiana. 
Wayne  was  a  terror  to  the  Indians. 

G.  England  complained  that  moneys  duo  from  citizens  of  the 
United  States  could  not  be  collected,  and  the  answer,  unjustly 
given,  was,  "Your  government,  by  its  tyrannous  action,  has 
destroyed  our  means  of  payment;  therefore,  look  at  home." 
Individual  Americans  did  say  as  nuich,  and  called  attention  to  the 
fact  that  American  seamen  were  still  subject  to  impressment  on 
the  high  seas,  as  well  as  that  posts  were  held  on  the  frontier, 
as  at  Detroit  and  elsewhere.  To  arrange  the  matters  in  dispute 
Chief  Justice  Jay  wwit  to  England  as  envoy  extraordinary,  in' 
171)5  ;  but  the  treaty  made  by  him  excited  much  discontent 
among  all  classes,  as  it  gave  England  all  that  was  demanded, 
and  secured,  as  Americans  thought,  no  equivalent.  The  Senate 
became  very  unpopular  because  of  the  ratiHcation  of  the  treaty, 
and  its  advocates  fell  under  the  censure  of  the  public. 

7.  The  iNIississippi  was  opened  to  American  ships  b}'^  a 
treaty  Avith  Spain  in  1795,  Avhich  also  defined  the  boundaries  of 
Florida.  The  Dey  of  Algiers  Avas  obliged  to  release  American 
prisoners,  detained  by  his  government,  and,  under  a  treaty 
made  with  him,  the  <'onnnerce  of  the  Mediterranean  AA'as  made 
safe  and  practicable  for  American  vessels.  The  French  Eca^oIu- 
tion  and  the  European  Avar,  Avhicli  Avas  the  consequence  of  other 
nations  intermeddling  Avitli  France  in  matters  somcAvhat  dome^- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


201 


tic,  appealed  to  the  sympathies  of  the  American  people  with 
great  force;  but  Washington  and  his  cal>inet  could  not  see 
cause  for  their  country  to  rush  into  u  war  on  that  account,  and 
the  neutrality  of  the  United  States  was  preserved,  as  nearly  as 
possible,  under  the  circumstances.  Genet,  the  French  ambas- 
sador to  America,  fitted  out  privateers  in  American  ports,  and 
appealed  to  the  people  against  the  president ;  but  the  minister 
was  recalled  upon  Washington's  representations. 

8.  Washington  could  hardly  keep  the  pc-ace  between  con- 
tending parties  in  his  own  cabinet.  Jell'erson  associated  with 
Madison,  and  Randolph  led  the  Republican  party  in  the  country, 
opposing  the  assumption  of  State  debts  by  Congress,  the  English 
treaty  negotiated  b}^  Jay,  and  the  establishment  of  a  national 
bank.  Alexander  Hamilton  and  John  Adams,  able  men  and 
high-principled,  led  the  Federalists,  who  supported  Washington 
and  desired  a  strong  central  government.  Hamilton  was  rather 
a  monarchist  than  a  republican.  AVashington  might  have  been 
reelected,  but  he  declined  a  third  term,  and  in  the  contest 
between  parties  Adams  was  elected  his  successor  by  two 
electoral  votes  over  Jetferson.  The  nation  had  made  very 
wonderful  advances  during  the  administration  of  Washington, 
but  he  was  only  too  much  pleased  to  resign  the  authority  Avhich 
he  had  bcnuic  for  so  many  years. 

9.  John  Adams  was  eminently  a  man  of  strong  measures, 
and  immediately  after  his  assumption  of  otHcc  he  esteemed  it 
necessary  to  repress  the  license  with  which  the  government-  of 
the  United  States  was  being  assailed  by  residents  in  the  country 
who  thought  that  America  should  assist  France.  The  alien  and 
sedition  laws  were  the  natural  result  of  the  preponderance  of 
his  party,  and  it  was  now  i)ossible  for  the  president  to  expel 
any  foreigner  from  the  country  if  he  saw  such  action  to  be  ad- 
visable. Under  the  sedition  law,  fines  and  imprisonment  Avero 
denounced  against  any  person  libelling  the  president  or  the 
government.  ThC  peo[)le  hated  those  enactments.  The  revolu- 
tionary government  in  France  treated  America  Avith  marked 
discourtesy.  American  vessels  Avere  captured  and  the  ilag  dis- 
honored, and  envoys  sent  to  the  French  Directory  Avere  refused 
an  audience.  The  men  Avho  had  upheld  the  cause  of  France 
Avere  silenced  by  such  a  line  of  conduct.  An  army  Avas  to  bo 
raised,  and  General  Washington  Avas  nominated  commander-in- 
chief;  but  before  any  decisi\'e  action  had  been  taken,  Napoleon 
became  first  consul,  and  a  better  understanding  immediately 


'ill 


*i 


as 

a; 


202 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


result ccl.    The  people  had  learned  the  value  of  noii-iiitervciition 
in  European  i)olitics. 

10.  Thomas  Jeilerson,  who  succeeded  Adams,  was  the  most 
brilliant  man  that  ever  lilled  the  presidential  chair,  and  his  terms 
of  oilice  were  marked  by  many  events  of  large  imi)ort  for  the 
United  States  and  the  world.  The  acquisition  of  Louisiana  by 
purchase  from  Napoleon,  in  1803,  for  lifteen  million  dollars, 
was  an  admirable  piece  of  statesmanship.  The  territory  had 
been  in  the  hands  of  8i)ain,  and  had  been  a  cause  of  troul)le  in 
the  early  days  of  the  republic,  and  France  had  come  into  pos- 
session under  an  act  of  cession  made  by  Spain.  This  purchase 
gave  to  the  United  States  more  than  one  million  scjuare  miles 
of  land,  out  of  Avhich  ten  States,  two  territories,  and  i)arts  of 
other  States  have  been  constructed,  besides  making  Americans 
masters  of  the  INIississippi. 

11.  Aaron  Burr,  avIio  was  vice-president  during  Jefferson's 
first  term  of  office,  and  Avho  had  at  first  the  same  number  of 
electoral  votes  for  the  presidency  as  Jefferson  himself,  —  seventy- 
three,  —  was  bitterly  antagonistic  to  Alexander  Hamilton,  whom 
ho  challenged  to  a  duel  and  shot  dead.  This  event  made  Burr 
very  unpopular,  although  he  was  brilliant  and  very  able,  and 
even  those  who  disapproved  of  many  of  the  measures  of 
Hamilton  still  admired  the  man.     Burr  went  west  during  the 

second  term,  and,  under  a 
pretence  of  having  a  design 
on  Northern  Mexico,  was 
suspected  of  an  attempt  to 
break  up  the  Union.  On 
that  charge  he  was  arrested, 
and  tried  after  long  imprison- 
ment ;  but  the  case  could  not 
be  established.  Burr  Avas  a 
man  of  irregular  life,  and 
with  all  his  talents,  had  a 
wonderful  faculty  for  ruining  his  friends  and  himself.  lie  passed 
some  years  in  Europe,  and  lived  to  an  old  age  after  his  return 
to  the  United  States ;  but  in  i)ublic  life  he  was  a  nullity  after 
the  death  of  Alexander  Hamilton. 

12.  The  first  steamboat  that  ever  travelled  was  the  "  Perse- 
verance," built  by  tlohn  Fitch,  a  native  of  Windsor,  Connecticut, 
who  constructed  the  vessel  in  1787.  Ho  constructed  a  model 
in  1785.  His  vessel  attained  a  speed  of  six  miles  an  hour,  on 
the  Delaware,  but  was  subsequently  burned.     After  that  event 


THE   FIRST     STEAMBOAT. 


Ill  I 

I" 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


203 


the  iM'xt  iiitrodiu'tiou  of  stoanil)Oiits  is  duo  to  tho  second 
presidential  term  of  Thoinus  .lelfcrson,  and  the  ingenuity  of 
liohert  Fulton.  The  "Clermont"  ran  for  many  years  on  tho 
Hudson,  from  New  York  to  Albany,  being  then  tho  oidy 
steamboat  in  the  world,  and  the  second  ever  constructed.  The 
idea  was  worth  more  to  the  United  States  than  Louisiana  ten 
times  repeated. 

13.  The  pirates  of  the  Barbary  States  had  levied  tribute 
upon  the  commerce  of  Europe  for  years,  and  nearly  all  the 
maritime  nations  submitted  to  the  exaction.  Cruisers  from 
Tripoli  captured  small  vessels  belonging  to  any  country,  and 
held  their  passengers  and  crows  at  ransom.  The  Ignited 
States  had  conformed  to  the  custom  of  paying  tribute  ;  but,  in 
1801,  the  year  of  the  accession  of  President  Jelferson,  tho 
Bashaw  of  Tripoli  declared  war  against  the  United  Slates.  The 
Presidi'ut  sent  a  fleet  to  bombard  the  jMohammedan  city,  and, 
after  a  few  lessons  in  the  arts  of  civilized  war,  tho  bashaw, 
completely  subdued,  asked  humbly  for  i)eace.  The  disgraceful 
act  of  paying  tribute  ceased  from  that  time. 

14.  Tiic  wars  of  the  French  Revolution  continued  with 
varied  success.  Napoleon  Avas  master  of  the  continent  of 
Europe,  and  England  was  mistress  of  the  seas.  Napoleon 
sought  to  destroy  tho  commerce  of  England  by  closing  all 
the  ])orts^  against  her,  and  the  carrying  of  the  Avorld  was 
largely  conducted  l)}^  the  United  States.  In  tho  crude  con- 
dition of  international  law  which  then  prevailed  American 
shipping  suflered  from  bctli  parties ;  but  England,  being 
more  powerful  on  tho  seas,  injured  United  States  cOiU- 
merce  more  than  France,  and,  besides,  that  coimtry  claimed 
tho  right  of  stopping  any  shi[)  on  the  high  sea  to  impress 
seamen  of  English  birth  into  that  naval  service.  This  power 
the  United  States  claimed  was  as  monstrous  as  that  exercised 
by  the  Bashaw  of  Tripoli  before  the  bombardment  of  his  cap- 
ital. Tho  capture  of  the  American  frigate  "Chesapeake"  by 
the  British  frigate  "Leopard,"  off  Virginia,  brought  the  quarrel 
close  home,  and  Jefferson  ordered  all  British  shijjs  of  war  to 
quit  the  waters  of  the  United  States ;  but  England  disavowed 
the  act,  and,  in  consoquencc,  war  was  not  declared.  An  em- 
bargo laid  by  Congress  upon  all  American  vessels,  forbidding 
them  to  leave  port,  was  very  injurious  to  commerce,  and  Avas 
removed  ;  but  intercourse  with  cither  of  tho  belligerent  nations 
was  interdicted.  Tho  war-fever  assisted  to  secure  tho  election 
of  James  Madison  towards  the  close  of  President  Jefferson's 


;•'( 


t' 


204: 


ITTSTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


sccontl  term,  siiul  the  l{cpul)llc'uns  hoped  that  some  occu.sioii 
would  arise  to  wipe  out  ohl  scores.  The  Federalists  strougly 
opposed  war  uu'usures,  and  they  were  a  po»verful  niiuority. 

15.  CJreat  Britain,  hy  her  a<i;(>nts,  had  been  for  some  time 
tamperinjj^  with  the  Indians,  and  the  ])rave  and  wily  Teeumseh 
saw  his  opportuuity,  in  1811,  to  confederate  the  tribes  in  the 

n  o  r  t  h  -  Av  e  s  t 
a  ^"  a  i  n  s  t  t  h  o 
United  States. 
The  first  great 
result  of  his 
powers  of  com- 
bination was  an 
overwhelming 
defeat,  at  the 
hands  of  CJen. 
Harrison,  at 
Ti  [)[)(' canoe , 
Nov.  7,  1811. 
The  attacking 
p  a  r  t  y  c  a  m  c 
u[)on  the  Amer- 
ican camp  by 
night ;  l)Utthey 
Ave  re  crushed 
comp  1  etely, 
^v i t h  an  i  m- 
mense    slaui>:h- 

tor.  Every])ody  in  the  United  States  thought  the  hand  of  Kug- 
land  might  be  seen  in  the  Indian  Avar,  and  the  i)retensions  of  that 
country  as  to  the  im[)ressment  of  seamen  continued  Avithout  abate- 
ment. Sailors  Avere  taken,  ships  Averc  captured  if  any  op[)(isition 
Avas  offered,  and  vessels  of  Avar  Avere  even  sent  into  American 
Avaters  to  make  prizes.  The  British sloop-of- Avar  "Littli'  licit" 
was  hailed  by  the  American  frigate  "President,"  and  the 
ansAver  Avas  made  by  tiring.  The  "President"  spoke  the  same 
tongue  for  a  little  Avhile,  until  the  sloop  Avas  disabled,  after 
Avhich  amicable  relations  Avere  established.  Finally  it  became 
the  conviction  of  Americans  that  there  could  bo  no  honorable 
peace  Avith  the  English  nation  until  there  had  been  Avar,  and 
President  jNIadisou  made  the  necessary  declaration  on  the  lOth 
of  June,  1812. 

IG.     The  invasion  of  Canada  commenced  the  second   war 


TECUM SEH. 


ENGLAND,   ANl     THE   UNITED  STATES. 


205 


with  Eii<,d!in(l,  iiiul  tho  conduct  of  Brlf^.-Gcn.  Hull  is,  with  the 
oxccpliou  ot'  Arnold's  trciison,  tho  worst  record  that  Aincrican 
niilltiiry  history  has  presented.  That  officer  crossed  into 
Canada  from  Detroit,  where  ho  resided  as  Governor  of  Michi- 
gan, and  issued  a  prochunation  to  tlio  Canadians  while  he 
prei)ared  to  attack  Foi-t  Maiden.  As  soon  as  he  learnc(l  that 
a  force  Avas  preparin<^  to  attack  him,  ho  fled  precipitately,  and 
Avas  subsiMpiently  followed  to  Detroit  by  Gen.  Brock  and  an  In- 
dian force  under  Tecumsi'h.  The  fort  at  Detroit  was  sulHci<'ntly 
strou"^  for  defence,  the  troops  were  ready  and  willing'  to  light, 
and  all  tho  material  was  at  hand,  when  tho  poor  creature  raised 
the  white  flag,  August  10,  1812,  under  which,  without  sti[)ida- 
tion  or  condition  of  any  kind,  he  surrendered  Detroit  city, 
garrison,  and  stores,  and  the  whole  of  Michigan,  to  tho  British. 
The  governor  was  court-martialledfor  cowardice,  and  sentenced 
to  bo  shot ;  but,  in  consideration  of  his  ago  and  services,  ho 
was  afterwards  pardoned. 

17.  In  the  autunm  of  tho  same  year  another  invasion  of 
Canada  was  determined  upon,  and  Gen.  Van  llenssclaer  sent 
a  detachment  of  troops  across  tho  Niagara  river  to  carry 
Queenstoun  Heights.  The  position  was  ---^ 
won,  and  Gen.  Brock,  tho  connnander,        r:^;. 


was    among    tho    slain.      The 


general 


ordered  tho  rest  of  his  force  to  support 
the  attacking  party,  but,  to  his  intense 
disgust,  the  militia-men  stood  upon  their 
State  rights,  and  woidd  not  go  beyond 
their  boundaries.  The  men  Avho  had 
made  themselves  masters  of  tho  Heights 
Avere  thus  abandoned,  and,  after  some 
desperate  lighting,  surrendered. 

18.     While   the   United   States    land 

forces  Avere  thus  belying  the  reputation    , v  «,-    .-— - 

Avon  by  their  fathers,  the  "  Avoodcn  Avails  "  ;^MB:^^^?^:^^i,>J 
of  the  nation  Avero  siistaining  the  char- 
acter for  intrepidity  an,d  success  Avhich 
Avas  earned  for  the  navy  by  the  proAvess  of  Paid  Jones  and 
his  contemporaries.  The  first  sea-iight  AA'as  between  the 
American  frigate  "  Constituticm,"  Capt.  Hull,  and  the  "  Guer- 
ricre,"  Capt.  Dacres,  August  9,  1812.  Tho  attack  Avas  made 
by  tho  "Guorrierc,"  and  the  commander  of  the  "Constitution" 
nianoeuA'rcd  his  ship  imtil  he  had  secured  the  Aveather-gage, 
Avhereupou  l^o  gave  broadside  after  broadside  to  his  enemy  for 


shock's  moxumext. 


'r « 


i  1    i|#*i 


m 


F 


20(i 


HISTORY   OF  DO:!INION   OF   CANADA, 


:s 


I 


Y  t^^'l' 


Hourly  two  hours.      The    British    sliip   stirnMidorr/'  whon  iho, 
vessel  was  so  biully  daiuaj^ji'd  Uiat  she  would  not  iloat   to   ho 
taken  into  port.     The  captaiu  of  the  "  Constitution."  was  tlio 
lU'pln'W  of  the  hriji^adlcr-j^cncral  that  surrendered  Detroit  and 
;Mi(lii<^an  only  seven  days  hiter. 

1!).  Tiic  sh)op-of-war  "Wasi)"  was  eruisinjif  otf  the  coast 
of  North  Carolina,  when  she  tell  in  Avilh  the  Kn<rlish  hrij^ 
"Frolic,"  Octoher  13,  and  a  desperate  engagement  ensued,  in 
Avhich  the  defenders  of  the  Ihitish  vessel  fought  until  thero 
Avas  not  a  man  left  to  strik(^  the  ilag.  The  '' AVasjj's '' men 
boarded  the  cnenjy,  and,  to  their  Hur[)rise,  they  found  that  the 
only  sailor  on  deck  not  prostrated  hy  injuries  was  the  man  at 
the  wheel.  There  were  some  eom[)ensati()ns  for  iho  poor 
record  on  land  in  such  deeds  of  courage  upon  the  sea,  and 
thero  "Were  fully  three  hundred  prizes  taken  hy  American  pri- 
vateers before  the  close  of  the  year  1H12.  While  these  events 
Avero  transpiring,  the  presidential  term  drew  near  its  termina- 
tion, and  the  people  signified  their  endorsement  of  Madison's 
Avar  policy  by  reilecting  him  ])resident. 

20.  There  Avcro  three  armies  in  the  lield,  and  the  Americans 
hoped  that  the  proceedings  of  this  season  Avould  redeem  the 
character  of  the  laiul  forces  from  the  damage  sulfcred  during 
1812.  Gen.  Dearborn  commanded  the  army  of  the  centre, 
stationed  on  the  Niagara  river;  (Jen.  Hampton,  Avith  the  army 
of  the  north,  Avas  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Champlain ;  and  Gen. 
Harrison,  Avhose  name  Avas  already  popular,  connnanded  the 
army  of  the  Avest.     The  English  entrusted  the   conduct  of  the 

Avar  to  Gen.  Proctor,  and  the 

Indian  allies  Avorc  under  the 

I    connnand  of  Tecumseh.     Two 

SSsm  of  the  armies  and  their  doings 

may  bo  summed  up  in  a  Ioav 

Avords.     General  Dearborn  at- 

I'  tacked  York,  noAV  Toronto,  and 

t  he  assault  Avas  being  Hplendidly 

led  by  General  Pike,  Avhcn  tho 

magazine  blew  up,  killing  him 
Interior  cf  Fort  Missasauga  at  Niagara.  ^^^^^  .^  ^^.^.^^  ^,^^^.^j  .^^^  ^^  j^j^;  ^.^^,j^_ 

mand.  The  place  Avas  captured,  April  27,  1813.  Dearborn 
Avas  shortly  after  succeeded  by  General  Wilkinson,  Avho  de- 
scended the  St.  LaAvrcncc  Avith  his  men,  to  combine  Avith  Gen. 
Hampton  in  attacking  Montreal.  After  repidsing  the  British 
at  Chrysler's  Field,  there  Avas  some  misunderstanding  between 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


207 


tho  tu'o  l(>mlcrs,  niid  tlio  iirinios  sojiiinitcd  Avithoiit  an  attempt 
Oil  Montical.  llaiiiptoii  \va.s  clili-utcd  \ty  llio  IJritisli,  at  St. 
Johns,  Province  of  (^iiclu'c,  and  then  made  his  way  to  IMattsburj^, 
where  he  Avas  reinforced,  and  did  nothing  for  the  rtiiuiinch'r  of 
the  year. 

21.  Gen.  Harrison,  vith  the  army  of  the  west,  made  a  good 
showing,  and  the  men  under  his  orders  felt  that  they  were  in 
good  hands.  A  dela<'hment  of  his  force  on  the  Mauinee,  under 
(Jen.  Winchester,  h'ft  \\\o,  fort  to  render  assistance  to  the  peo- 
})le  of  Frenchtown,  wlio  feared  an  Indiiin  assault.  Tlu;  Indians 
were  dedicated,  but  before  ho  could  recover  his  position  his 
men  were  attacked  l)y  an  over[)owerin.^  force  imder  I'roctor. 
The  battle  ended  in  a  surrender;  but  after  the  battle  the  Eng- 
lish general,  whether  thoughtlessly  or  by  design,  left  tho 
American  wounded  at  the  mercy  of  tho  red-skins,  maddened 
by  whiskey  and  success. 
The  result  mad(^  the 
massacre  at  river  IJaisin 
a  terril)le  war-cry  among 
Kentuckians  during  tho 
rest  of  the  campaign,  as 
the  sullerers  were  mostly 
from  Kentucky.  Proc- 
tor besieged  Fort^Ieigs, 
defended  by  Harrison, 
l)ut  he  soon  found  that  t, 
the  eon<iuoror  of  Tecum- 
seh  knew  the  art  of  "svar, 
although  his  fi.rcc  Avas 
not  stioug  enough  to 
take  tho  iield.  From 
Meigs,  Proctor  hastened 
to  Fort  Ste})hens(m, 
Avhcrc  tho  garrison  was 
only  one  hundred  and 
iifty  strong,  under  tho  command  of  Major  Croghan  ;  but  he 
was  doomed  to  a  second  repulse,  and  after  that  event  ho  re- 
turned to  Canada.  Still  Michigan  was  in  the  hands  of  tho 
Eiiglish,  and  Ohio  was  in  danger  at  many  points. 

22.  Tho  naval  force  on  Lake  Erie  was  assigned  to  the  com- 
mand of  Ca])t.  Perry,  a  young  sailor  only  twenty-seven  years 
of  age,  who  had  never  seen  a  naval  engagement.     jVIany  of  tho 

,  ships  that  were  to  sail  under  his  orders  were  yet  to  be  cou- 


OLITEB  lUZARD  VEBUX. 


208 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


stnu'tcti,  and  he  must  "svin  liis  victory,  if  there  was  such  an 
iicliicvi-nicnt  in  store  for  him,  agiiinst  a  man  Avho  had  fought 
under  Lord  Nelson.  Commodore  Barchiy  l)ore  down  upon 
]\'rry's  lleet  of  nine  vessels,  carrying  hfty-four  guns,  on  tlio 
loth  day  of  September,  with  six  ships  carrying  sixty-throe 
guns.  The  probabilities  were  all  on  the  side  of  the  largest  ships 
and  most  guns ;  but  the  young  commander  was  a  hero  that 
''  did  n')t  know  when  he  was  beaten."  His  flag-ship,  the 
''Lawrence,"  Avas  attacked  by  two  of  the  heaviest  ships  of' 
the  British,  as  well  in  number  of  guns  and  men  as  in  size, 
and  ho  continued  to  fight  until  there  wore  only  eight  men 
left  tit  for  action.  When  the  last  gun  hud  been  fired  on 
board  the  "Lawrence,"  he  carried  his  flag  to  the  "Niagara," 
passing  in  a  small  boat  through  the  British  fleet.  Hoisting 
his  flag  on  the  "Niagara,"  ho  broke  the  enemy's  lino,  delivering 
l)otli  broadsides  as  rapidly  as  his  men  could  load  and  fire,  and 
before  our  forces  know  what  the  next  movement  migiit  be,  Perry 
was  master  of  the  situation.  The  despatch  sent  l)y  Perry  to 
Gen.  Harrison  was  as  good  in  its  way  as  the  brief  announcement 
by  Cresar :  Veni,  vidi,  vid.  Perry  said,  "  Wo  have  met  the 
enemy,  and  they  are  ours."  All  over  the  United  States  those 
words  were  repeated. 

23.  The  despatch  from  Perry 
found  his  colleague,  General 
Plarrison,  preparing  for  a  de- 
scent on  Canada  J  wlierc  Proctor 
and  his  Indians,  under  Tecuai- 
seh,  fully  two  thousand  strong, 
occupied  Maiden,  designing  to 
lay  Avaste  the  American  frontier. 
'J'hc  general  hurried  to  Maiden 
at  once  ;  l)utthe  English  had  fled, 
and  he  followed  rapidly  in  pur- 
suit. His  course  from  Sandusky 
PEEEx's  MONUMENT.  j^.^y  ^^^}^   ^j^]^  proparcd  him  for 

his  Avork.  Our  forces  AA^ere  overtaken  on  the  Thames,  and, 
their  dispositions  being  already  made,  the  battle  commenced 
Avithout  delay.  Col.  Johnson,  AA'itli  his  horsemen  from  Kentucky, 
full  of  remembrances  of  the  Raisin  massacre,  charged  through 
the  English  lino  and  formed  immediately  in  the  rear  to  resume 
operations.  Proctor  made  his  escape,  and  the  army  sur- 
rendered. The  Indians  Avere  attacked  Avith  special  energy,  and 
Tecumseh  fell  mortally  Avouudcd.     That  incident  Avas  in  itself 


ENGLAND,   AND   TiIE   UNITED   STATES, 


209 


a  defeat  for  the  red  men,  and  they  fled  in  every  direction,  with- 
out striking  another  blow.  This  victory,  following  so  rapidly 
upon  the  Lake  Erie  exploit,  ended  the  war  in  this  section  of 
the  country,  and  the  two  commanders  were  spoken  of,  in  the 
United  States  everywhere,  as  the  men  who  were  alone  worthy 
to  command  the  armies  and  navy  of  the  Union. 

24.  Capt.  Lawrence,  of  the  frigate  "Chesapeake,"  was  in 
Boston  harbor  refitting  his  vessel,  and  was,  it  is  claimed,  in  no 
sense  ready  for  action,  when  he  received  a  challenge  from 
Capt.  Brock,  of  the  "Shannon,"  then  lying  off  the  harbor,  to 
come  out  and  fight  him.  Half  his  men  had  been  discharged, 
and  the  remainder  were  unpaid,  and  all  but  mutinous,  so  that 
he  could  not  properly  prepare  his  ship,  even  if  she  had  been 
thoroughly  refitted.  Still  his  error  was  heroic,  and  the  out- 
come might  lipve  been  ditierent  had  not  a  hand  grenade  burst 
in  the  arm-chest  of  the  ship  at  the  very  moment  that  the  "  Shan- 
non's "  men  boarded  her.  The  slaughter  was  terrific  ;  but  when 
Capt.  Lawrence  fell,  mortally  wounded,  the  last  hope  of  victory 
was  gone.  The  crew  was  feeble  and  disheartened,  and  the  last 
words  of  their  commander,  "Don't  give  up  the  ship,"  fell  upon 
the  ears  of  the  men  who  were  already  beaten. 

25.  Tecumseh  induced  the  Alabama  Indians  to  join  in  his 
league  in  i811,  and  in  1813  Fort  Mims  was  surprised,  the 
garrison  slaughtered,  and  the  women  reserved  for  worse  tor- 
tures than  they  sufi'ered  in  seeing  their  children  slain  and 
mangled.  The  facts  of  that  piece  of  ti-eachery  and  horror 
brought  avengers  from  every  quarter,  and  under  Jackson  the 
Indians  were  puroued  from  one  point  to  another,  until  they 
made  a  stand  on  Horseshoe  Bend,  in  a  fortified  position.  The 
American  troops  scaled  their  works  regardless  of  obstacles,  and 
carried  the  day  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  The  Creek  In- 
dians k.iew  that  they  were  fighting  for  life,  and  tb.ey  did  all 
they  could  to  repulse  their  assailants.  Six  hundred  fell,  and 
the  peor#remainder  made  their  surrender  on  such  terms  as  a 
dog  would  have  disdained.  The  tribe  ^ill  long  remember  the 
battle  of  March  27,  1814. 

26.  The  British  navy  seemed  to  have  learned  how  to  make 
war  among  the  followers  of  Tecumseh,  for  the  whole  of  Ihe 

juthern  coast  was  ravaged  by  parties  of  sailors  and  marines 
landed  from  Admiral  Cockburn's  squadron.  Bridges  were  de- 
stroyed, villages  l)urned,  crops  devastated,  and  other  such  acts 
of  savage  war  were  carried  out  along  the  seaboard  of  Virginia 
and  the  Carolinas.     In  the  following  year  similar  tactics  were 


210 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


observed  on  the  coast  of  the  northern  States.  Commerce  was 
annihilated  ;  towns  in  ^'^'line  and  Connecticut  were  captured  or 
bombarded,  and  on  the  24th  of  August,  1813,  Gen.  Ross 
marched  into  "Washington,  where  he  burned  libraries  and  pub- 
lic records,  private  dwellings  and  stores,  and  consummated 
successes  by  destroying  the  capitol.  From  that  point  he  made 
his  way,  by  the  sea,  to  Baltimore,  where,  on  the  12th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1813,  the  forces  ■<  ere  disembarked  to  cooperate  with 
the  Heel  in  another  act  of  spoliation.  Fort  McIIenry  was 
allotted  to  the  licet ;  but  the.  attempted  bomliardment  produced 
no  effect,  and  the  troops  met  ^ith  so  much  resistance  on 
land  that  the  men  who  had  been  under  Gen.  Koss'  orders 
retired  to  the  ships,  and  the  erasure  of  Baltimore  was  post- 
poned. Gen.  Ross  was  killed  while  reconnoitring  on  this  ex- 
pedition. 

27.  Canada  was  attacked  once  more,  in  1814;  the  army 
under  Gen.  Brown  crossing  the  Niagara  river.  Fort  Eric  was 
captured  ;  the  victory  at  Chippewa  was  won  by  Gen.  Winfield 
Scott  on  the  5th  of  July,  and,  twenty  days  later,  tlie  l^loody 

battle    of   Lundy's 
Vi/-^^     /  s  --'^^e^pf?  ^      Lane  was  fought  to 

"  "^  a  brilliant  finish  by 
the  Americans. 
The  day  was  clos- 
ing in,  when  Scott 
gave  Col.  Miller 
instructions  to  car- 
ry the  key  of  the 
British  position, — a 
1^  battery  on  a  height. 
The  colonel  headed 
1^  his  regiment,  and 
was  soon  master  of 
the  battery  ;  but 
the  British  knew  its 
value  as  well  as  he  ; 
'J5  three  times  they 
concentrated  their 
force  upon  its  re- 
capture, and  as  many  times  they  were  driven  bac^:  in  dismay 
by  the  well-organized  defence,  until  about  midnight  they  re- 
tired from  the  contcstj  leaving  victory  with  the  enemy. 

28.  Pluttsburg  was  almost  entirely  deprived  of  troops  ;  there 


'^f'lM/Hj-l" 


MILLEU    AT    I.UNDY  S   LANE. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


211 


were  only  ono  thousand  five  hundred  in  the  place  on  the  11th 
of  September ;  the  rest  had  been  sent  to  Canada  to  serve  under 
General  Brown,  when  General  Prevost,  with  twelve  thousand 
men,  who  had  gone  through  the  peninsular  w*ars  with  the  Duko 
of  AVellington,  attacked  the  town.  The  British  fleet  on  the 
lake  was  to  render  essential  aid  in  demolishing  the  place,  and 
there  was  only  one  obstacle  to  success, — a  squadron  of  American 
vessels  under  the  command  of  Commodore  McDonouijh.  Still 
there  was  an  obstacle  sufticient  for  the  purpose  hy  hind  and  by 
lake.  The  one-  thousand  five  hundred  soldiers  defended  the 
passage  of  the  Saranac  against  nearly  as  many  thousand  veterans, 
and  tlic  fleet  upon  Avhich  Prevost  depended  was  all  but  de- 
stroved.  The  battle  of  Lake  Champlain  has  a  place  in  history, 
but  we  do  not  care  to  sing  its  praise.  The  British  commodore 
lost  his  ships,  and  the  general  fled  with  his  army,  leaving  sick, 
wounded,  and  military  stores. 

20.  The  last  engagement  in  this  w^ar  Avas  fought  after  peace 
had  been  concluded  between  England  and  America.  Napoleon, 
who  had  been  compelled  to  abdicate  the  throne  of  Franco  and 
retire  to  Elba,  was  speedily  to  leave  his  splendid  prison  and 
reappear  in  France.  England  had  probably  an  inkling  of  what 
would  happen,  if  she  was  not  really  in  the  secret  from  its  in- 
ception, and  for  that  reason  she  wanted  peace  on  this  side  of 
the  Atlantic ;  hence  the  haste  with  which  peace  Avas  concluded, 
in  the  latter  part  of  December,  at  Ghent,  to  prepare  for  the 
bloodier  theatre  of  war.  Unaware  that  they  Avere  already 
friends  with  the  United  States,  General  Pakenham's  command 
of  twelve  thousand  men  and  a  powerful  fleet  advanced  to  the 
attack  on  New  Orleans.  General  Jackson  had  thrown  up  en- 
trenchments some  miles  below  the  city,  and  the  assailants  were 
met  by  a  destructive  fire  ;  but  they  moved  steadily  through  the 
hail-storm  of  death.  Solid  columns  opposed  to  the  riflemen  of 
Kentucky  and  Tennessee  were  bound  to  sutfor,  and  the  sokliers 
that  had  been  invincible  so  long  wavered  now.  Pakcnhamfell 
dead  as  ho  was  heartening  his  troops,  and  his  successor,  Lam- 
bert, continued  the  battle  until  nightfall ;  but  the  defeat  of  the 
attacking  party  Avas  as  thorough  as  the  attack  was  found  to 
have  been  unnecessjiry.  The  British  lost  two  thousand  men  in 
the  encounter,  and  the  defenders  only  a  dozen  killed  and 
Avounded. 

30.  The  treaty  subscribed  at  Ghent  did  not  contain  an  ex- 
press abandonment  of  the  British  claim  as  to  impressment,  but 
there  Avas  a  tacit  understanding  that  it  Avould  never  be  again 


212 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


put  forward ;  and  that  concession  may  have  justified  tiie  war, 
although  tlio  cost  to  the  country  amounted  to  one  hundred  aud 
twenty-seven  million  dollars.  The  nation  had  not  spent  blood 
and  treasure  in  vain  ;  the  powers  of  her  people  had  been  proved 
by  land  and  sea,  and  the  world  had  been  taught  that  it  is  not 
easy  for  any  force  to  conquer  and  retain  possession  of  the  United 
States.  While  the  war  lasted  there  had  been  u  enforced  pro- 
tection of  American  manufactures,  as  Europeaa  shipments  had 
been  cut  otf  by  the  blockade,  and  when  the  terrible  visitation 
came  to  an  end  the  home-made  article  could  hold  its  own  against 
all  honest  competition.  The  resources  of  the  people  had  not 
been  in  any  sense  permanently  impaired,  although  trade,  com- 
merce, and  specie  were  strangers  in  the  laud;  for  within  twenty 
years  the  war  debt  had  been  entirely  cancelled,  and  the  nation 
was  on  its  way  to  a  wonderful  prosperity.  The  naval  pre- 
eminence of  the  United  States  showed  that  the  old  Norse  blood 
had  not  degenerated  among  the  hardy  mariners  that  live  upon 
the  American  coast.  While  the  war  continued,  the  Algerines 
took  advantage  of  the  trouble  to  renew  their  depredations  in 
the  Mediterranean,  aud,  as  soon  as  the  immediate  business  on 
hand  was  completed,  a  llect,  under  Admiral  Decatur,  proceeded 
to  Tunis,  Tripoli,  and  Algiei's  to  remonstrate  Avith  great  guns. 
The  pirates  liberated  every  prisoner,  made  ample  indemnity  for 
all  losses,  and  gave  good  pledges  for  the  future.  There  was 
yet  another  consequence  of  the  "svar.  The  Federalists,  once 
strong  in  the  afiections  of  the  people,  Avere  routed  because  they 
would  have  taken  peace  at  any  price,  and  when  Madison's 
second  term  came  toward  its  end,  another  Republican,  James 
Monroe,  was  chosen  almost  by  acclamiicion. 

31.  The  Missouri  compromise  was  an  evidence  of  growth, 
as  there  was  a  time  when  no  such  question  as  the  admission  or 
non-admission  of  a  slave  State  to  the  Union  would  have  arisen ; 
but  in  the  year  1820,  Avhcn  it  was  first  jiroposcd  that  Missouri 
should  be  admitted,  public  opinion  was  already  so  strong  on  the 
subject  that  nothing  short  of  the  promise  contained  in  Henry 
Clay's  comi)romise,  that  the  limits  of  slavery  were  irrevocably 
fixed,  could  have  satisfied  the  nation,  or  procured  the  admission 
of  Missouri  in  1821.  Social  progress  was  manifested  under  the 
administration  of  JMonroe  by  the  Avondrous  recuperative  power 
exhibited  l)y  the  country  just  emerging  from  a  peculiarly  dis- 
astrous war.  Internal  development,  manufactures,  steamboat 
enterprise,  and  a  tendency  to  expand  over  the  whole  continent, 
spoke  of  a  nation  that  already  felt  its  destiny  as  one  of  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


213 


greatest  that  is  designed  to  help  the  progress  of  humanity.  The 
era  of  inventive  genius  whleh  had  dawned  upon  the  country, 
before  the  colonies  became  a  nation,  was  now  advancing  toward 
the  brightness  of  perfect  day. 

32.  Spain  had  never  much  honor  nor  any  profit  from  the 
possession  of  Florida  sin-^o  the  da^'s  of  Ponce  Do  Leon,  uad 
since  the  settlement  of  Georgia  there  had  occurred  many  op- 
portunities for  defending  the  fort  of  St.  Augustine  at  consider- 
able expense.  In  the  year  1819  negotiations  were  commenced 
with  Spain  for  the  purchase  of  Florida,  and  in  1821  the  treaty 
Avas  made  under  which,  in  the  following  jear,  the  territory  was 
organized  under  the  constitution.  The  announcement  by  the 
president  in  a  message  to  Congress,  that  au  attempt  by  any 
European  nation  to  obtain  a  new.  foothold  on  this  continent 
Avould  be  considered  by  the  United  States  as  an  unfriendly  act, 
deserves  special  mention,  as  the  Monroe  doctrine,  whether 
avowed  or  not,  will  continue  to  be  the  policy  of  the  United 
States  ;  and  the  gradual  absorption  of  the  possessions  of  France 
and  Spain  shows  that  similar  views  had  been  entertained  for 
many  3'cars  by  previous  statesmen.  The  purchase  of  Louisiana 
was  effected  during  the  time  that  Mr.  Monroe  was  minister  at 
the  court  of  Napoleon. 

33.  The  Marquis  Do  La  Faj-ette,  who  visited  the  United 
States  hx  the  day  of  its  peril,  and  stayed  until  that  danger  had 


been  surmounted,  went  as  a  guest  in 


182^, 


and  made  a  more 


than  royal  progress,  through  the  States,  welcomed  everywhere. 
The  thirteen  States,  for  which  he  fought  at  Brandy  wine,  and 
throughout  the  war  until  the  surrender  at  Yorktown,  had  grown 
into  twenty-four  States,  and  he  also  had  changed  from  the  young 
noble,  full  of  generous  enthusiasm,  to  the  matured  statesman, 
Avho  had  sounded  the  depths  of  human  existence.  He  had  as- 
sisted liberty  in  his  native  land  imtil  it  became  license,  and  then 
endangered  his  own  life  by  arresting  the  dangerous  excess.  He 
had  dared  the  anger  of  royalty  while  it  was  strong,  and  gener- 
ously sustained  it  when  tottering  to  its  fall.  He  had  fought  the 
battles  of  the  people,  and  been  compelled  to  quit  his  country 
for  conscience' sake  when  his  emigration  cost  him  a  prolonged 
and  unjust  imprisonment.  His  term  of  usefulness  had  not  even 
Ihen  been  reached,  as  he  was  to  assist  in  exchanging  the  Bour- 
bon proper  on  the  tl^rone  of  France  for  the  Orleans  branch  in 
the  citizen  king,  and  in  every  act  of  his  life  to  testify  the  pres- 
ence of  a  conscience  void  of  offence,  and  a  heart  full  of  generous 
emotions.     The  marquis  was  worthy  to  be  the  guest  of  a  nation. 


^1 


[ 


214 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


34.  The  llcpul'licaii  party,  which  had  cast  clown  and  de- 
stroyed the  Federalists,  was  gradually  being  broken  into  its 
constituent  parts.  The  ties  of  p.'irty  were  loosening,  and  a  new 
combination,  to  become  known  as  the  Whigs,  was  being  erected 
in  opposition  to  the  other  wing  of  the  old  party,  thereafter 
known  as  the  Democrats.  John  Quincy  Adams  and  Henry 
Clay,  favoring  protection  and  internal  improvements,  repre- 
sented the  Whig  element,  and  the  first-named  of  the  leaders, 
son  of  President  Adams,  was  chosen  as  the  successor  to  Presi- 
dent Monroe. 

35.  President  Adams  had  not  a  majority  of  the  electoral 
votes,  nor  had  any  one  of  the  candidates,  and  the  House  of 
Representatives  gave  him  the  position ;  hence  there  Avas  no 
strong  party  in  his  favor  ;  and  when  his  name  was  put  forward 
us  a  qandidate  for  reelection,  he,  like  his  father,  was  doomed  to 
suffer  a  defeat.  The  protective  policy  championed  by  him  was 
peculiarly  objectionable  to  the  Southern  States,  and  Gen.  Jack- 
son, the  defender  of  Xew  Orleans,  besides  being  the  nominee 
of  the  Democrats,  was  popular,  because  of  his  services,  among 
all  classes.  The  east  upheld  the  protective  taritf,  but  it  could 
not  sustain  John  Quincy  Adams  against  such  a  combination  as 
was  arrayed  lor  Jackson.  The  first  railroad  in  the  United 
States,  and  the  Erie  Canal,  date  from  this  term.  The  war  debt 
was  rapidly  diminishing,  and  there  was  a  surplus  in  the  treas- 
ury. Public  works  had  been  undertaken  to  an  extent  never 
before  dreamed  of,  and  at  every  step  the  nation  was  becoming 
wealthier,  because  of  the  wise  expenuiturc  of  its  means.  "The 
old  man  eloquent "  was  not  to  pass  off  the  stage  of  public  life. 

3G.  Rotation  in  office  was  the  first  innovation  due  to  the 
peculiar  constitution  of  Andrew  Jackson's  mind.  Washington 
had  surrounded  himself  with  men  differing  in  views,  because  it 
was  his  desire  to  combine  the  nation.  Jackson  was  resolved  to 
govern,  and  he  would  have  his  own  friends  and  supporters 
around  him,  not  only  in  his  cabinet,  but  in  subordinate  offices. 
AVithout  descending  to  changes  among  clerks,  there  were  about 
seven  hundred  removals  within  the  first  year, — ten  times  as  many 
as  had  been  made  before  since  the  constitution  was  adopted. 
In  the  third  year  of  Jackson's  rule,  1832,  South  Carolina  nulU- 
fied  the  tariff,  threatening  secession  if  force  was  used  to  collect 
duties  under  it  at  Charleston.  The  president  sent  troops  to 
the  spot  immediately,  and  proclaimed  his  resolve  to  execute  the 
laws.  Henry  Cla3'^'s  "  Compromise  Bill  "  being  carried,  was  the 
occasion  for  the  pacification  of  South  Carolina.     Clay,  on  this 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


21 


o 


nieasuro  1)cing  objected  to  by  his  friends,  as  a  bur  to  his  over 
winiiiiif,^  the  presidency,  said:  "I  would  rather  be  right  than 
president." 
37.     Jackson  refused  to  renew  the  charter  of  the  bank,  and 


CLAY  AOiUiESSi:ia  COUCJSSSS, 


JohaCCaUusou 


on  tihat  basis  was  reelected  ;  so  that  he  assumed  to  have  tested 
the  will  of  the  people  upon  that  question,  and  thereupon  the 
pul)lic  money  was  drawn  from  that  institution.  Much  suffering 
ensued,  as  the  bank  called  in  its  loans,  and  a  collapse  immedi- 
ately resulted.  But,  during  the  crisis,  Jackson  was  strongly 
upheld  by  the  Democratic  majority  in  the  House  ;  and  when  the 
local  banks  were  aided  by  the  funds  being  lodged  with  them, 
accommodation  became  more  easy  than  ever  before.  Specu- 
lation grew  rife  ;  buildmg-lots  for  imaginary  cities  rose  to  a 
value  imprecedented  in  the  history  of  the  country  until  then, 
and  the  irridescent  bubble  attracted  all  eyes  for  some  years. 

38.  Black  Hawk  was  in  his  policy  the  successor  of  Te- 
cumseh,  with  this  difference,  that  ho  was  under  treaty  obliga- 
tions to  the  United  States.  The  Sac  and  Fox  Indiar^s  sold  their 
lands  to  the  government,  and  their  reserved  rights  were  re- 
spected ;  but  Black  Hawk,  mistaking  consideration  for  weak- 
ness, organized  a  plot,  in  1832,  to  recover  the  territory.  The 
war  was  vigorously  prosecuted,  the  Indians .  defeated,  Black 


l.i 


216 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CAjMADA, 


Hawk  doposcd  from  his  uiithority,  and  still  more  territory  pur- 
chased for  settlement.  The  Indians  in  Florida  were  peculiarly 
intractable  and  lierce,and  before  settlement  could  be  attempted 
on  a  lar<^e  scale,  their  absence  was  necessary.  Under  a  treaty 
made  with  the  chief  after  the  purchase  from  Spain,  the  tribe 
was  to  be  removed  to  lands  west  of  the  Mississippi ;  but  at  the 
last  moment  Osceola  defied  the  United  States.  The  chief  was 
taken  prisoner,  and  then  consented  to  carry  out  the  treaty  ;  but 
as  soon  as  he  was  free  he  organized  a  goiieral  massacre,  and 
succeeded  in  slaughtering  some  hundreds.  After  much  light- 
ing, the*  Seminoles  retreated  to  the  everglades  of  Southern 
Florida,  but  were  defeated  in  the  tangled  swamps  by  Col. 
Zachary  Taylor,  in  the  battle  of  Ockcchobec,  December  25, 
1837.  Osceola,  seized  under  a  flag  of  truce,  died  in  Fort 
Moultrie,  in  1838,  but  the  war  did  not  come  to  an  end  linally 
until  1842. 

39.  The  injuries  infli- ted  upon  American  ships  and  property 
during  the  Napoleonic  wars  by  France  were  to  have  been  paid 
for  to  the  extent  of  live  million  dollars,  but  the  Bourbon  gov- 
ernment broke  the  agreement.  The  president  proposed  a 
system  of  reprisals,  but  England,  acting  as  mediator,  prevented 
hostilities,  and  the  debt  Avas  paid.  The  vigor  of  such  action 
pleased  the  people,  and  Martin  Van  Buren,  a  Democrat,  was 
elected  to  follow  Jackson,  thus  indorsing  his  policy.  Gen. 
Harrison,  personally  popular,  was  defeated. 

50.  Consequent  upon  the  action  of  Gen.  Jackson  the  local 
banks  had  promoted  speculation,  and  just  when  Martin  Van 
Buren  became  president  there  Avas  a  great  crisis.  The  demand 
for  payments  in  gold  and  silver  for  public  lands  was  the  imme- 
diate cause  ;  but  such  an  event  must  have  come.  The  banks 
contracted  their  circulation ;  business  men  failed  for  enormous 
sums  ;  properties  fell  to  a  tithe  of  assumed  values  ;  the  general 
government  could  not  meet  its  obligations  for  a  time,  and  eight 
States  failed.  There  Avas  a  complete  panic,  and  trade  Avas 
almost  entirely  at  an  end. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


217 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

ENGLAND  FHOM   1780  TO   1840. 

UEOROB   III.  —  GEOBGE   IV.  —  WILLIAM    IV.  —  CORONATION    OF    QUEEN   VICTORIA. 

1.  While  England  was  losing  colonics  by  the  revolution  in 
America,  she  Avas  gaining  an  empire  in  the  East.  "  The  foun- 
dation of  the  gi'cat  power  of  tlie  English  in  India  had  heen  laid 
by  the  victories  of  Clive,  Sir  Eyre  Coote,  Major  Munro,  and 
other  connnanders ;  by  arbitrary  exactions  ;  by  treaties  made 
with  Indian  princes  greatly  to  the  advantage  of  the  Company, 
and  by  intimidation  and  conquest  Avhen  these  treaties  were 
violated.  In  all  these  transactions  there  existed  no  small 
amount  of  that  injustice  and  oppression  Avhich  the  strong  are 
ever  apt  to  exercise  towards  die  weak.  At  various  times  the 
state  of  Indian  alfairs  Avas  discussed  in  Parliament,  and  bills 
brought  in  to  restrain  the  East  India  Company,  especially  in 
the  acquisition  of  territory,  and  in  the  exercise  of  legislative 
and  executive  power.  In  the  year  1773  a  bill  was  passed  in 
Parliament,  by  Avhich  a  court  of  justice  was  established  in 
Bengal,  consisting  of  judges  appointed  by  the  crown.  The 
same  bill  also  provided  for  the  ai)pointment  of  a  governor- 
general  of  India,  with  four  counsellors,  to  be  nominated  in  the 
first  instance  by  Parliament,  but  at  the  end  of  five  j'cars  by  the 
Court  of  Directors  of  the  East  India  Company,  subject,  how- 
ever, to  the  approbation  of  tlio  crown.  Under  this  act  there 
Avas  appointed  for  India  a  ruler  Avhose  character  and  achicA'e- 
ments  were  as  remarkal)lo  as  those  of  Clive,  and  Avho,  like 
him,  devoted  all  his  energies  to  niuinlain  and  increase  English 
supremacy  in  the  East.  This  Avas  Warren  Hastings.  He 
claimed  descent  from  the  Danish  Viking  of  that  name,  Avho,  in 
Alfred's  time,  had  ravaged  I^ngland."  Hastings  Avcnt  to  Eng- 
land as  a  clerk  in  the  Company's  employ,  and  rose  by  his 
energy  and  talent  to  become  governor-general. 

2.  The  exalted  position  Avhich  Hastings  finally  attained  was 
one  of  great  difficulty  and  temptation.  He  sought  to  maintain 
the  supremacy  of  England  against  the  French  and  the  natives, 
and  at  the  same  time  serA'c  the  best  interests  of  the  Company. 
The  Company,  at  a  distance  of  fifteen  thousan«I  miles,  Avero 


218 


ITISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


poorly  (|UiiliHo(l  to  judge  of  nmttcrs  in  Indiii ;  und  they  urged 
the  pariidoxltal  clnini  upon  their  governor  of  large  profits  and 
kind  trcalnicnt  of  the  natives.  Hastings  could  not  render 
both  ;  and,  as  he  Avus  forced  to  disobi'dienec  in  one;  partit-idar, 
he  chose  tiie  latter.  This  led  him  into  acts  of  cruelty  and  in- 
justice. He  seized  two  provinces  belonging  to  the  Great  JNIognl, 
and  sold  them  for  a  large  sum  to  the  Nahob  of  Oude.  After 
this  he  sold  the  services  of  the  JJritish  troops  to  en  ihlc  some 
nahol)  to  eonipier  a  brave,  free,  and  happy  people  in  the  valley 
of  Kohilcund.  Subsccpicntly,  however,  Hastings  perpetrated, 
in  the  eyes  of  Hindoos,  a  far  greater  crime.  On  the  hanks  of 
the  (ianges  stands  tiie  citv  of  lienares,  as  sucred  in  the  estimation 
of  lirahmin  Morshippers  j.s  is  eJerusaleni  to  the  njost  loyal  Jew, 
or  Mecca  to  the  followers  of  Mohannned.  "Its  splendid  tem- 
ples, its  jewelled  shrines,  its  graceful  minarets,  the  ilights  of 
marl)le  steps  leading  down  to  the  sacred  stream,  the  conse- 
cruted  bulU  and  apes  which  thronged  the  streets  or  clung  to 
the  temples,  Avere  objects  of  time-honored  veneration  through- 
out India.  Besides  the  costly  ollcrings  of  religion,  commeito 
had  enriched  this  favored  city.  'In  its  l)azaar  the  muslins  of 
Bengal  and  the  sabres  of  Oude  were  mingled  with  the  jewels 
of  Golconda  and  the  shawls  of  Cashmere.'  Warren  Hastings 
was  in  need  of  money.  His  "was  the  hand  by  which  iiiiyht 
made  riijlit,  and,  in  detiance  of  the  horror  which  such  a  deed 
awakened,  he  plundered  the  holy  city  of  Benares  in  1781. 
Whilst  these  transactions  were  going  on  in  Bengal,  the  atten- 
tion of  the  governor-general  was  suddenly  demanded  in 
another  quarter.  Hyder-Ali,  the  famous  Mohamnedan  chief- 
tain of]Mysore,  had  burst  upon  the  plains  of  t!^')  Carnatic. 
With  an  army  of  ninety  thousand  men,  and  the  powerful  co- 
operation of  the  French,  he  threatened  to  drive  the  English 
from  Southern  India.  Hastings  raised  an  army,  gave  it  in 
command  of  the  venerable  old  soldier.  Sir  Eyre  Coote,  who 
drove  back  the  bold  invader,  and  restored  to  the  English  the 
presidency  of  Madras.  This  war  had  drained  the  governor- 
general's  treasury,  and  the  Avealth  gained  by  the  plunder  of 
Benares  was  not  sntiicicnt  to  replenish  it.  To  obtain,  there- 
fore, another  supply,  he  robbed  two  Indian  princesses,  the 
mother  and  grandmother  of  the  Nabob  of  Oude.  These  aged 
women  Avere  imprisoned  in  their  palace  nntil,  half  famished, 
they  consented  to  give  their  rapacious  jailer  one  million  two 
hundred  thousand  pounds.  By  such  means  did  Warren  Hast- 
ings obtain  the  large  revenue  requisite  to  carry  on  the  expenses 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


219 


of  his  Indian  ^overninciit.     In  Fcbniaiy,  17S5,  the  govonior- 
gcnoiul  rofiigiictl  his  otKcc  luul  oinliiiikfd  for  Kngliind. 

3.  Tin'co  years  later  Warren  Hastings  stood  before  the 
High  Court  of  Parhanient,  in  Westminster  ]Iail,  and  listened 
to  his  inipeaelnnent  by  Kdmund  liurke,  one  of  tlu;  most  brilliant 
orators  Kngland  ever  i)rodueed.  N(;ver,  in  the  annals  of  Eng- 
lish history,  has  there  been  u  trial  of  so  high  and  intens(!  interest 
as  that  of  Warren  Hastings.  The  galleries  contained  (jJibbon, 
the  historian,  Sir  Joshna  l{(\vn()lds,  the  painter,  (iainsborough, 
and  Dr.  Parr;  also  iMrs.  Sitldons,  the  celebrated  aetress.  'I'lio 
trial  Avas  managed  by  such  men  as  Jiin-ke,  JSheridan,  and  1\)X, 
whose  eloquence  will  never  bo  sur[)assed.  The  trial  was  con- 
tinued through  every  session  for  seven  years  ;  and  in  April,  1795, 
the  i>iisoner  was  found  "not  guilty."  IJut  Ijetl're  this  trial  wms 
ended  the  ministry  of  George  HI.  became  al)sorbed  with  the 
all'iiirs  of  France.  The  French  people  of  that  country,  rendered 
impatient  and  wretched  ))y  oi)pression,  rose  in  opposition  to  their 
rulers.  They  elected  a  National  AssembI}',  and  declared  war 
against  royalty  and  nobility,  and,  after  many  acts  of  violence, 
their  monarch  and  his  queen  were  beheaded.  This  hronght 
forth  England's  protest,  both  as  against  this  rash  deed  and  tho 
introduction  of  rei)ublicanism.  In  17*J3  the  French  National 
Convention  declared  war  against  Great  iJritain.  Then  com- 
menced the  long  contest  of  the  French  revolution,  which  con- 
tinued, with  the  exception  of  a  short  peace,  for  more  than 
twenty  years.  England  won  all  of  her  victories  on  the  sea, 
while  France,  especially  after  the  rise  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte, 
continued  mistress  of  the  continent. 

4.  In  1797  England  had  internal  difficulties  of  no  mean 
importance  to  contend  with.  A  mutiny  extended  throughout 
the  whole  navy,  which  greatly  impaired  the  naval  scsrvice  ;  yet, 
notwithstanding,  reforms  in  the  navy  put  a  stop  to  the  muti- 
neers, and,  as  in  no  other  war  during  her  whole  history,  England 
won  the  most  brilliant  victories  on  the  seas.  In  an  attack  upon 
the  Spanish  tleet,  otf  Cape  St.  Vincent,  by  Admiral  Jarvls,  Lord 
Nelson  distinguished  himself  by  acts  of  great  valor,  and  in  the 
succeeding  year,  1798,  all  England  blazed  with  illuminations 
and  resounded  with  artillery,  in  honor  of  another  triumph  won 
by  Lord  Nelson  at  the  battle  of  the  Nile.  In  this  year  Napoleon 
Bonaparte,  then  at  the  head  of  the  armies  of  France,  invaded 
Egypt,  hoping  by  the  conquest  of  that  country  to  strike  a  fatal 
blow  at  the  English  possessions  in  India.  Lord  Nelson,  who 
had  been  ordered  to  the  Mediterranean,  learned  of  the  course 


i  ■  t| 


« I 


'«! 


M 


220 


iiistohy  of  dominion  of  Canada, 


Nnpolcoii's  Hoot  liiul  takou,  niul  started  in  piiivsuit.  On  the 
iiioniin*^  of  the  1st  of  August  tlio  two  fleets  caino  in  coutaot  in 
the  hurljor  of  Alexandria.  When  Ts'elson  first  behold  the  Frt^ieh 
ships,  ho  exelainiod,  "  IJofore  this  time  to-morrow,  I  shall  have 
gained  a  p(H'rage,  or  Weslminster  Abbey."  The  Freneh  Ueet, 
foi  ining  a  eurved  line,  occui)ied  a  strong  position  in  AI)oukir 
13ay.  Nelson  determined  to  send  a  part  of  his  s(piadron  between 
the  enemy  and  the  shore,  and  to  attaek  with  the  rest  on  the 
other  side,  thus  placing  the  Freneh  between  two  linvs.  Oil 
coninninieating  this  design  to  on(!  of  his  eaptains,  the  latter  ex- 
elaimed :  "Jf  we  sueeecd,  Avhat  mHI  the  v.orld  say?"  —  "There 
is  no  'if  in  tlic  case,"  replied  Nelson.  "That  wo  shall  suecced 
is  eertain  ;  who  may  live  to  tell  the  story  is  a  very  ditlerent 
question."  The  engagement  began  at  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, and  lasted  until  midnight.  At  night  the  blaze  of  two 
thousand  pieces  of  artillery  illuminated  the  scene,  "and  the 
volumes  of  flame  and  smoke  that  rolled  away  from  the  bay 
gavo  it  the  appearance  of  a  terrific  volcano  suddenly  bursting 
forth  in  the  midst  of  the  sea."  By  nine  o'clock  three  French 
ships  had  struck  their  colors,  two  were  dismasted,  and  flames 
were  fast  enveloping  a  third,  "L'Orlent,"  although  she  still 
made  a  bravo  defence. 

5.  On  the  burning  deck  of  the  "  L'Orient  "  stood  the  youth- 
ful, but  brave  Casablanca.  lie  was  the  son  of  the  French 
admiral,  and  only  ton  j'oars  of  age.  With  heroic  firnmess  he 
refused  to  quit  his  post,  even  when  the  guns  had  been  aban- 
doned, and 

"  Tho  flames  that  lit  the  battle's  wreck 
Shone  round  hira  o'c    I'le  dead." 


A  few  moments  more,  and  those  fla.ies  had  reached  the  powder 
magazine.  Then  followed  tho  fearful  destruction  of  the 
"  L'Orient "  and  her  gallant  crew,  — 


IJ 


"With  mast,  and  helm,  and  pennon  fair, 
That  well  had  home  their  part; 
But  tlie  noblest  thing  that  perished  there 
Was  that  young,  faithful  heart." 


At  the  conclusion  of  tho  battle,  at  midnight,  the  entire  French 
fleet  Avas  destroyed,  Avith  the  exception  of  four  vessels,  which 
escaped  to  carry  the  news  of  their  defeat  to  France.  Nelson 
was  severely  wounded  in  the  action ;  but  he  was  rew^arded  by 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


221 


a  Imiulaomo  pension  nud  tho  title  of  "Bnron  Nelson  of  tho 
Nile." 

G.  In  tho  sumo  year  tho  volunteer  system  of  niilitiii  was 
established  in  Kn<(land,  Avhieh  was  no  small  proof  of  tlu;  rellaneo 
l)lae<Ml  hy  tho  kin<^  aid  ministry  on  the  })eo[)le.  One  hundred 
and  lilty  thousand  were  enrolled,  who  rendered  good  servieo  in 
quelling  domestic  disturl)anecs.  Napoleon's  invasion  of  Egypt, 
before  referred  to,  caused  Turkey  —  as  Kgypt  was  then  a  prov- 
ince of  that  em})ire  —  to  declare  war  against  France.  A  few 
months  later  Napoleon  formed  the  bold  design  of  crossing  tho 
desert  to  Syria,  where  the  principal  army  of  the  Sultan  was 
situated.  He  hoped  to  conquer  this  army  and  to  found  a  grand 
empire  in  the  East.  Stinud.-ted  by  their  bold  leader  the  French 
army  entered  tho  Holy  Land,  passed  over  the  i)lains  of  Galilee, 
the  heights  of  Carmel,  Nazareth,  Cana,  and  laid  siege  to  Acre. 
"It  was  defended  by  tho  Turks,  and  in  the  Bay  of  Carmel  lay  a 
small  English  tleet,  connmmded  by  Sir  Sydney  Smith.  This 
trying  siege  continued  from  tho  KJth  of  Alarch  to  tho  7th  of 
May,  171)1).  On  the  evening  of  the  latter  day  an  Ottoman  tleet 
of  thirty  sail,  with  stores  of  ammunition  and  artillery,  anchored 
in  the  bay.  Napoleon  at  once  ordered  an  assault,  hoping  to 
take  the  town  before  relief  could  be  thrown  into  it.  This 
assault,  renewed  for  three  days,  was  made  with  all  tho  energy 
of  despair.  It  was  unavailing,  and  at  last  there  fell  from  Napo- 
leon's lips  the  tirst  order  for  retreat  which  that  successful  gen- 
eral had  ever  uttered.  He  left  on  the  Syrian  plains  three 
thousand  of  his  brave  men;  there,  too,  lay  buried  his  glorious 
visions  of  oriental  emi)ire.  With  heavy  hearts  the  renmant  of 
his  army  retraced  their  march  to  Egypt,  through  the  burning 
sands  of  tho  desert."  Of  Sir  Sidney  Smith,  Napoleon  often 
said,  "That  man  made  mo  miss  my  destiny." 

7.  During  this  prolonged  Avar  Ireland  became  a  source  of 
great  trouble  to  England.  That  country,  ever  since  its  con- 
quest by  Henry  Plantagcnet,  had  been  a  source  of  ditfieulty  to 
England;  and  it  was,  in  a  great  measure,  the  unjust  and  cruel 
conduct  of  the  conqueror  that  made  Ireland  discontented.  On 
every  fresh  conquest  the  fair  domains  of  Ireland  were  wrested 
from  the  native  owner,  and  bestowed  upon  a  foreign  lord.  The 
new  proprietor,  instead  of  dwelling  on  his  estate,  caring  for  his 
tenantry,  and  becoming  Irish  in  his  sympathies  and  interests, 
returned  to  England,  leaving  an  agent  to  collect  rents  and 
raise  as  much  money  as  he  could  from  the  estate.  These 
agents  oppressed  the  peasantry,  and  thus  awakened  a  feeling 


222 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


:    P' 


m 


of  hostility  towards  the  absent  proprietor.  Then,  too,  there 
lingered  in  the  land  a  great  number  of  the  old,  disinherited 
families,  Avho  kept  up  in  the  minds  of  their  former  dependants 
a  feeling  of  indignation  against  the  Saxon  invaders."  At  the 
time  of  the  Reformation  England  became  Protestant,  but  Ire- 
land still  adhered  to  the  Church  of  Home.  Hence  another 
source  of  embroilment.  The  "  Society  of  United  Irishmen,"  on 
the  one  ha  I,  and  the  "Orangemen"  on  the  other,  formed  two 
powerful  opposing  elements  ;  the  former  adverse  to  English  and 
Protestant  supremacy,  and  the  latter  in  favor  of  both.  The 
French,  enemies  of  England,  did  much  to  foster  this  discontent ; 
bat  in  1799  Ireland  and  England  were  brought  under  one 
Parliament.  The  measure  met  with  violent  opposition  on  the 
part  of  the  great  bod}'  of  the  Irish  people.  Curran  and  Grat- 
tan,  the  most  eloquent  orators  of  their  day,  pleaded  earnestly 
against  it,  as  subversive  of  the  dignity  and  liberty  of  their 
countr}',  The  bill  for  the  union,  wiiich  had  passed  in  the  Eng- 
lish Parliament,  was  iigreed  to  in  the  Irish  House  of  Lords,  and 
the  Commons  Avero  won  over  by  bribery.  Thus,  in  the  last 
year  of  the  eighteenth  eenturj',  the  union  of  England  and  Ire- 
land was  elfected.  The  Irish  Parliament  ceased  to  exi?t,  and 
twenty-eight  peers  and  one  hundred  commoners  represent  that 
kingdom  in  the  national  council  of  the  realm.  Henceforth  the 
British  Isles  assumed  the  title  of  "  The  United  Kingdom  of 
Great  r)ritain  and  Ireland." 

8.  In  1801  the  governments  of  Eussia,  Sweden,  and  Den- 
murk,  instigated  by  France,  entered  into  a  confederacy  hostile 
to  England.  This  was  called  the  "  Armed  Neutrality,"  and 
caused  England  to  send  a  fleet  to  the  Baltic.  The  fleet  was 
connuanded  by  Admiral  Sir  Hyde  Parker  and  Lord  Nelson. 
The  advance  was  made  on  Copenhagen,  and  on  the  morning  of 
]\farch  30,  eighteen  English  ships  of  the  line  and  a  number  of 
smaller  vessels,  entered  the  narrow  sound  which  divides  Den- 
mark and  Sweden.  On  the  1st  of  April  Lord  Nelson  Avith 
only  twelve  line-of-battle  ships  anchored  within  two  miles  of 
Copenhagen.  Sir  Hyde  Parker  remained  Avith  the  remainder 
of  the  fleet  at  the  entrance  of  the  sound.  At  ten  o'clock  C/f  the 
2d  of  April  the  battle  began.  At  one  o'clock  three  of  the 
best  English  ships  grounded  on  the  shoals,  and  Admiral  Parker 
signalled  a  retreat.  Nelson  Avas  in  the  thickest  of  tae  fight 
when  the  signal  Avas  reported,  but,  instead  of  obeying  it,  he  re- 
marked to  one  of  his  captains,  "You  knoAV  I  have  only  one 
eye  ;  I  have  a  right  to  be  blind  sometimes."     Then  putting  the 


of 

er 

the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


223 


glass  to  his  blind  eye,  ho  added,  "  I  really  don't  sec  the  signal. 
Keep  mine  for  closer  battle  still  flying  !  "  Such  was  the  per- 
sistent bravery  of  Nelson,  Avhieh  won  the  battle  of  Copenhagen, 
and  of  which  he  .afterwards  remarked,  "I  haA'c  been  in  above 
a  hundred  engagements,  but  that  of  Copenhagen  was  the  most 
terrible  of  them  all."  This,  and  the  death  of  the  Emperor  of 
Russia,  and  the  accession  of  a  new  czar,  Alexander  I.,  who 
immediately  entered  into  friendly  relations  with  Great  Britain, 
put  an  end  to  the  "  Armed  Neutrality."  In  1802  a  treaty  of 
peace  was  signed  between  France  and  England  ;  but  this  made 
only  a  brief  pause  in  the  din  of  war.  In  1803  war  reopened 
with  all  its  horrors,  and  raged  until  the  great  Napoleon  was 
defeated  at  Waterloo.  I  have  space  to  mention  only  the  prin- 
cipal features  of  this  war.  In  the  plan  to  conipier  Egypt 
France  was  thwai-tcd.  In  May,  1804,  Napoleon  Avas  declared 
Emperor  of  the  French ;  and  during  the  following  year  car- 
ried on  a  successful  campaign  in  Northern  Italy  and  Austria. 
On  the  surrender  of  the  old  Austrian  town  of  Ulni,  by  Gen. 
Mack,  on  the  20th  of  October,  1805,  Napoleon  gazed  uj^ou  an 
array  of  sixty  thousand  prisoners  of  war  as  they  defiled  before 
him.  lie  exclaimed,  "  I  must  have  greater  things  than  these  — 
ships,  colonies,  conmiercc  !  These  arc  what  I  want !  *'  The  mor- 
row's sun  shone  down  upon  the  battle  of  Trafalgar,  by  which 
these  much-coveted  advantages  were  confirmed  to  his  enemies, 
and  the  hope  of  their  acquisition  was  forever  crushed  in  the 
mind  of  Napoleon.  The  1)attle  of  Trafalgar,  gained  by  Lord 
Nelson,  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  of  October,  180o,  will  be 
ever  memorable  in  the  annals  of  Great  Britain's  naval  history; 
memorable  for  the  bravery  with  which  an  English  fleet  of 
twenty-seven  sail  oa  ercame  the  combined  squadron  of  France 
and  Spain ;  and  not  less  memorable  for  the  death  of  the  gallant 
Lord  Nelson,  who  fell  in  the  moment  of  victor}'.  On  going 
into  the  action  Nelson  modestly  said  to  his  men :  "  England 
expects  every  man  to  do  his  duty ; "  and  the  men  responded 
Avith  such  rapturous  enthusiasm  as  has  never  l)een  equalled  in 
the  history  of  nations.  The  heroism  of  the  men  avIio  fought  at 
Trafalgar,  and  tho  bravery  of  their  noble  leader,  Inu'c  no  equal 
in  all  the  annals  of  naval  warfare. 

9.  In  1808  Napoleon  had  reached  the  height  of  his  povv^er.  All 
continental  Europe  aVc's  prostrated  at  his  imperial  feet.  He  had 
seized  the  thrones  of  Ilol'and  and  Naples  for  tAvo  of  his  l)roilicrs, 
Louis  and  Joseph,  and  for  the  third  had  created  Westphalia 
into  a  kingdom  ;  and  his  fourth  stroke  was  to  transfer  Joseph 


M 


!fiP 


224 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


Bonaparte  to  the  throne  of  Spain,  and  bestow  the  consequent 
vacant  crown  upon  his  brave  j^eneral,  Murat.  This  attempt 
brought  on  the  mighty  peninsular  war,  and  gave  opportunity 
for  those  deeds  of  wonderful  valor  by  which  Sir  Arthur 
Wellcsley  (soon  afterwards  Duke  of  AVellington)  immortalized 
himself  and  adorned  English  history.  lie  Avas  at  Urst  sent  out 
with  ten  thousand  troops.  At  Vimeira,  in  Portugal,  he  gained 
a  victory  over  the  French.  Subsequently  the  English  entered 
into  an  agreement  with  the  French,  by  which  the  latter  aban- 
doned Portugal.  Afterwards  Sir  .John  Moore  was  appointed 
to  the  connnand  of  Ilis  Majesty's  forces  in  the  peninsula.  He 
advanced  into  Spain  ;  but  Napoleon  had  entered  that  country 
with  two  hundred  thousand  men,  defeated  the  Spaniards  in 
sc'cral  engagements,  taken  Madrid,  and  was  now,  with  fifty 
thousand  troops,  in  pursuit  of  the  English.  Sir  John  Moore 
was  forced  to  retreat.  Napoleon  was  called  to  France,  but 
Marshal  Soulo  Jissumed  connnand  in  his  absence,  and  continued 
the  march  upon  the  English,  Avho  Averc  now  retreating.  "  When, 
on  the  11th  of  January,  1801),  the  army  of  Sir  John  Moore  gazed 
from  the  heights  of  Corunna  upon  the  sea,  and  saw  not  a  single 
transport  in  the  harbor,  they  knew  their  only  hope  lay  in  suc- 
cessful battle  with  the  pursuing  foe.  That  battle,  fought  on 
the  16th,  in  the  face  of  overwhelming  numbers,  was  won,  but 
with  the  sacrifice  of  their  brave  commander.  Sir  John  Moore 
perished  upon  the  field  of  victory.  The  enemy  were  repulsed, 
but  there  Avas  no  time  to  be  lost  in  the  embarkation  of  the 
troops  on  board  the  transports,  Avhich  two  days  before  had 
anchored  \n  the  harbor.  liastily,  and  in  silence,  a  grave  was 
dug  on  the  ramparts  of  Corunna,  in  which  was  laid  the  body  of 
the  dejiavted  general."  All  ray  readers  will  remember  how 
the  burial  of  Sir  John  Moore  is  described  by  the  poet.  We 
have  often  repeated  with  a  peculiar  inspiration  :  — 


"  Not  a  drum  was  heard,  not  a  funeral  note, 
As  his  corse  to  the  ramparts  we  liurricd ; 
Not  a  soUlier  discharged  his  farewell  shot 
O'er  the  grave  where  our  hero  ive  juried." 

The  generals  of  Napoleon  made  themselves  masters  of  Spain 
during  the  first  years  of  the  peninsula  war,  but  in  1809  Wel- 
lington Avas  ai)pointed  to  the  English  command  in  that  quarter, 
and  soon  the  tide  of  victory  foUoAved  the  march  of  his  army. 
His  victories  Avere  Avon  under  the  most  trying  circumstjfnces ; 
but  his  rcAvard  came  at  last.     In  1813  the  French  fled  from 


ENGLAND,   AND   THE    UNITED   vSTATES. 


225 


Spain,  of  which  they  had  made  themselves  masters.  On  tlie 
21st  of  June  was  fought  the  great  battle  of  Vittoria,  in  which 
Wellington  gained  a  series  of  brilliant  victories,  driving  the 
French  before  his  invincible  troops,  even  on  French  teiTitory. 

10.  In  J812  the  great  Napoleon,  thinking  the  conquest  of 
Spain  secure,  set  out  with  five  hundred  thousand  men  to  invade 
Kussia.  This  expedition  resulted  in  the  burning  of  Moscow, 
to  prevent  its  being  occupied  by  the  French  ;  but  the  reader  is 
probably  aware  of  the  disastrous  retreat  and  destruction  of 
Napoleon's  hosts.  Of  those  who  followed  the  bold  leader 
across  the  Niemen  but  twenty  thousand  recrossed  it  in  return. 
The  storm  of  defeat  now  gathered  thick  and  black  about  the 
throne  of  France.  From  Lisbon  to  the  White  Sea  all  Europe 
rose  against  the  imperial  eagles.  A  million  of  Napoleon's 
soldiers  had  perished  in  eighteen  months.  In  1814  he  abdicated 
before  the  consuming  power  of  his  enemies,  and  tied  to  the 
island  of  Elba;  but  in  1815  ho  returned  to  France,  and  so 
powerful  was  his  presence  that  he  drew  around  him  one  hundred 
and  twenty  thousand  men.  With  this  force  he  suddenly  en- 
tered Belgium.  Ilis  intention  was  to  interpose  between  the 
English  under  Wellington,  and  their  Prussian  allies  under 
Blucher  ;  to  defeat  the  latter,  and  then  to  meet  Wellington,  with 
whom  he  longed  to  measure  his  strength.  AVhen  the  intelli- 
gence of  this  move  reached  Wellington  he  calmly  ordered  his 
troops  to  prepare,  and  then  went  to  the  Duchess  of  Richmond's 
ball.  This  incident  is  made  familiar  in  Byron's  "  Childe  Harold." 
True,  indeed, — 

"  There  was  a  soiind  of  revelry  by  nisrlit, 
And  IJclf^iuiirs  cajiital  hail  gathered  there 
Her  beauty  and  lier  chivalry." 

In  June  two  battles  were  fought.  The  Prussians  were  defeated ^ 
and  the  English  Avere  compelled  to  retreat,  to  secure  a  junc- 
tion with  the  Prussians  under  Blucher.  Communication  was 
had  between  the  latter  and  Wellington,  who  Avas  promised 
assistance  as  soon  as  he  could  pass  the  difficult  roads  with  his 
troops. 

11.  On  opposite  hills,  overlooking  the  plain  of  Waterloo, 
the  French  and  English  armies  rested  on  the  night  of  the  17th 
of  June.  The  rain  fell  in  torrents,  and  the  dreadful  hours 
were  spent  on  the  wet  ground.  On  the  morning  of  the  18th  of 
June,  1815,  the  French,  amid  peals  of  martial  music,  took  their 
position.     The  English,  with  less  show,  made  no  less  careful 


226 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


11' >  i 


IH  I      1  i' 


It-r 


preparations.     When  Napoleon  beheld  his  foes  lie  haughtily 
remarked,    "I  have   them,    these  English!"       ^Marshal  iSoult 
intelligently  replied,  "  Sire,  1  know  these  English  ;  they  will 
die  on  the  ground  on  Avhich  they  stand  before  they  lose  it !  "     I 
will  gratity  my  readers  with  a  description  of  this  battle  from  an 
abler  pen,  that  of  A.  B.  Berard  :  "  .is  the  clock  from  a  neigh- 
boring village  struck  eleven,  the  iirst  gun  was  tired  from  the 
French  lines,  and  the  action  connncnced  by  their  attack  on  an 
old  chateau,  where  was  posted  a  body  of  English  light  troops. 
By   a   lierce  ass:iult  the    wood  surrounding   the    chateau    was 
carried,  but  the  lioi'.^v  held  out,  an  invincible  citadel,  until  con- 
sumed b}^  the  fire  froi!)  the  French  howitzers.     Even  then  the 
brave  foot-guards  maintained  the  garden  and  court-yard,  and 
turned  the  storm  of  battle  from  that  quarter.     It  then  burst  in 
full  force  upon  the  British  left,  to  be  not  only  repelled,  but  re- 
turned by  such  a  brilliant  charge  of  cavalry  from  the   Scotch 
Greys  as  to  extort  admiration  from  Napoleon  himself.    '  Those 
terrible  Greys,  how  they  fight ! '  he  exclaimed,  when  he  beheld 
his  column  of  live  thousand  strong  scattered  by  their  charge, 
two  thousand  prisoners  taken,  and  eighty  pieces  of  cannon 
rendered  useless.     Picton,  the  brave  leader  who  repelled  the 
French  onset,  and  Ponsonby,  who  led  the  charge,  both  fell  in 
the  moment  of  their  brilliant  success.     And  now  the  massive 
colunms  of  the  French  turned  upon  the  British  centre.     There 
Wellington  commanded,  and  Napoleon  animated  the  attack. 
For  four  hours  it  was  the  scene  of  the  intrepid  charge  of  the 
French  cavalry,  and  the  heroic  resistance  and  repulse  of  the 
British  infantry.     Thus  the  battle  raged  long  past  the  hour  of 
noon,  and  the  Prussians,  under  their  bravo  old  marshal,  had 
not  yet  come  up.     They  had  begun  their  march  by  daybreak ; 
but  the  route  lay  through  forest  rcjads,  made  deep  and  miry  l)y 
rivulets  which  had  become  torrents,  and  interspersed  l)y  deep 
pools.     The  gun-carriages  often  sank  axle-deep  in  mud,  and 
the  exhausted  and  almost  despairing  soldiers  would  exclaim : 
'  We  shall  never  get  on.' — '  But  we  must  get  on,'  urged  Blucher ; 
'I  have  given  my  word  to  Wellington,  and  you  will  not  make 
me    break  it.     Courage,    children,  courage,    for  a  few  hours 
longer,  and  then  victory  will  bo  ours.'     It  was  past  four  o'clock 
in  the  aftcv^ioon  when  they  reached  the  scene  of  action.     But 
when  the  tire  of  their  artillery  rang  upon  the  ear,  Napoleon  felt 
that  the  last  decisive  moment  Avas  fast  approaching.     One  more 
hope  remained.     It  remained  in  the  old  Imperial  Guard, — 
those  bravo  veterans  of  the  empire,  than  whom  there  were  on 


■n- 


I 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


227 


earth  no  hiavcr.  But  even  they  were  powerless  to  win  back 
the  fatal  day  of  Waterloo  ;  and  as  the  sun  went  clown  there 
rose  the  despairing  ery  :  '  All  is  lost ;  the  Guard  recoils  ! '  Its 
departing  rays  heheld  the  flight  of  the  last  colunnis  of  the 
imperial  army.  Waterloo  was  lost,  and  Napoleon,  attended 
1)''  a  few  followers,  tied  from  the  battle-lield.  He  returned  to 
Paris,  and  tliencc  endeav(n*ed  to  escape  to  America,  but  tlfb 
shores  of  franco  were  watched  hy  English  cruisers.  Disap- 
pointed in  this  hope,  he  surrendered  himself  into  the  hands  of 
the  captain  of  an  English  vessel  in  the  harbor  of  Kochfort,  — 


"  'And  trusting  to  his  noblest  foes, 
Wlien  earth  was  iiU  too  <;ray  for  cliivalrv, 
Died  of  their  mercies  'mid  the  desert  sea.' 


The  allies  entered  Paris :  the  old  line  of  French  kings  was 
restored,  and  the  terrible  struggle  of  the  French  Kevolution 
was  ended." 

12.  While  England  was  conducting  these  wars  she  Avas  also 
engaged  in  the  war  of  1812-li),  as  we  have  already  seen.  Her 
many  defeats  in  the  latter  must  be  explained  by  the  bitter 
struooflcs  of  the  former.  At  the  same  time  the  Barbary 
pirates  had  ravaged  the  Mediterranean,  and  were  the  terror  of 
every  sail.  In  181G  the  British  sent  Lord  Exniouth  to  the 
coast  of  Barbary  to  demand  reparation.  "Timis  and  Tripoli 
acceded  to  these  demands,  but  Algiers  hesitated,  on  the  ground 
tiiat,  being  a  subject  of  Turkc}'',  she  could  enter  into  no  treaty 
without  the  consent  of  that  government.  An  embassy  was  sent 
to  the  sultan,  but  before  anv  answer  could  be  returned  the 
Algerines  conniiitted  so  gross  an  outrage  on  the  flag  of  (treat 
Britain  that  the  British  government  d<'terniiucd  to  destroy  this 
stronghold  of  piracy.  A  fleet,  commanded  by  Lord  Exmouth, 
Avas  sent  to  Algiers.  The  city,  built  upon  a  hillside  which 
rises  from  the  sea,  presented  an  imposing  and  formidable 
appearance.  It  was  well  defended  with  fortilications,  batteries, 
and  gimboats.  On  the  27th  of  August  "Lord  Exmouth  entered 
the  harbor,  and  sent  to  the  Dey  a  tlag,  with  the  dfniands  of  the 
British  government.  An  answer  was  promised  in  the  course  of 
tno  hours  ;  but,  as  none  came  at  the  appointed  time.  Lord 
Exniouth  opened  a  fire  upon  the  town.  At  four  o'clock,  P.JNL, 
the  British  fired  some  VIgerine  ships  in  the  harbor;  the  flames 
spread  to  the  arsenals  and  stores  on  the  shore,  and  when,  on 
the  following  morning,  the  Dey  sent  in  his  submission,  his  cap- 


228 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


ital  presented  a  melancholy  nppearancc.  A  treaty  was  entered 
into,  by  which  three  thousiind  and  three  captives  were  liberated, 
and  the  a])olition  of  Christian  slavery  was  promised  by  the 
government  of  Algiers." 

13.  At  the  close  of  the  iirst  month  of  1820,  George  III, 
died,  in  the  eighty-second  year  of  his  age,  and  the  sixtieth  year 
oi»  his  reign.  For  nearly  ten  years  insanity  had  rendered  him 
untit  to  administer  the  government,  and  since  1811  a  regency 
had  conducted  the  ali'airs  of  state,  having  the  Prince  of  Wales 
at  its  head.  The  prince-regent  now  ascended  the  throne,  and 
was  crowned  George  IV.,  King  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 
He  had  been  mnn-ied,  in  17!J5,  to  the  Princess  Caroline  of 
Brunswick;  but  the  union  was  an  unhappy  one,  and  in  1814 
the  queen  Avcnt  to  reside  on  the  continent.  Efforts,  emanating 
partly  from  (ieorgc  IV.,  Avere  put  forth  to  induce  her  to  remain 
abroad,  and  renounce  the  style  and  title  of  (^ueen  of  CJreat 
Britain ;  but  these  were  in  vain.  She  returned,  and  the  case 
was  brought  before  Parliament ;  but  before  it  was  settled,  in 
1821,  she  died.  The  domestic  history  of  England  during  this 
period  was  characterized  by  Roman  Catholic  emancipation, 
j)arliamentary  reforms,  and  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  the 
colonies.  After  a  reign  of  about  ten  years,  George  IV^.  died, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother,  William  Ilenry,  Duke  of 
Clarence.  He  was  crowned  with  the  title  of  William  IV.  The 
latter  r'igned  until  June  20,  1837,  Avhcn  he  died  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Alexandria  Victoria,  the  daughter  of  his  brother,  the 
Duke  of  Kent.  She  is  the  present  reigning  sovereign.  In  a 
subsequent  chapter  on  England  during  the  nineteenth  century, 
the  affairs  under  the  three  last-named  rulers  will  be  reviewed. 
IVIeanwhile,  let  us  return  to  the  inner  circles  of  Canadian 
history. 


-»♦♦- 


CHAPTER    XX. 


THE  PROVINCE   OF  CANADA,  1840  TO   1867. 

t 

THE  EARL  OF  DURHAM — LORD  SYDENHAM  —  SIR  CHARLES  BAGOT — THE  UXIOX. 

1 .  In  a  previous  chapter  Ave  have  folloAved  the  history  of 
Canada  doAvn  to  the  union  of  1840,  passing  by  events  in  the 
other  provinces  of  the  present  Dominion,  for  purposes  of  con- 
venience, to  which  Ave  shall  turn  our  attention  in  succeeding 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


229 


chapters.  Let  us  now  trace  the  fortunes  of  United  Canada,  or 
the  Province  of  Canada,  as  it  was  called  by  the  terms  of  the 
Union  in  1840,  from  the  time  of  the  union  to  the  confederation 
of  18G7.  lleserviug  all  special  subjects,  such  as  education, 
commerce,  public  works,  etc.,  for  separate  chapters,  later  on, 
we  will  now  follow  only  the  political  thread  of  our  nyrrative, 
excepting  only  to  mention  that  notwithstanding  the  many  internal 
disturbances  which  shook  the  two  provinces  in  their  separate 
capacities,  time  and  money  were  found  for  considerable  public 
improvements.  In  Lower  Canada  large  sums  of  money  were 
voted  by  the  Legislature  for  the  building  of  the  Chambly  and 
Lachine  canals,  and  the  same  province  voted  to  take  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars  of  stock  in  the  Welland  Canal  of  Upper 
Canada.  In  the  latter  province,  the  Welland  Canal  was  pushed 
forward  with  great  energy.  It  was  projected  by  the  Hon.  AN'^il- 
ham  II.  Merritt,  a  son  of  a  united  empire  loyalist.  He  served 
in  the  war  of  1812,  and  six  years  later  entered  upon  the  work 
of  this  important  canal.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Legislatv  > 
for  many  years ;  was  president  of  the  executive  council  of 
Upper  Canada  in  1849,  and  chief  commissioner  of  public  Avorks 
in  1851. 

2.  In  1838  affiiirs  in  Canada  had  attracted  so  much  attention 
in  England,  that  the  Earl  of  Durham  was  appointed  governor- 
general  and  her  majesty's  lord  high  commissioner,  to  inquire 
into  and  report  upon  the  affairs  of  the  rebellion.  The  Right 
Honorable  John  George  Lambton,  Earl  of  Durham,  was  born 
in  1792.  In  1813  he  was  elected  to  Parliament,  and  in  ]838 
he  came  to  Canada  on  the  mission  stated.  His  report  upon  the 
political  state  of  the  provinces  was  published  in  1839,  and  led 
to  the  union  which  innnediately  followed.  Shortly  after  his 
arrival  Lord  Durham  and  the  several  eminent  men  Avho  accom- 
panied him  set  about  the  objects  of  their  mission.  Valuable 
information  was  collected,  witnesses  examined,  and  inquiries 
in.stituted  with  great  vigor.  A  voluminous  report  on  the  state 
of  the  country  Avas  prepared  as  the  result  of  these  inquiries, 
and  laid  before  her  majesty.  Among  other  recommendations 
made  by  the  earl,  the  imion  of  the  two  Canadas  was  urged  as 
of  paramount  importance.  A  hostile  censure,  in  the  House  of 
Lords,  on  Lord  Durham's  local  administration  of  the  govern- 
ment, however,  brought  his  mission  to  an  abru])t  termination, 
and  he  returned  to  England.  Sir  John  Colborne  (afterAvards 
Lord  Seaton)  again  l)ecame  administrator  of  the  government 
in  LoAver  Canada  xmtil  the  appointment  of  the  Right  Honorable 


f 


n 


^  . 


230 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION-   OF   CANADA, 


('hiirlcs   I'oulott   Thoiupjjoii  (ut'torwtirds   Lord   Sydenham)  as 
guveriior-fr*'iu'riil. 

3.  Oil  llio  return  of  pciico  to  tho  provinces,  in  IS,'}'),  (he 
British  government  Jit  onee  a(lo[)led  measures  to  niiiintain  tho 
pcrnuiuent  trau(inillity  of  the  country.  The  Right  llononihle 
(J.  1*.  Thom[)son  (Lord  Sydenham),  an  eminent  merchant, 
was  sent  out  as  governor-general,  lie  was  horn  in  E;  ■  .\ 
in  1799,  and  was  ek'eted  to  Parhament  in  l&2{j.  His  rev.  1 
may  be  brielly  sununed  up  thus  :  lie  was  vice-president  of  tiie 
lioard  of  Trade  in  1829  ;  president  in  18o4.  lie  estabiislic'd 
tlie  English  schools  of  design  in  IS,")?  ;  appointed  Governor- 
General  of  Canada  in  1839 ;  united  the  Canadas,  and  was 
created  Baron  Sydenham  at  Toronto,  in  18  K) ;  opened  the 
iirst  nnited  Barliament  at  Kiugston,  in  June,  1841;  projected 
a  nnniicipal  system  in  Upper  Canada  in  August  ;  a:id  died,  by 
reason  of  a  fall  from  his  horse,  and  was  buried  in  Kingston,  in 
September,  1841,  aged  oidy  forty-two  years.  'lie  was  directed 
to  obtain  the  concurrence  of  the  inhabitants  to  u  union  of  the 
provinces.  Tho  special  council  of  Lower  Canada  agreed  to  the 
proposed  union  (and  the  assumption  by  the  united  |)rovincc  of 
tho  large  (h'l)t  of  Upi)er  Canada),  aft(>r  a  conference  with  tho 
governor-gcMieral,  in  November,  1.^89.  The  Legislature  'of 
Upper  Canada  also  agreed  to  it,  after  two  weeks'  debate,  in 
December  of  tho  same  year.  Lord  S^'denham  relieved  Sir  John 
Colborno  in  Lower  Canada,  on  his  arrival  there,  llMh  October, 
and  Sir  Georgo  Arthur,  in  Upper  Canada,  on  the  22d  of  Novem- 
ber, 18.59.  Tho  act  of  unioii,  so  readily  agreed  to  by  both 
provinces,  Avas  drafted  by  Lord  Sydenham,  and  sent  home.  It 
was  passed  by  the  British  Parliament  in  1840,  and  took  effect 
by  royal  proclamation  (issued  by  Lord  Sydenham)  on  tho  10th 
of  Fei)ruary,  1841 , — a  threefold  anniversary,  already  memorable 
in  the  history  of  Canada,  viz.  :  _/?/'.s7,  by  tho  Treaty  of  Utrecht, 
l>y  which  the  i)rovince  was,  in  1 HVA,  ceded  to  the  British  Crown  ; 
second} J,  by  the  assent  of  the  sovereign  to  tho  Imperial  Act  of 
1838,  by  which  the  constitution  of  Lower  Canada  was  suspend 
ed  ;  and,  f/iirdli/,  by  the  marriage  of  our  most  gracious  sover- 
eign the  (^ueen  to  Ills  Koyal  Highness  Prince  Albert  of  Saxe 
Coburg  and  Gotha,  in  1839."" 

4.  Tho  new  constitution  of  the  Province  of  Canada,  as  sot 
forth  in  the  ImixM-ial  .Vet  of  Union,  embodied  several  features 
not  heretofore  introduced  into  colonial  constitutions.  "The 
most  important  of  these  features  was,  ./f/^s•^  tho  institution  of 
responsible  government,  that  is,  a  government  controlled  by 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


231 


colonial  niinistors  of  tli(>  crown,  having  scats  in  tho  Lof^islatnrc, 
suitl  r(!.sponsi  1)1(5  to  it  tor  their  ottit-ial  acts,  and  for  their  advice 
to  the  <;overnor-<rcneral  ;  and,  srconilfi/,  tho  <'onccssion  to  tho 
House  of  Asseinlily  of  coniph'te  control  over  the  revenue  in  all 
its  branduis,  and  the  sn[)ervisou  of  the  entire  expenditure  of 
the  eoinitry.  Thus  were  the  demands  of  one  ;ireat  party  «jfrant- 
ed ;  while,  to  meet  the  views  of  tho  other  party,  guards  and 
checks  were  (hen  inler[)osed,  which,  since  that  time,  hav(!  been 
gradually  relaxed.  The  year  1S41  was  an  eventful  ono  for 
Canada.  In  that  year  tho  double  system  of  lieutenant-gov- 
ernors and  legislatois  ceased  ;  and  Lord  S^'denham  became 
sole  representative  of  the  queen  in  Canada.  The  elections  to 
the  new  Legislature  took  place  in  March;  and  the  first  united 
Parliament  of  tho  i)r()vinco  was  opened  with  imi)osing  cere- 
UKMiies,  at  Kingston,  Upper  Canada,  in  June,  LS-U.  During 
that  memorable  session  the  foundation  of  many  of  our  important 
civil  institutions  was  laid,  especially  those  relating  to  the  munic- 
ipal system,  ])opular  education,  tho  customs,  currency,  etc. 
Another  valuable  measiu'c  was  passed  relating  to  the  mamig(;- 
ment  of  the  pid)lic  works  of  the  provin(!(>,  Avhlch  had  hitherto 
been  constructed,  either  by  private  irres[)onsiI)le  companies,  or 
by  contracts  issued  by  separate  dc[)artments  of  the  government. 
At  Lord  Sydenham's  suggestion  tho  numerous  acts  relating  to 
public  improvements  were  consolidated,  and  a  Board  of  Public 
Works,  with  a  cabinet  minister  at  its  head,  creat(ul."  In  order 
to  cnal)lo  this  Board  to  carry  on  to  completion  some  newly  pro- 
jected public  Avorks,  and  to  consolidate  tho  debt  already  in- 
curred for  them,  ono  million  live  hundred  thousand  pounds 
sterling  was,  upon  tlie  govornor-generars  recommendation, 
raised  in  England  on  the  credit  of  tho  i)rovincc.  The  session 
was  terminated  by  the  sudden  death  of  the  governor-general. 

a.  The  "Clergy  Keserves"  constituted  ono  of  the  most  diffi- 
cult question  for  the  new  government  to  solve.  Under  the 
previous  constitution  a  vast  i)ortion  of  the  lands  in  both  prov- 
inces were  set  aside  for  the  benelit  of  the  Church  of  England. 
It  was  resolved  to  dispose  of  these  lands,  and  divide  the  pro- 
ceeds among  the  several  religious  denominations.  A  bill  was 
accordingly  introduced  by  Mr.  I)rai)er,  now  solicitor-general, 
early  in  January,  empowering  the  governor  to  sell  tlieso  re- 
serves;  part  of  tho  in-oceeds  to  l>o  applied  for  payment  of  the 
salaries  of  tho  existing  clergymen  of  the  Church  of  England,  to 
whom  the  faith  of  the  crown  had  been  pledged.  One-half  of 
the  remainder  was  to  go  to  tiie  churches  of  England  and  Scot'- 


II 


232 


IllSTOUY   OF   DOMINION    OF   CANADA, 


land,  in  proportion  to  their  respootivo  nunil)or.s  ;  the  other  half, 
to  all  other  denominations  of  Christians  reeoj^nized  by  the  ex- 
istin<^  laws,  in  a  ratio  to  their  annnal  jjrivato  eontributions  for 
the  support  of  their  ministers.  This  hill  passed  the  Assembly 
l)y  a  majority  of  eight.  The  measure,  liowever,  did  not  satisfy 
the  reform  i)arty,  and  the  elergy-reseiTo  question  eontinued 
to  be  a  fruitfid  som'ce  of  agitation. 

6.  Next,  and  still  more  imi)ortant,  Ava.s  tho  qnesti(m  of  re- 
sponsible government.  The  method  by  -which  itAvas  introduced 
was  gradual,  and  illustrative  of  the  slow  degrees  by  which  tho 
executive  in  a  monarchical  form  of  government  yields  to  the 
voice  of  the  ])eople.  An  address  had  been  prepared  by  the 
Assembly  to  the  governor-general,  in  order  to  elicit  a  distinct 
expression  of  his  views  on  this  question.  On  tho  14th  of  Jan- 
uary, 1840,  he  sent  down  a  message  in  reply,  -which  declared 
"that  ho  had  been  commanded  by  her  majesty  to  administer 
the  government  in  acecu'dance  v/ith  tho  well-understood  wishes 
of  tho  people ;  and  to  pay  to  their  feelings,  as  expressed 
through  their  representatives,   tho    deference   that  Avas  justly 

duo  to  them."  Thus,  at 
last,  was  the  principle  of 
responsible  government 
interwoven  with  the  con- 
stitution of  Canada,  a  con- 
sununation  so  long  struj;- 
gled  for  by  the  reform 
l)arty.  The  governor-gen- 
erafs  message  on  this  head 
was  followed  by  the  re- 
moval of  jNIr.  Ilagerman, 
tho  attorne^'-general,  who 
had  voted  against  tho  union 
in  the  Assembly.  Mr. 
Draper  was  appointed  to 
the  vacant  jiost,  while 
Robert  Baldwin,  tho  prin- 
cipal leader  of  tho  con- 
stitutional reformers,  was 
made  solicitor-general.  The  lion.  Robert  Baldwin,  C.B., 
Avas  born  in  Toronto,  in  1804.  For  a  long  period  ho  Avas  a 
prominent  leader  of  the  liberal  party  in  U})per  Canada.  He 
Avas  first  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1829,  and  became  an 
executive   counsellor  in  183G.     He   Avas   appointed    solicitor- 


EKOLANI),    AND  THE   UNITED   STATES. 


233 


general  in  1H40,  and  attorney-jrencral  and  joint-premier  of 
Canada  in  1H42,  lioldin<;  llit;  latter  position  apiin  in  1<S4H,  and 
in  18')4  he  was  ereated  by  tlu;  (jueen  a  eivil  eoniuiander  of 
the  IJath,  lor  distinguished  })nl)lie  serviees. 

7.  With  the  return  oH  peace  eanic  a  renewal  of  prosperity. 
Innnigration  set  in,  and  onco  more  the  flow  of  population  to 
the  western  section  of  the  provinec  was  seen  to  inspire  the 
hopes  for  the  future.  Mr.  Thonii)son,  the  governor-general, 
gave  very  good  .satisfaction  hoth  to  the  people  of  Canada  and 
to  the  home  govennnent,  and  the  queen  was  pleased  to  raise 
him  to  the  peerage,  with  the  title  of  liaron  Sydenham  of  Kent 
and  of  Toronto.  A  new  Parliament  was  convened  at  Kingston, 
then  capital  of  the  recently  united  Canada,  on  the  liUh  of 
June,  1841.  "The  Assembly  chose  Mr.  Cuvillier,  u  French- 
Canadian  reformer,  as  their  speaker.  The  session  was  openetl 
by  the  governor-general  in  a  clever  and  practical  speech,  alike 
distinguished  for  its  moderation  and  good  sense.  It  recom- 
mended a  new  arrangement  of  the  [)ost-oflic(!  department,  the 
completion  of  the  public  works  of  the  province,  for  which  pur- 
pose (ireat  Britain  Mas  prepared  to  pledg(^  her  credit  for 
one  million  iive  hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling,  the  encour- 
agement of  innnigration  on  an  extended  scale,  the  creation  of 
municipal  councils,  and  a  better  provision  for  education.  It 
also  stated  that  a  large  sum  would  be  amuially  exix'nded  by  the 
homo  government  for  the  military  defences  of  the  country, 
and  decl.'ired  the  fixed  determination  of  the  ({ueen  to  main- 
tain, at  all  hazards,  the  existing  British  provinces  of  North 
America  as  part  of  the  empire.  It  concluded  with  a  prayer 
that  Providence  might  so  direct  their  councils  as  to  ensiu'c 
to  the  queen  attached  and  loyal  subjects,  and  t(j  United  Canada 
a  prosperous  and  happy  people.  But  the  fiery  political  ordeal 
through  which  Canada  had  so  recently  passed  rendered  the 
wisdom  and  moderation  of  Lord  Sydenham  unavailing  in  at 
once  removing  every  trace  of  dissension.  IIo  had  to  contend 
against  lingering  Tory  prejudice,  on  one  hand,  and  extreme 
reform  expectation,  on  the  other,  looking  at  once  for  sweeping 
ultra  measures." 

8.  Governor-General  Th.)mpson  was  succeeded  by  Sir 
Charles  Bagot,  in  January,  1842.  He  arrived  at  Kmgston,  the 
capital,  in  Januarys  and  was  favoral)ly  received  by  the  inhabi- 
tants. The  government,  since  the  death  of  his  predecessor,  had 
been  administered  by  Sir  Richard  Jackson,  the  connnander  of 
the  forces.     Sir  Charles  was  descended  from  an  ancient  family. 


fi; 


li! 


ii^'^%,- 


im 


-'hi 


Mm 


234 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


» 


tilR  L.  II.   LAFOMTAINE. 


IIo  wns  n  liii^li  clitirchinfm  and  a  Tory.  IIo  disappointed  nearly 
all  Canadian  [joiilicians,  Avito  expected  liini  to  favor  only  tho 
Tories.  On  tlio  contrary  ho  d(!terniined  to  iis(5  "whatever  l)arty 
ho  found  ca|)al)lo  of  sn[)portin<^  a  ministry,  and  aceovdin<;ly 
made  proposals  to  tho  French  Canadians,  "who  had  fallen  into  u 
minority  in  tho  govormuont.     In  this  Avay  ho  opened  tho  door 

to  political  distinction  to  both 
French  and  Knglish.  Of  course 
tho  now  govornor-gonerars 
l)olicy  caused  soino  consider- 
al)l(5  changes  in  tho  coni[)()sition 
of  tho  ministry.  jVIi-.  Draper  re- 
signed tho  attorney-generalship 
for  Canada  AVost ;  ]\Ir.  Henry 
Sherwood,  solicitor-general  for 
tho  samo  i)rovincc,  mado  Avay 
for  Mr.  AvlNvin.  Mr.  llincks 
was  mado  inspector-general  of 
public  accounts ;  j\Ir.  Lafon- 
taino  l)ocamc  attorney-general 
f(jr  Canada  East,  ^Ir.  J'aldwir 
for  Canada  West,  and  jN 
Morin,  commissioncn*  for  crown  lands.  Tho  new  ministry  hau  .i 
decided  majoi-ity.  "  Tho  n"(?w  insi)cctor-gencral,  Francis  llincks, 
and  who   now  appeared  prominently  before  tho  public  for  tho 

lirst  time,  was  unquestionably  a 
man  of  no  ordinary  stami).  His 
father,  tho  licv.  Dr.  Hincks, 
Avas  a  distinguished  minister  of 
the  Irish  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  whoso  fivo  sons  appear  to 
have  all  inherited  his  great  abili- 
ties. His  youngest  son,  Francis, 
Avas  born  at  Cork,  about  l^OG, 
commenced  his  education  at 
Fermoy,  in  his  father's  gram- 
mar school,  and  eventually  eom- 
l)lcted  it  in  tho  classical  and 
mathenijitical  department  of  tho 
Belfast  institution.  After  four 
months'  initiation  into  business 
matters,  in  tho  office  of  a  notar}',  ho  Avas  articled  for  five  years 
to  a  mercantile  tirm,  Avith  Avhom  he  duly  fulfilled  his  term  in 


Bin   FUANCIS   IIIXCKS. 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


235 


1828.  Hut  ho  Htill  rcumiiUMl  in  Martin  ct  Co.'s  cinploymoiit, 
continur«l  to  retain  their  t'ondclenoe,  and  .sailed  as  tlu'Hiiperear^o 
of  one  of  their  ships  to  tho  West  Indies  in  the  Hprin<j;  of  16'M. 
In  the  .'sanio  year  \\v  visited  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and 
determined  to  settUi  in  th«'  hitter  country.  In  \H'.\2  ho  married, 
removed  to  'ioronto,  and  e(>nnneneed   mereantih>  l)usiness,  in 


Avhieli    lu!    <lid    not   meet    with    mueli    sueees.^ 


Ilis   financial 


ahilities,  Iiowevor,  tsoon  hi'on^dit  him  into  n()tic(>,  and  \\v  ^vas 
ai)pointed  secretary  to  an  insurance  company,  cashier  to  a  new 
banking;  concern,  and  was  chosen,  in  Ib'db,  to  oxamint;  into  tho 
atfjiir-  at'  tlio  Wclland  Canal  Company,  then  in  no  .small  di.s- 
ordt^r.  In  the  sprinjjf  of  18;58  ho  conunenced  the  "Examiner" 
news[)a[)er  ;!t  Toronto,  in  the  reform  interest,  and  speedily  he- 
came  so  distinguished  as  a  pid)li(!  journalist  that  ho  wa.s  invited 
to  become  a  candidate  for  tho  representation  of  tho  county  of 
Oxford,  in  tlu!  new  I'liion  Parliament,  lie  was  returned  by  a 
nuijority  of  tlnrty-ono  oA'cr  Carroll,  his  opponent ;  and,  after  liis 
a[)i)ointmont  as  inspector-i^eneral,  was  again  elected  for  tho 
same  constituency  by  a  unich  larger  vote."  Tho  governor-gen- 
eral had  many  ditKculties  to  conlei  i  with.  During  his  admin- 
istration tho  tires  of  political  strilo  were  fro(iuently  rekindled. 
llo  acted  amidst  all  with  groat  prudence,  and  called  to  his 
councils  tho  chiefs  of  tho  reform  party.  His  health  having 
failed,  ho  resigned  bis  oibcc,  and  was  about  to  return  to  Eng- 
land, when  lio  died  at  Kingston,  in  May,  184.3. 


:  ii.^ 


-♦-♦-»- 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE   TROVINCE   OF  CANADA,  1840  TO  1867  —  (continued). 

ADMlNISTnATIONS    OF    LORD    METCALF,    EAKL   CATHCART,    AND   LORD    ELGIN. 

1.  In  1843  Sir  Charles  Motcalf,  who  had  distinguished 
himself  as  governor  in  India  and  in  Jamaica,  succeeded  Sir 
Charles  IJagot.  On  tho  28th  of  J^optcmiber,  184.'),  ho  o})ened 
the  Legislature  at  Kingston  in  a  speech  whi(-h  was  favorably  re- 
ceived, llo  I'avorcd  the  conservative  party,  of  which  Sir  Allan 
M'xS'ab  was  now  tho  acknowledged  leader.  "  Some  otKcial  ap- 
pointments from  the  ranks  of  that  party  led  to  an  open  rupture 
with  tho  ministry  in  November,  and  tliey  accordingly  tendered 
their  resiguatious.     In  this  condition  matters  remained  till  after 


230 


IIISTOKY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


■u 


\M 


m 


the  tci-mination  of  (ho  session,  on  the  nth  of  Dcccmhor  ;  Avhcn 
tho  govornor-goncral,  Avhiio  he  dcchired  that  ho  roeogiiized  tho 
just  jjowor  and  privik'gcs   of   tho  people   to   influence   their 

rulers,  and  to  reguhite, 
through  tlieir  representa- 
tives, tho  administration 
of  government ,  maintained 
he  had  the  right  to  seleet 
the  executive  officers  of 
the  crown.  lie  accord- 
ingly lV)^\'  received  the  res- 
ignations of  tho  ministry, 
and  sought  to  form  a  pro- 
visional, or  irresponsible, 
cal)inct  for  tho  present. 
Even  this  ho  soon  found  to 
bo  a  most  difficult  tusk,  as 
in  the  present  composition 
of  the  llouso  of  A.sseml)ly 
all  the  conservative  lead- 
ers ■\verc  lunvilling  to  take 
office.  Finally,  on  the  13th,  his  i)rovi8ional  government  Avas 
formed,  and  was  composed  of  JMesstiger,  Daly,  and  Draper,  tho 
latter  now  a  member  of  tho  upper  house.  But  his  conduct 
created  much  i)olitical  excitement,  and  was  vigorously  de- 
nounced by  the  reform  press,  as  well  as  b}"^  tho  leaders  of 
the  reform  part3\  Tho  determination  having  been  conio  to, 
during  the  recent  session  of  tho  Legislature  (1844),  to  remove 
the  seat  of  government  to  ISIontreal,  that  event  accordingly  took 
place  after  tho  opening  of  navit>:'ition.  Monklands  was  fitted 
up  as  the  residence  of  tho  governor-general,  and  ho  removed 
thither  in  tho  month  of  June.  After  consideral)le  difficulty,  a 
ministry,  under  the  leadership  of  JNfr.  Draper,  Avas  at  length 
foimed,  of  a  conservative  complexion,  to  suit  ^>ir  Charlc;3  Met-  , 
calf,  and  it  was  determined  to  resort  to  a  dissoluticju  of  Parlia- 
ment, and  appeal  to  tho  people,  for  the  support  of  which  (hero 
was  not  the  most  remote  chance  as  (lio  Assembly  was  then  con- 
stituted. Writs  were  accoi-dingly  i:^sued  for  a  new  election  on 
tho  24(h  of  Sei)tember,  and  made  returnable  on  tho  10th  of 
KoA'^ember  following.  The  election  resulted  in  (ho  return  of  a 
small  conservative  majority.  On  tho  2<Sth  of  November  tho 
Legislature  Avas  convened  at  ^Montreal,  Avheu  Sir  Allan  ^NFNab 
was  chosen  speaker  of  the  Assembly  by  a  majority  of  three 


^ 


'W 


ENGLAND,   AND   THE  UNITED  STATES. 


237 


votes.  The  speech  of  the  governor-general  was  very  moderate 
in  its  tone,  and  chiefly  distinguished  for  its  alhisions  to  the  con- 
tinual improvement  in  the  finances  of  the  country,  and  in  its 
aflairs  otherwise.  The  debate  on  the  address  was  a  very  warm 
one;  but  the  opposition,  led  by  Mr.  Baldwin,  was  finally  de- 
feated, on  a  motion  to  amend  it,  by  a  conservative  majority  of 
six."  About  this  period  the  governor-general  Avas  raised  io  the 
peerage,  by  the  title  of  Baron  MAcalf,  in  consideration  of  his 
long  and  meritorious  services. 

2.  The  3'ear  1845  Avas  rendered  memorable  by  two  very 
disastrous  fires  in  Quebec,  which  took  place  respectively  in 
INIay  and  June.  Several  lives  were  lost,  and  the  dwellings  of 
about  twenty-four  thousand  people  destroyed,  and  many  of  the 
sufferers  were  reduced  to  utter  distress.  To  relieve  the  wants 
of  these  unfortunate  people  one  hundred  thousand  pounds  ster- 
ling Avcre  raised  in  Great  Britain  by  contribution,  and  over 
thirty-five  thousand  pounds  were  collected  by  the  people  of 
Canada.  Temporary  dwellings  were  erected,  and  before 
winter  came  on  the  city  began  to  rise  from  its  ruins.  Lord 
]\Ietcalf's  policy  was  very  unsatisfactory  to  the  reform  party, 
and,  in  the  fall  of  1845,  he  retired  from  the  governorship, 
being  afllicted  with  a  cancer  on  his  right  cheek,  from  which  he 
died  soon  after.  Upon  his  resignation,  Lieutenant- General 
Earl  Cathcart,  commanding  the  forces  in  Canada,  was  appointed 
administrator  of  the  government.  He  did  not  mix  in  the  dis- 
putes between  the  rival  political  parties,  but  left  them  to  settle 
their  quarrels  among  fhemselvcs.  His  administration,  lasting 
until  the  middle  of  January,  1847,  was  characterized  by  an 
agitation  Avith  regard  to  the  payment  of  losses  caused  by  de- 
stri'ction  of  property  in  Lower  Canada  during  the  rebellion. 

3.  On  the  1st  of  October,  1847,  the  Earl  of  Elgin,  the 
successor  of  Lord  Metcalf,  received  his  appointment.  He  was 
a  person  of  high  educational  appointments.  He  arrived  at 
]Montreal  in  January,  1847,  and  was  received  Avith  the  usual 
demonstrations.  Politics  AA'crc  running  high,  but  in  the  midst 
of  all  came  the  cry  for  help  from  L'oland  and  the  Scottisii 
Highlands,  Avhere  a  fearful  famine  Avas  raging.  The  Canadian 
people  Avere  not  Avanting  in  charity.  A  "relief  finid"  Avas 
opened,  and  from  every  direction  —  "from  old-fashioned 
tories  and  modern  radicals,  from  conservatives  and  reformers, 
from  the  Iroquois  Indians  of  Caughnawaga,  and  the  IIu"ons 
and  DelaAvares  of  Western  Canada,  and  fr;>m  her  colored  citi- 
zens—  came  contributions  in  money  or  in  food.     On  the  2d  of 


'111 


I 


{l! 


m 


238 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


Juno  the  Legislature  convened  at  Montreal,  and  the  session 
opened  by-  Lord  Elgin  in  a  short,  practical,  and  clever  non- 
committal speech.  Il(!  stated  that  the  imperial  government  was 
prepared  to  surrender  to  the  colonial  autliorities  the  control  of 
the  post-office  department ;  and  that  the  house  was  now  em- 
powered, by  im[)erial  statute,  to  repeal  the  ditferentlal  duties 
in  favor  of  British  manufactures.  He  alluded  to  the  necessity 
of  providing  increased  warehouse  facilities  at  inland  ports  ;  to 
the  imperial  survey  of  the  intended  railroad  from  Quebec  to 
Halifax  ;  to  the  proposed  alteration  Avith  respect  to  the  British 
copyright  (]uestion ;  and  to  the  measures  which  had  been 
adopted  to  i:»rovide  for  the  large  immigration  expected  to  take 
place  to  this  country." 

4.  The  immigration  thus  alluded  to  had  already  commenced, 
and  was  throwing  a  largo  number  of  destitute  persons  upon 
the  charity  of  the  citizens  and  the  humani,ty  of  the  authorities. 
Army  after  army  of  sick  and  sufiering  people,  fleeing  from 
famine  in  their  native  land  to  be  stricken  down  by  death  in  the 
valley  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  stopped  in  rapid  succession  at 
Gross  Isle,  and  ther  ?  leaving  numbers  of  their  dead  behind, 
pushed  upwards  towards  the  hdccs  in  overcrowded  steamers,  to 
burden  the  inhabitants  of  tho  western  towns  and  villages.  Up 
to  tho  7th  of  Ausxust  seventy  thousand  inmiiijrants  had  landed 
at  Quebec.  The  session  of  the  Legislatin'o  terminated  on  the 
28th  of  July,  after  tho  transaction  of  a  hirge  amount  of  busi- 
ness, one  hundred  and  ten  acts  having  been  passed.  The  min- 
istry still  continued  to  hold  office,  though  defeated  on  s(mie 
important  measures ;  and  it  was  evident  they  could  scarcely 
hope  to  cany  on  the  government  nnich  longer.  The  leaders 
of  the  reformers  saw  clearly  they  woidd  hardly  dare  to  meet 
another  session  of  the  IjCgislaturc  with  a  "  no  contidence  vote  " 
staring  them  in  the  face,  and  w.irned  their  party  to  bo  ready 
for  a  new  election,  now  evidently  near  at  hand.  Reform  con- 
ventions Avero  accordingly  held  in  every  direction,  candidates 
decided  upon,  newspapers  started  in  iiieir  interest,  and  every 
measure  taken  necessary  to  success.  In  this  active  state  of 
])reparation  did  the,  reform  party  meet  the  dissolution  of  Par- 
liament on  the  (5th  of  December,  1848.  The  Avrits  for  the 
election  were  made  returnal)le  on  the  24th  of  tho  following 
January.  From  the  general  tone  of  tho  public  mind  it  Avas 
contid(mtly  expected  by  reformers  that  the  conservatives 
would  be  overthrown,  and  the  expectation  Avas  not  in  error.  All 
the  principal  reform  leaders  Avero  returned,  among  whom  Avero 


ENGLAND;  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


239 


Iliucks,  Baldwin,  Price,  Blake,  Cameron,  Nelson,  and  Papinean. 
Messrs.  Baldwin  and  Lafontaine  were  called  upon  to  form  a 
ministry,  which  they  accomplished  with  but  little  ditKculty. 
Mr.  llincks  became  inspector-general,  Mr.  Cameron,  assistant- 
connnissioner  for  pul)lic  works,  and  i\Ir,  Blake  became  solicitor- 
general  for  Canada  West.  Tho  new  cabinet  was  composed 
of  eight  members  of  British  origin  and  four  of  French.  Tho 
latter  were  Messrs.  Lafontaine,  (?aron,  Viger,  'Jache.  This 
was  one  of  tho  ablest  cabinets  that  ever  directed  Canadian 
aifairs ;  "and  measures  of  tho  greatest  importance  to  the 
country,  relative  to  the  finances,  post-office,  education,  and 
public  improvements,  Avere  passed  by  the  Legislature.  One 
measure,  however,  produced  a  sudden  ebullition  of  party 
violence,  which  for  a  time  disturbed  tho  general  harmony,  and 
l)rouglit  disgrace  upon  the  province.  In  184a  a  former  minis- 
try, under  Lord  Cathcart's  administration,  had  issuod  a  com- 
mission to  inquire,  into  the  losses  sustained  during  the  rebel- 
lion by  individuals,  either  through  military  necessity  or  from 
lawlessness,  in  1837-8.  Their  report  was  but  partially  acted 
upon  at  the  time  ;  but  so  great  was  tho  pressure  brought  to 
bear  upon  the  government  by  parties  who  had  suffered  these 
losses  that,  in  1841),  tho  matter  came  up  before  the  governor 
in  council,  and  sul)3equently  before  the  Legislature,  for  final 
settlement.  The  measure  proposed  being  thought  too  indis- 
criminate and  liberal  by  the  ptuty  in  opposition  to  the  govern- 
ment, warm  discussions  took  place  in  1'  c  house,  and  an  agita- 
tion on  the  subject  commenced  throughout  the  country.  The 
measure,  however,  passed  both  houses,  and  M'as  assented  to  by 
Lord  Elgin,  in  tho  queen's  name.  No  sooner  had  ho  done  so 
than  he  was  assailed  in  the  streets  of  ^lontroal  (the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment having  been  in  that  cit}'  since  1844),  and,  as  a  crown- 
ing act  of  violence,  the  Houses  of  l*arliament  Avere  set  fire  to, 
and  they,  with  their  most  valuable  library,  were  almost 
totally  destroyed.  Besides  the  irreparable  loss  of  the  lil)rary 
and  of  the  public  records,  a  fatal  injury  was  inflicted  upon  the 
good  name  and  credit  of  the  country,  and  popular  violence  for 
a  time  triumphed." 

5.  The  seat  of  government  was  at  once  removed  to  Toronto, 
and  Lord  Elgin  tendered  his  resignation,  and  the  (pieen  de- 
cided to  accept  it,  ami  raised  him  a  step  in  the  peerage.  At 
length  peace  was  restored  to  the  couiitr}-,  and  Lord  Elgin 
stood  ac(piitted  before  tho  peojjle.  A  free  banking-l  v  was 
passed  in  1850,  and  in  the  following  year  a  uniform  postage 


;i 


.i''>  '•»  ■ 


240 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


T  * 


rate  Avas  atloptcd,  and  in  the  same  year  the   corner-stone  of 
the  Toronto  Normal  School  was  laid  by  the  governor-general. 

Indeed,  Lord  Elgin  was 
the  friend  of  popular  edu- 
cation in  the  provinces. 
He  did  much  to  promote 
the  success  of  the  system 
of  public  instruction, 
founded  by  the  licv.  Dr. 
Egerton  Kyerson.  The 
efibrts  of  Dr.  liyerson,  in 
behalf  of  the  educational 
progress  of  his  country, 
cannot  be  too  highly 
praised.  Before  retiring 
from  his  post  Lord  Elgin 
procured  the  passage  of 
the  lleciprocity  Treaty 
with  the  United  States, 
—  which  was  abrogated 
by  that  country  in  1866. 
It  was  also  during  his  administration  that  the  Grand  Trunk  and 
Great  AA'estern  Kailways  were  commenced.  Sir  Allan  M'Nab 
and  Sir  Francis  Ilincks  were  the  chief  projectors  of  these  lines. 
"At  the  Great  International  Exhibition,  which  was  held  in 
London  in  1851,  Canada  made  a  most  favorable  impression  on 
the  Britisli  public,  lioth  by  the  variety  and  extent  of  the  samples 
which  were  there  shown  of  her  valuable  natural  resources,  and 
by  the  mechanical  skill  and  enterprise  which  were  apparent  ia 
the  manufactured  goods  which  were  sent  by  the  province  to 
that  exhibition." 

6.  In  1851  the  j^rosperity  of  Canada  was  becoming  more 
and  more  apparent,  and  began  to  attract  considerable  attention 
from  other  countries.^  With  the  United  States  a  large  inter- 
national tragic  had  sprung  up  ;  and  Canadian  imports  and  ex- 
ports, passing  in  bond  over  the  New  York  and  New  England 
railways,  formed  an  important  item  of  their  business.  This 
close  community  of  interests  led  to  the  interchange  of  mutual 
national  civilities.  In  the  month  of  September  IJostou  distin- 
guished itself  ])y  giving  a  grand  fete  to  many  of  the  ])rincipal 
Canadian  merchants  and  public  men,  at  which  Lord  Elgin  was 


•  MacMuUen's  History  of  Canada. 


ENGLAND,  VXD  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


241 


present,  and  made  a  most  happy  speech,  tending  to  augment  the 
mutual  good  feeling  engendered  by  the  occasi  m,  as  well  as  by 
the  more  enduring  bond  of  identity  of  interests.  But  these 
occurrences,  however  satisfactory  in  themselves,  did  not  dimin- 
ish the  dissensions  Avithin  the  reform  party.  lIoAvever,  the 
lapse  of  time  had  gradually  assuagcnl  the  bitter  asperities  en- 
gendered by  events  which  arose  out  of  the  rebellion,  and  the 
public  mind  in  1852  exhibited  a  desire  to  tuvn  aside  from 
exciting  political  topics,  and  apply  itself  instead  to  questions 
of  social  and  physical  progress.  Hitherto  Canada  had  lagged 
far  behind  the  United  States  in  many  respects  ;  and  English 
and  other  tourists  not  infrequently  made  most  unfavorable  com- 
ments on  the  backward  condition  of  public  improvements  in 
this  country.  But  a  visil)lc  change  for  the  better  Avas  now 
rapidly  taking  place.  An  act  favorable  to  the  formation  of 
joint-stock  companies  had  already  given  a  great  impetus  to  the 
construction  of  plank  and  macadamized  roads,  and  in'  many 
other  Avays  the  industrial  resources  of  the  country  Avere  now 
being  dcAxdoped.  The  cause  of  education,  as  regarded  the 
masses,  had  also  been  materially  advanced  by  improvements  in 
tlic  common-school  hiAV,  and  the  introduction  of  a  uniform  sjs- 
tem  of  text-books  ;  Avhile  an  excellent  normal  school  at  Toronto 
afforded  the  requisite  facilities  for  the  training  of  competent 
teachers  for  Upper  Canada.  The  public  mind  of  the  country 
was  CAddently  becoming  eminently  utilitarian,  and  readily  ap- 
plied itself  to  the  dcA^elopmcnt  of  railway  projects  of  vaiious 
Idnds,  as  aa^cII  as  to  the  consideration  of  the  best  methods  to 
promote  more  intimate  reciprocal  commercial  relations  Avith  the 
United  States.  In  the  earlier  [rnvt  of  the  year  Mr.  llincks 
had  gone  to  England  to  push  forward  the  scheme  of  a  Crand 
Trunk  Eailway,  the  precise  location  of  Avhich  continued  to 
be  a  source  of  the  most  fruitful  contention,  owing  to  conflicting 
interests.  From  the  discussion  of  these  matters,  the  pul)lic,  in 
the  month  of  July,  turned  aside  to  regard  the  catastrophe  of  a 
terrible  fire  in  Montreal,  Avhich  laid  a  large  part  of  that  city 
AA'aste,  and  rendered  ten  thousand  people  homeless.  Great  ex- 
ertions Ave  re  made  to  relieve  the  sufferers.  The  seat  of  gov- 
ernment had  now  been  removed  to  Quebec ;  and  there, 
accordingly,  the  ncAV  Parliament  assembled  on  the  16th  of 
August,  1852,  and  chose  Mr.  John  Sandfield  Macdonald  as 
speaker  of  the  lower  house.  The  governor-generars  open- 
ing speech  alluded  to  the  necessity  of  a  change  in  the  seigno- 
rial  tenure  system,  the  expediency  of  having  a  line  of  steamers 


!  Hi  111 


M' 


III 


2i2 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


to  sail  from  Canada  to  England,  the  advisability  of  an  altera- 
tion in  the  currency,  so  as  to  permit  of  accounts  being  kept  in 
dollars  and  cents,  and  the  propriety  of  increasing  the  parlia- 
mentary representation, —  measures  which  were  all  subsequently 
adopted;  During  the  session  Mr.  Ilincks  introduced  a  series 
of  resolutions  relative  to  the  settlement  of  the  clergy-reserves 
question,  which  passed;  and  declared,  at  the  same  tiaie,  that 
he  felt  confident  the  home  government  would  sliortly  l)ring  a 
bill  into  the  Imperial  I'arliamem,  permitting  the  Canadian 
Legislature  to  dispose  finally  of  a  matter  which  had  been  such 
a  source  of  prolonged  agitation.  The  house,  also,  unanimously 
agreed  to  an  address,  requesting  the  imperial  authorities  to 
make  no  concession  to  the  American  government  in  the  matter 
of  the  fishery  dispute,  unless  in  connection  with  the  concession 
of  reciprocity.  Mr.  Ilincks  exhibited  a  desire  to  retaliate  on 
the  United  States  for  not  conceding  more  intimate  connnercial 
relations,  by  adopting  differential  duties  in  favor  of  British 
commerce,  and  by  shutting  the  Canadian  canals  to  American 
shipping.  The  public  voice,  however,  was  at  once  raised 
against  a  narrow  and  suicidal   policy  of  this  kind,   and  the 


ministry  had  to  abandon 


it  altogether, 


But  the  great  feature 


of  this  session  was  its  large  amount  of  railway  legislation,  and 
which  placed  no  less  than  fifteen  bills  on  the  statute  book. 
Among  these  the  act  relating  to  the  incorporation  of  the  Grand 
Trunk  Kailway  was  the  most  important.  By  its  twenty-eighth 
section  the  bonds  of  this  company  received  the  provincial 
guaranty  to  the  extent  of  three  thousand  pounds  sterling  per 
mile.  The  same  section  further  set  forth,  that  for  every  one 
hundred  thousand  pounds  actually  expended  on  this  railway  by 
the  companj^  forty  thousand  pounds  should  bo  guaranteed  by 
the  province.  By  this  act  a  sum  exceeding  sixteen  miUion 
dollars  was  in  a  few  years  added  to  the  permanent  liabili- 
ties of  the  country ;  and,  in  1866,  the  total  de1)t  of  the  Grand 
Trunk  Kaihvay  to  the  government,  principal  and  interest,  had 
swelled  to  the  enormous  sum  of  twenty-three  million  dollars. 

7.  ]Mr.  Ilincks  was  the  chief  motive  power  in  the  financial 
schemes  of  the  country  of  this  period,  and  this  wonderful  Grand 
Trunk  enterprise  was  by  no  means  sufficient  to  satisfy  his  am- 
bition. He  caused  the  passage  of  an  act  to  estal)lish  a  con- 
solidated municipal  loan  fund  for  Upper  Canada.  "  This  fund," 
says  MacMullen,  "  was  to  be  under  the  manai;cmcnt  of  the 
provincial  government,  and  designed  to  enable  municipalities 
to  borrow  money  on  the  credit  of  the  province  for  the  construe- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


243 


tion  of  railways,  macadamized  roads,  bridges,  and  other  public 
works.  Availing  themselves  of  the  provisions  of  this  act,  several 
municipalities  rashly  incurred  liabilities  wiiich  they  were  utterly 
unable  to  meet,  and  much  unwise  speculation  was  indulged  in. 
Subsequently,  in  1854,  it  was  found  necessary  tg  amend  this  act, 
to  extend  its  previsions  to  Lower  Canada,  and  to  limit  the 
'fund'  to  one  million  live  hundred  fv^asand  pounds  sterling 
for  each  province.  The  full  amount  of  the  loan  was  soon 
absorbed  by  Upper  Canada,  but  the  lower  province  acted  inore 
prudently.  Yet  the  entire  publit;  debt  contracted  in  this  way 
speedily  reached  the  sum  of  a!)out  nine  million  live  hun- 
di'cd  thousand  dollars ;  and  as  most  of  the  borrowing 
municipalities  were  utterly  unable  to  pay  the  interest,  the 
greater  portion  of  it  had  to  bo  met  from  the  public  exchequer, 
while  Parliament  Avas  sul)scqucntly  obliged  to  pass  measures 
for  their  relief.  Most  of  the  works  constructed  were,  however, 
of  great  benefit  to  the  community,  and  aided  in  no  small  degree 
to  develop  its  resources.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  legislation 
of  1852  laid  the  foundation  of  a  larsrc  addition  to  the  liabilities 
of  this  country,  and  paved  the  Avay  for  the  annual  deficit  which 
subsequently  existed  in  the  provincial  revenue  for  so  many 
years.  At  the  close  of  1852  the  Avhole  debt  of  Canada,  direct 
and  indirect,  was  twenty-two  million  three  hundred  and  fifty- 
tive  thousand  four  hundred  and  thirteen  dollars  ;  the  net  revenue 
for  the  year  amounted  to  three  million  nine  hundred  and  seventy- 
six  thousand  seven  hundred  and  six  dollars ;  while  the  expen- 
diture was  only  three  million  fifty-nine  thousand  and  eighty-one 
dollars.  This  prosperous  state  of  the  finances  placed  the  credit 
of  the  country  on  the  soundest  basis  ;  and  Canadian  government 
securities,  bearing  six  per  cent,  interest,  were  now  ({uoted  at  a 
premium  of  sixteen  per  cent,  in  the  English  money  market." 

8.  In  1853  the  appearance  in  Canada  of  the  Italian  priest 
Gavazzi,  who  had  been  converted  to  Protestantism,  attracted 
considerable  attention.  As  a  lecturer  he  was  driven  from  Que- 
bec, and  he  proceeded  to  Montreal,  Avhere  his  lectures  Avere  the 
cause  of  still  greater  rioting,  Avhich  terminated  in  a  sad  loss  of 
life.  "While  lecturing  in  the  Zion  Congregational  Church  an 
immense  mob,  chiefly  composed  of  the  loAver  orders  of  the  city 
population,  assailed  the  building,  in  the  face  of  a  strong  force 
of  police  and  military.  The  greatest  confusion  prevailed,  and 
the  dispersing  congregation  Avere  fired  into,  probably  by  mis- 
take, and  some  five  persons  were  killed  outright  and  many 
Avounded.     The  mayor  of  the  city,  Mr.  Charles  Wilson,  under 


2U 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


whom  tho  police  acted,  was  a  Romiui  Catholic,  and  was  greatly 
l)lamod  for  this  procccdins^.  This  circumstance  served  greatly 
to  AV(!aken  the  Ilincks'  administration,  and  added  considerably  to 
the  popularity  of  Mr.  ( Jiiorge  Brown,  an  extreme  Protestant,  who 
at  this  time  was  strongly  opposing  Mr.  Ilinclcs  in  Parliament. 
But  towards  the  end  of  the  year  1853  tho  latter  gentleman  and 
his  associates  in  the  cabinet  fell  suddenly  in  public  estimation, 
by  charges  of  corruption.  Tho  charges  against  Mr.  Ilincks 
were  serious.  "  A  suit  in  the  Court  of  Chancery,  in  which  Mr.* 
Bowes,  the  Mayor  of  Toronto,  was  tho  defendant,  developed 
the  fact  that  he  and  Mr.  Ilincks  had  purchased  fifty  thousand 
pounds'  worth  of  the  debentures  of  that  city,  at  a  discount  of 
twenty  per  ent.,  and  that  the  premier  had  a  Ij'Il  subsequently 
passed  in  Psirliament,  which  I'aised  the  value  o .  these  securities 
to  par.  Other  charges  (;f  improper  conduct,  'a  connection  with 
the  i)urchase  of  some  public  lands  at  Point  Levi,  oiiposite 
Que])ec,  and  elsewhere,  and  designed  to  be  resold  to  railway 
corporations,  were  also  made  against  Mr.  Ilincks  and  other 
members  of  the  government,  and  had  an  additional  damaging 
effect  on  its  reputation.  We  may  hero  state  that  in  1855  a 
parliamentary  committee  was  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  truth 
of  these  charges,  Avhich  exposed  a  condition  of  things  not 
at  all  flattering  to  the  morality  of  the  Ilincks  administration, 
and  further  developed  the  corrupting  tendency  of  railway  spec- 
ulations." This  and  the  intense  opposition  of  Mr.  Brown 
overthrew  the  Ilincks  party  in  the  following  year.  Personally, 
however,  Mr.  Ilincks  was  still  popular  with  his  party. 

9.  The  clergy-reserves  question  was  fully  settled  during 
Lord  Elgin's  administration,  by  which  every  semblance  of  a 
State  church  was  swept  away,  among  all  classes  of  Protestants 
in  Upper  Canada ;  but,  Avliile  this  was  transpiring  in  that 
section,  "the  Koman  Catholic  conununity  of  the  lower  prov- 
ince bowed  contentedly  to  the  government  of  their  clergy, 
regular  and  monastic,  who  quietly  collected  their  tithes,  took 
care  of  their  princely  city  endowments,  erected  splendid  temples 
for  their  worship,  and  swayed  tho  political  aspirations  of  their 
flocks.  Xo  country  in  the  world,  not  even  excepting  Spa'u,  is 
such  a  paradise  for  the  papal  clergy  as  Lower  Canada.  ■  Secured 
iu  their  broad  possessions  by  the  terms  of  the  old  French  ca- 
pitulation, they  repose  in  peace  under  the  solid  and  safe  protec- 
tion of  the  British  flag  ;  and  revolution  or  annexation,  as  regards 
them,  can  oidy  mean  deprivation  and  misfortune.  The  simple 
and  unlettered  habitant  bends  willingly  to  clerical  rule,  as  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


24/T 


best,  not  only  for  his  spiritual,  but  even  temporal  welfare  ; 
while  the  more  educated  and  refined,  who  aspire  to  political 
position,  or  social  inflnencc,  tind  it  a  paramount  necessity  to 
bow  to  priestly  domination;  so  complete,  indeed,  is  its  sway, 
that  it  passes  onwards  almost  nnquestioned,  and  scarcely  a 
mnrmur  against  its  despotic  authority  escapes  from  within  its 
portals  to  the  world  outside.  In  Montreal  its  religious  and 
educational  fonndations  arc  wealthy  and  imposing ;  there  its 
real  estate  constantly  assumes  grander  architectnral  forms, 
whilst  its  Jesuit  aud  other  churches  arc  either  marvels  of  size 
or  of  splendid  interior  decoration.  In  Quebec  its  huge  temples 
tower  npwards  in  a  solidity  of  construction  which  promises 
jierpetual  duration,  while  all  around  is  tonched  Avith  the  tinger 
of  decay  and  departing  prosperity.  In  the  rural  districts  its 
chnrches  are  the  great  features  of  the  level  landscape,  and  their 
spires  even  glance  in  the  far-off  northern  sunshine,  which 
lights  so  coldly  the  ripples  of  the  romantic  and  rock-bound 
Saguenay." 

10.  At  the  close  of  Lord  Elgin's  administration  he  became 
unpo[)nlar  with  the  reform  party,  and  it  may  be  said  that  he 
favored  one  side  of  politics  beyond  a  proper  discretion.  How- 
ever, Lord  Elgin's  life  is  a  record  of  noble  deeds  in  the  interests 
of  his  great  conntry.  Mr.  Ilincks  remained  in  Canada  but  a 
short  time  after  the  departure  of  Lord  Elgin.  His  popularity 
was  now  pretty  much  gone,  and  his  immediate  followers  had 
forsaken  his  standard.  In  England  he  was  appointed  to  the 
governorshi[)  of  the  win'^l^  a.-d  West  India  Islands  aud  comforted 
by  the  honor  of  knigiithood.  He  has  returned  to  Canada,  and 
is  now  prominent  in  banking  operations  at  Montreal.  It  is  not 
improbable  that,  should  his  life  be  spared,  he  will,  in  his  old 
age,  again  force  his  way  into  politics.  He  is  one  of  the  ablest 
and  most  accomplished  statesmen  in  Canada. 


•  m 


24G 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  PROVINCE   OF  CANADA   FROM   1840  TO    18G7  —  (continued). 

ADMINISTRATIOJf   OF    SIR   EDMUND    HEAD  —  VISIT    OF    THE     PBINCE     OF   WALES. 

1.  Sir  Edmund  IIrad  succecck'd  LoihI  Elgin  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  Canjula.  He  avjis  descended  from  un  ancient  and 
honorable  English  family  of  Kent.  At  tin  early  age  he  ])iished 
his  way  into  public  life,  Avas  made  Governor  of  New  Uriniswiek, 
and  fmally  Governor-General  of  Canada.  (Jn  lh(>  2'.\d  of  Feb- 
ruary, 185r),  the  new  governor-general  summoned  Parliament. 
The  session  lasted  till  the  end  of  JNIay,  durhigAvhichtlu^  coalition 
ministry,  with  a  good  majority,  pushed  through  a  vast  amount 
of  public  business.  The  governor-general's  closing  speech  of 
this  session  furnishes  valuable  historical  matter.  "He  alluded 
to  the  Clergy  lieserves  Act  of  the  preceding  session  us  IxMiig 
based  on  liberal  principles,  and  respecting  individual  rights ; 
to  the  Scignorial  Tenure  Act,  as  aft'ecting  great  changes,  with 
some  individual  hardship,  but  establishing  Canada  as  the  only 
country  in  the  world  where  the  feudal  system  had  expired  with- 
out violence  and  revolution,  and  to  the  benefits  already  arising 
from  the  operations  of  the  Keciprocit}'  Treaty.  '  Great  issues 
had,  indeed,  ])een  forever  disposed  of;  his  excellency  had  no 
public  evils  of  magnitude  to  dilate  upon  ;  and,  secure  in  the 
most  ample  guaranties  of  their  rights,  the  people  of  Canada 
could  now  apply  themselves,  without  let  or  hindrance,  to  the 
full  development  of  their  material  prosperity.  A  brief  para- 
graph in  the  speech  set  forth  that  a  measure,  passed  during 
the  session,  had  i)rovided  for  the  improved  organization  of  the 
militia  and  volunteers,  and  this  Avas  the  first  step  taken  toAvards 
the  creation  of  a  volunteer  force  in  Canada.  Ilitherto,  in  time 
of  piece,  the  militia  Avas  simply  a  paper  organization,  and  the 
regular  troops  Avere  alone  available  in- the  event  of  any  sudden 
emergency.  lUit  the  ncAV  IMilitia  Act  produced  a  most  im})or- 
tant  change  for  the  better  in  this  respect,  and  ultimately  led  to 
the  formation  of  Avell-drilled  and  etHciently  equipped  volunteer 
corps  throughout  the  Avholc  of  Canada ; "  an  element  of  ad- 
ditional security  in  time  of  peace,  and  an  admirable  nucleus  for 
a  militia  army  in  the  event  of  Avar. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


247 


2.  In  IHf);")  ('iinada  took  n  decidcMl  stop  forward  in  ponoral 
profjross.  'llw  «r<'ncral  i)()lioy  of  tlu;  I'ecl  adniinislratioii  iu 
Enj^land,  which  fiiiminatod  in  the  r('])oal  of  the  corn  hiws,  had 
terminated  the  protective  nystenj  of  trade.  Up  to  this  time  the 
commercial  le<;ishition  of  Canada  had  been  made  to  harmonize 
with  that  of  Kn<,dand.  "  But,  k'ft  to  shift  ibr  herself  as  hest  she 
could,  the  Legislature  aI)olished,in  lH4H,theditferential  duti(!s  in 
favor  of  direct  trade  with  Great  Ihilain  ;  and  the  repeal  of  the 
imperial  Xavi<ration  Laws,  in  l'S4!l,  still  farther  loosencMl  the 
connnercial  bonds  between  Canada  and  the  mother  country. 
As  u  necessary  conse(juence,  the  trade  policy  of  the  colony  again 
became  the  retiex  of  that  of  the  parent  land  ;  and  the  Kecipro- 
eity  Treaty  was  the  copinir-stone  of  a  system,  inaugurated  six 
years  before,  Aviiich  opened  wide  the  portals  of  th(!  C'anadian 
market  on  equal  terms  to  all  tlu?  world,  and  connnenced  a  ncAV 
and  more  enlightened  era  of  connnercial  intercourse.  A\'ith  the 
close  of  185-J:  th(!  old  trade  period  may  be  said  to  have  linally 
terminated.  During  that  year  tiie  imports  into  Canada  had 
amounted  to  forty  million  live  hundred  and  twenty-nine  thou- 
sand three  hundred  and  twenty-tive  dollars,  on  which,  at  au 
average  rate  of  twelve  per  cent.,  the  duty  collected  was  four 
million  nine  hundred  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-nine 
dollars,  Avhile  the  exjjorts  were  only  twenty-three  million  nine- 
teen thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety  dollars.  The  total  jjublic 
revenue  from  all  sources  was  six  million  eighty-eight  thousand 
one  hundred  and  ten  dollars,  against  an  exi)enditure  of  four 
million  one  hundre<l  and  seventy-one  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
forty-one  dollars,  thus  leaving  a  largo  surplus,  and  which  led, 
in  1855,  to  the  reduction  of  the  customs  taritf  to  ten  i)er  cent. 
On  the  other  hnnd^  the  legislation  of  the  three  ])rece(ling  years 
had  increased  the  public  debt  by  twenty-on(!  million  dollars,  and 
which  debt,  at  the  beginning  of  1855,  had  swelled  to  thirty- 
eight  million  eiirht  hundred  and  tiftv-one  thousand  ei<>:ht 
hundred  and  thirty-three  dollars.  The  greater  portion  of  the 
new  debt  had  been  contracted  for  the  Grand  Trunk  and  other 
railways,  of  which  three  hundred  and  thirty  miles  had  now  been 
opened,  despiie  the  severe  monetary  pressure  mainly  residting 
from  th(>  Crimean  war.  Towards  the  close  of  the  summer  the 
Grand  Trunk  Railway  had  been  completed  to  Brockville,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  above  Montreal,  and  some  of  the 
piers  of  the  Victoria  liridge  had  also  been  constructed.  The 
rejoicings  for  the  railway  opening  followed  close  upon  those  for 
the  fall  of  Sebastopol,  —  an  occurrence  which  illuminated  almost 


? 


i :' 


!  I' 


i  i 


M' 


248 


IIISTOIiy  OF   DOMINKj,    of  CANADA, 


every  city  und  town  IVoin  Giispo  to  Goi\Ti(h.  Tho  coimncncc- 
iiieiit  oi'  tho  yciu  1H')(>  hrought  with  it  Jio  event  of  inijiortunco 
to  rcr'ord.  liaihviiy  nuitteis  hiid  not  ye^!,  bo^un  to  seriously  vex 
the  public  mind  ;  und  beyond  ii  very  slight  agitation  relative  to 
making  the  legislatives  eouneil  elective,  and  the  seat-ot'-govern- 
ment  ([Uestion,  no  political  excitement  Avhatevcr  existed.  From 
the  general  tone  of  tho  reform  press,  however,  it  was  quite 
evident  that  tho  feelin<j:  of  antagonism  to  Sir  Allan  M'Nab's 
government  was  on  the  increase.  It  was  too  liberal  and  pro- 
gressive to  suit  the  family-compact  wing  of  the  conservative 
party,  but  not  sutficiently  extreme  to  meet  tho  views  of  that 
portion  of  the  reform  party  which  acknowledged  tho  leadership 
of  ]Mr.  (icorge  ])rown.  This  gentleman,  destined  at  a  more 
recent  period  to  lill  a  very  jjroniinent  })osition  in  this  country, 
was  burn  in  Scotland,  at  tho  city  of  Edinbingh,  in  1821.     In 

1838  his  familv  emigrated 
to  New  York,  and  there  his 
father,  Mr.  Peter  lirown, 
a  man  of  largo  general  in- 
formation and  excellent 
abilities,  commenced  tho 
mercantile  business,  liut 
his  success  not  being  com- 
mensurate Avith  his  expec- 
tations he  entered,  in 
1842,  upon  the  career  of 
a  i)ublic  journalist,  and 
issued  a  weekly  newspaper, 
intensely  Anglo-Saxon  in 
every  respect,  called  the 
"British  Chronicle."  Its 
proposed  field  of  opera- 
tions was  already,  hoAV- 
evcr,  too  completely  filled 
by  the  "  Albion  ;  "  so  the  "  Chronicle  "  only  lived  for  tho  brief 
space  of  eighteen  months.  In  1843  tho  family  removed  to 
Toronto,  and  there  Mr.  George  Brown  became  the  publisher,  in 
the  interest  of  the  Free  Church  Presbyterians,  of  a  weekly  news- 
paper termed  the  "Banner."  In  1844  tho  publication  of  this 
journal  was  relinquished  for  that  of  tho  "  Globe,"  a  newspaper 
devoted  to  reform,  politics,  general  news,  and  literature,  and 
which  very  speedily  attained  to  a  most  influential  position.  In 
1849  he  was  appointed,  by  the  Baldwiu-Lafoutaine  ministry,  as  a 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


249 


coinniissionor  to  invostl^^iito  t'crtain  nllogod  {''>uses  in  the  pro- 
vincial pciiitontiury,  u  trust  ho  tlisclitirgcd  with  much  ability 
und  henclit  to  the  country.  In  Deccnihcr,  18(11,  ho  wiis  tirst 
elected  to  the  Leglshiture,  as  ji  lueuiher  Ibi*  the  County  of  Kent, 
and  his  uiKjiiestionably  great  ahilities  soon  raised  him  to  a  con- 
spicuous position.  A  man  of  this  Ktamp,  and  ^vhose  personal 
exertions  in  behalf  of  his  party  Avero  aided  by  the  great  influence 
of  the  leading  reform  journal  of  Upper  Canada,  could  not  be 
otherwise  than  a  most  formidable  oi)[)onent.  Gifted  with  a  clear 
and  vigorous  intellect,  possessed  of  habits  of  great  industry,  and 
of  the  most  indomitable  perseverance,  his  information  extended 
over  every  branch  of  the  public  service,  and  eminently  iitted 
him  for  the  position  of  a  partisan  leader  and  successful 
agitator." 

3.  Early  in  18i')G  ]Mr.  Brown's  peculiar  views,  as  well  as  his 
public  policy,  were  rising  i-apidly  into  favor  with  tli(>  reform 
party  of  iri)per  Canada.  His  sturdy  l*rotestanism  not  oidy 
rallied  to  his  side  the  Free  Church  and  ^Methodist  denomina- 
tions, which  had  hitherto  entered  largely  into  the  composition 
of  that  party,  but  was  also  awakening  a  profound  syin[)atliy  in 
the  Orange  element  of  the  conservative  ranks.  The  agitation 
against  the  intluence  of  the  Konian  Catholic  priesthood,  now  un- 
questionably very  great,  and  against  Lower  Canadian  domina- 
tion, was  already  becoming  popular  in  the  upper  jirovinc  c  ;  and 
the  Baldwin  and  Ilincks  policy  of  a  union  A>ilh  the  French 
conservative  or  church  party,  Avas  almost  entirely  abandoned 
by  the  western  reformers.' 

4.  Such  was  the  condition  of  affairs  when  Parliament,  on  the 
15th  of  February,  assembled  at  Toronto,  Mhither  the  seat  of 
government  had  now  been  removed.  The  governor-generars 
opening  speech  set  forth  that  there  was  a  large  balance  of  clergy- 
reserves  money  awaiting  distribution  among  the  several  nnmiei- 
palities  ;  that  the  subject  of  an  elective  legislative  council  (the 
old  French  dream  of  the  visionary  Papineau)  would  again  be 
brought  before  Parliament ;  recommending  reforms  in  the  Legis- 
lature, in  the  police  system,  and  in  prison  discipline  ;  stated  that 
a  contract  for  a  St.  Lawrence  line  of  ocean  steamers  had  been 
completed,  and  congratulated  the  country  on  the  inestimable 

*  The  reniHinin;;  portion  of  this  and  the  succociling  chapter  arc  compiled  from  Mac- 
^[iillen's  book,  an  Eii^'lish  copyrifjht  work,  which,  conccrnin^j  this  partictihir  period,  is 
both  full  and  accurate.  I  consider  it  a  nmcli  more  honorable  course  to  u:)C  these  para- 
graphs, substantially,  from  the  author  spoken  of,  — John  MacMuUen,  Esq.,  — f^ivinj:  duo 
credit  therefor,  than  to  rewrite  them,  usinLf  tiic  information,  and  giving  it  a  new  garment- 
ing, and  thereby  disguising  the  real  authorship. 


i  I' 

LLC 


'-  ! 


ViT^- 


n!' 


•  r 


,M 


250 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


blessing  of  iirofound  peace,  while  other  parts  of  the  world  Avere 
suffering  the  privations  and  miseries  of  Avar.  A  l)itter  debate 
oil  the  address  ensued,  and  ministers  were  most  viok-ntly 
assailed,  not  only  by  Mr.  Brown  and  his  friends,  but  also  by 
several  conservatives,  who  disliked  their  secularization  of  tht 
clergy  reserves,  or  were  tainted  by  tho  extreme  Protestant 
views  propagated  by  the  "Globe"  newspaper,  a'^d  by  other 
journals  of  a  kindred  stamp.  The  cabinet  ultimately  carried 
the  address  by  a  good  majority,  yet  it  was  quite  evident  <  hat  its 
position  w\as  not  by  any  means  a  secure  one,  and  that  the  deser- 
tion of  many  of  its  sup})orters  might  now  take  place  at  any 
inauspicious  moment.  ()n  tlu;  lOt'i  of  March,  John  llillyard 
Cameron,  su'Dsecpiently  (irand  Master  of  the  Orange  Association 
for  many  years,  moved  for  a  copy  of  the  charge  delivered  to  the 
jury  by  Judge  Duval,  on  the  trial  of  several  men  at  Quebec  for 
the  miu'derof  a  I'rotestant,  Kobert  Corrigan,  in  the  neighboring 
township  of  St.  Sylvester.  The  judge  and  jury  were  all 
lioman  v'.'atholics,  and  the  acquittal  of  the  accused,  in  the  face 
of  cvido.ice  generally  deemed  conclusive,  gave  a  partial  aspect 
to  the  proceedings,  "which  awoke  a  storm  of  indignation  on  the 
part  of  the  Protestant  population  of  the  country.  No  previous 
trial  had  ever  so  deeply  moved  the  ;nd)lic  mind  of  Canada,  or 
caused  such  bitter  feeling  on  ilie  part  of  th?.  western  press ;  a:id 
for  a  lime  it  seemed  as  if  tho  Orimgo  clemeii!  would  ally  itself 
permanently  with  the  reform  jjarty.  .  The  form.ition  of  a  new 
and  exclusively  Protestant  party  was  now  advocated  by  tho 
"  Globe "  and  its  immediate  partisan  contemporaries,  while 
several  conservative  journals  leaned  strongly  in  the  same 
direction.  Under  those  circumstances  Mv.  Cameron's  motion 
placed  ministers  in  the  most  serious  dilennna.  If  they  agreed 
to  its  passage,  and  so  permitted  Ju'ige  Duval's  charge  to  be  re- 
viewed by  the  house,  their  French-Canadian  supporters  would 
bo  seriously  olfended  and  alienated  ;  while,  if  they  pursued 
the  opposite  course,  they  nnist  expect  to  lose  the  votes 
of  some  Protestant  conservatives.  Skilfully  covering  their 
procedure  by  constitutional  pleas,  ministers  refused  to  agree  to 
tho  motion,  and  were  defeated  by  a  n)'ijority  of  four.  They 
declined,  however,  to  regard  this  as  a  vote  of  "  want  of  conti- 
dence,"  on  tho  ground  chiefly  that  a  subsequent  division,  tho 
same  evening,  showed  they  had  still  the  support  of  the  majority 
of  the  house. 

5.     These    occurrences,  in  addition  to   tlie   bitter   sectional 
contlict  caused  by  the  "  seat-of-g?>vernmch ^  question,"  still  un- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


2ui 


decided,  materially  weakened  the  ministry  ;  and  it  now  l)ecanie 
evident  that  some  changes  must  be  made  in  its  composition,  or 
it  would  ere  long  be  compelled  to  surrender  the  reins  of  power 
into  tlie  hands  of  the  opposition.  The  liincksite  section  cavilled 
at  the  premiership  of  Sir  Allan  M'Xab,  on  the  score  of  his  past 
"family-compact"  proclivities,  and  imagined  that,  if  he  were 
compelled  to  retire  alt(>gether  from  the  cabinet,  it  would 
strengthen  their  hands  with  the  reform  party,  and  disarm  the 
hostility  of  its  press.  Born  at  the  town  of  Niagara,  in  1708, 
Sir  Allan  had  soldiered  it  stoutly  during  the  three  years'  war 
with  the  United  States,  was  long  a  member  of  the  Canadian 
Legislature,  and,  as  w^e  have  already  seen,  rendered  im[)()rtant 
services  during  the  dark  period  of  the  rebellion.  Solid,  loyal, 
and  respectable,  his  past  excellent  and  consistent  record,  and 
not  his  brilliancy  of  intellect,  had  raised  him  to  the  position  of 
party  leader.  13ut  aml)ition  could  no  longer  endure  even  re- 
spectal)le  mediocrity',  and  his  colleagues  now  determined  to 
sacritice  Sir  Allan  M'Xab,  with  the  double  object  of  propitiating 
the  opposition,  and  of  making  way  for  the  more  able  leadership 
of  the  attorney-general,  John  A.  jVIacdonald.  The  intrigue 
was  successful,  and  on  the  23d  of 
]\Iay  the  premier  resigned,  to  be 
succeeded  by  Mr.  Tache,  a  member 
of  th'.'  legislative  council,  and  a 
Lower  Canadian  of  respectable  repu- 
tation and  a])ilities.  But  Mr.  Mac- 
donald,  as  the  ministerial  leader  in 
the  Asseml)ly,  was  the  real  head  of 
the  administration ;  and  from  that 
day  to  this  has  occupied  a  foremost 
place  in  the  public  counsels  of  his 
country.  Like  many  other  political 
notabilities  of  Canada,  he  had  l)een  the 
architect  of  his  own  fortunes,  and 
may   briefly   be   told.      The    son    of 

established  themselves  at  the  city  of  Kingston,  ho  applied 
himself,  in  1829,  to  the  study  of  the  law,  although  then 
but  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  had  l)arely  attained  his  majority 
when  admitted  to  the  bar,  — a  matter  at  that  day  of  (!ven  less 
diflicuM}  than  it  is  now.  A  brilliant  defence  of  the  unfortunate 
Pole,  Von  Sciiultz,  captured  at  the  battle  of  the'AVindmill,  in 
1839,  brought  the  young  lawyer  into  prominent  notice  ;  and  his 
great  tact,  genial  nature,  and   afi'able  manners   made  him  a 


SIR   JOHN    A.    MAtUONALD. 

his    biographical    story 
Scottish    parents,    who 


'Ml^ 


U,      I 


252 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


favorite  Avitli  the  public,  and  added  to  his  rising  reputation.  In 
1844  lie  was  elected  for  Kingston,  and  has  since  continued  to  be 
the  member  for  his  native  city,  despite  various  attempts  to 
unseat  him.  Attaching  himself  to  the  conservative  party,  he 
was  appointed  in  1847  receiver-general  in  the  Draper  adminis- 
tration, but  had  only  a  brief  term  of  office,  owing  to  its  defeat 
in  1848.  For  the  ensuing  six  years  Mr.  Macdonald  remained 
in  opposition,  and  on  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Hincks  his  counsel 
and  assistance  led  in  no  small  degree  to  the  formation  of  the 
coalition  ministry.  A  ready  and  fluent  speaker,  tenacious  of 
purpose,  possessed  of  great  tact  and  sterling  adniinistrative 
ability,  he  has  tilled  a  most  prominent  position  as  a  public  man, 
through  a  long,  and  at  times  most  critical,  period  for  this 
country,  and  has  tided  it  safely  over  difficulties  of  the  most 
serious  kind. 

G.  Aside  from  parliamentary  matters,  but  few  events  of  note, 
intimately  ati'ecting  this  country,  transpired  during  the  year.  A 
terrible  railway  accident,  the  lirst  of  the  kind  which  had 
occurred  in  Canada,  on  the  12th  of  March,  185G,  awoke  a 
general  feeling  of  the  most  painful  description.  A  passenger 
train  from  Toronto  to  Hamilton  broke  through  a  bridge  over  the 
Desjardius  Canal,  leading  to  Dundas,  crashed  through  the  solid 
ice  beneath,  and  seventy  people  Avere  killed.  The  Treaty  of 
Paris,  signed  on  the  1st  of  April,  which  terminated  the  war 
with  Russia,  was  gladl}'  hailed  throughout  Canada  as  an  assur- 
ance of  peace  and  prosperity  to  tlM3  parent  land.  But  the  year 
had  not  yet  terminated  when  war  broke  out  between  Great 
Britain  and  China,  and  the  progress  of  hostilities,  although  so 
remote,  had  a  depressing  influence  on  the  commerce  of  this 
country.  I'lie  mutiny  of  the  hitherto  pampered  and  caressed 
Sepoys  of  the  Bengal  army,  in  British  India,  in  the  eirlier  i)art 
of  the  ensuing  year,  1807,  tended  still  farther  to  produce  a 
stringency  in  the  money  market,  and  a  consequent  derangement 
in  trade,  which  seriously  checked  the  progress  of  Canada,  and 
paved  the  w^ay  for  the  commercial  crisis  which  soon  after 
ensued. 

7.  On  the  2(>tli  of  June,  1857,  a  terrible  catastrophe  oc- 
curred in  Canadian  waters.  A  large  steaml)oat,  plying  between 
INlontreal  and  Quebec,  took  fire  olf  Cape  Rouge  when  on  her 
way  upwards,  aiid  speedily  burned  to  the  water's  edge.  Of 
two  hundred  and  iifty-eight  immigrants,  mostly  from  the  Scot- 
tish Highhinds,  who  had  embarked  in  the  "Montreal,"  only 
iifty-eight  Avero   saved,    althougli  the   river  at  this   point  is 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


253 


scarcely  a  mile  wide,  and  the  total  loss  was  estimated  it  two 
hundred  and  lifty  souls.  In  the  month  of  August  nmch  public 
interest  was  excited  by  the  ellbrt,  now  being  made  for  the  first 
time,  to  lay  an  electric  cable  between  Ireland  and  Newfound- 
laud.  After  four  hundred  miles  had  been  submerged,  the  cable 
broke,  and  the  project  was  abandoned  for  the  time.  In  iSep- 
tember  a  serious  monetary  and  commercial  crisis  arose  in  the 
United  iStates,  which  produced  numerous  bank  and  mercantile 
failures  there,  and  reacted  very  unfavorably  on  Canada.  This 
circumstance,  in  connection  with  the  collapse  of  commercial 
credit  which  followed  shortly  afterwards  in  England,  a  poor 
harvest,  and  the  almost  total  cessation  of  raihvuy  expenditure 
in  this  country,  produced  a  great  stagnation  of  trade,  and  caused 
a  considerable  falling  off  in  the  public  revenue.  This  state  of 
things,  coupled  with  the  fact  that,  with  the  single  exception  of 
the  Great  Western  line,  government  had  now  to  assume  the 
l)a3^ment  of  interest,  amounting  to  eight  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars per  annum,  on  all  the  railway  advances,  as  well  as  the 
interest  on  the  Municipal  Loan  Fund  debt,  now  reaching  an- 
nually to  about  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  caused  a  serious 
deficit  in  the  public  exchequer.  At  the  close  of  1857  the 
entire  income  of  Canada  was  five  millions  three  hundred  and 
fifty-two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninet3'-four  dollars, 
while  the  total  expenditure  sunmied  up  to  five  millions  six  hun- 
dred and  ninety-two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  forty-two 
dollars.  Too  many  costly  pui)lic  works  had  been  undertaken, 
in   the   fever  of  excitenKuit   introduced    by   the    railway   and 


loan-fund 


legislation 


of  the  Ilincks  administration  ;  more  rail- 


ways had  been  built  than  were  required  l)y  the  necessities  of 
the  country,  or  than  its  legitimate  traffic  could  sustain;  and 
the  reaction  which  commence*,  this  year  was  in  part  the  in- 
evitable result  ol  undue  speculation.  Public  improvements  had 
been  made  in  ad\  nee  of  the  population,  the  wealth,  and  the 
conunerce  of  the  t  untry ;  and  the  incrcnise,  in  the  progress 
of  time,  of  these  d  ments  of  national  greatness  could  alone 
restore  the  healthy  t  ^uilibriuui  of  the  financial  condition  of 
the  body  politic. 

8.  As  the  year  drew  towards  its  close,  ]Mr.  Tache  resigned 
the  premiership,  and  Mr.  John  A.  Macdonald  became  his  suc- 
cessor. A  dissolution  of  Parliament  was  now  determined  on, 
and  the  country  was  speedily  Avrapped  in  the  excitement  of  a 
general  election.  The  most  strenuous  exertions  were  made,  by 
ministers  and  their  friends,  to  secure  a  majority  in  the  new  As- 


I 


'    !? 


•'ill 


254 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


SIR    E.    r.    TACII^. 


seml)ly  ;  •while  the  reform  party,  vigorously  led  by  the  "  Globe  " 
newspaper,  used  every  efTort  in  the  opposite  direction.  Every 
possi))lc  cry  Avas  raised  in  order  to  defeat  the  government,  and 
even  religious  issues  were  had  recourse  to  during  the  contest. 

The  Ilincks  element  in  the  re- 
form party  of  Upper  Canada  now 
completely  disappeared,  Avhile  in 
the  lower  province,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  Kongo  party,  which  had 
allied  itself  Avith  Mr.  BroAvn,  met 
Avith  almost  total  defeat.  The 
latter  result  had  been  chiefly 
l)r()duced  by  the  hostility  of  the 
French  Roman  Catliolic  clergy, 
Avho  regarded  the  avoAved  re- 
publicanism of  the  Rouges,  and 
the  outspoken  Protestantism  of 
Mr.  BroAvn,  Avith  almost  equal 
dislike.  Nor  Avero  the  religious 
issues  raised  in  Upper  Canada  barren  of  results.  On  the  con- 
trary, they  produced  a  complete  revolution  in  public  sentiment 
in  several  electoral  districts ;  and  in  the  city  of  Toronto  the 
union  of  the  numerous  Orange  body  Avith  the  reformers  secured 
the  return  of  jNTr.  BroAvn,  and  who,  now  at  the  zenith  of  his 
popularity,  Avas  also  elected  for  the  North  Riding  of  Oxford. 
But  the  principal  result  of  this  election  Avas  the  creation  of  a 
ncAV  and  most  embarrassing  public  issue.  The  preponderance, 
although  small  in  extent,  secured  by  the  reform  party  in  Up- 
per Canada  nuist  render  it  necessary  for  ministers,  if  they 
desired  to  retain  their  portfolios,  to  abandon  the  "double-ma- 
jority" principle,  that  is,  a  majority  in  their  favor  from  both 
Upper  and  LoAver  Canada  separately,  as  Avell  as  collectiA^ely, 
and  deemed  necessary  hitherto,  in  order  to  prevent  unpalatable 
legislation  from  being  forced  ))}'  one  proA'ince  on  another.  This 
principle  had  been  adhered  to  since  the  union  in  1840,  by  the 
various  administrations  ;  and  its  recognition  had  led  jNIr.  Bald- 
Avin  to  resign,  in  consequence  of  tlie  adverse  vote  of  Upper 
Canadians  on  his  Court  of  Chancery  policy  for  their  province, 
although  sustained  by  a  large  majority  of  the  Avhole  house. 
A  princij>le  of  this  kind  has  never  been  entertained  for  a  single 
moment  by  the  Imperial  ]*arliament,  and  in  Avhich  it  has  not  at 
any  time  been  deemed  necessary  that  ministers  should  have  a 
majority  of  Scotch  members  ou  Scotch  questions,  nor  of  Irish 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


255 


members  on  Irish  measures.  Yet,  however  iintenal)lc  the 
double-majority  principle  might  bo  on  the  score  of  sound  con- 
stitutional polities,  the  antagonism  of  race,  and  even  of  interest, 
rendered  its  exercise  necessary  hitherto  to  harmonious  legisla- 
tion. Wiiilo  the  criminal  laws  of  the  country  had  gradually 
assumed  a  uniform  condition,  the  civil  law  had  one  statute-book 
for  Upper  and  another  for  Lower  Canada  ;  and  it  became  nec- 
essary, therefore,  to  exercise  the  utmost  care  to  avoid  exciting 
the  prejudices  of  race,  and,  Ave  might  also  add,  of  creed. 
ITenco  arose  the  adoption  of  the  double-majority  principle,  and 
its  abandonment  by  the  administration  of  ]\Ir.  John  A.  ]\Iac- 
donald  led  immediately  to  the  cry  of  French  domination  on  the 
part  of  the  reform  party,  to  the  agitation  for  representation  by 
population,  and  paved  the  way  for  the  governmental  dead-lock 
which  idtimately  ensued,  and  the  only  remedy  for  which  was 
the  Imperial  Act  of  Confederation  of  1867. 

9.  Parliament  mot  on  the  28th  of  February,  1858,  at 
Toronto,  and  was  found  to  be  largely  composed  of  new  mem- 
bers, of  Avhom  sixty-Hve  had  been  returned.  Among  these 
was  John  Sheridan  Ilogan,  whose  clever  essay  on  Canada  has 
been  so  generally  read,  and  whose  subsequent  murder  by  a  band 
of  thieves  and  prostitutes  at  the  Don  Bridge,  Toronto,  created 
such  a  profound  sensation  at  the  time.  But  the  most  notable  of 
the  legislatiA  c  novelties  was  un- 
questionably Thomas  D'Arcy 
McGee,  elected  by  the  Irish- 
men of'  INIontreal  AVest,  and 
whose  pul)licly  expressed  de- 
sire "  to  have  half  an  hour  on 
the  floor  of  the  house  with 
George  Brown,"  had  at  length 
been  gratified.  A  newspa[)er 
correspondent  quaintly  nar- 
rates, that  "  Mr.  Mc(iee  took 
the  oath  of  allegiance  without 
hesitation,  and  subscribed  it 
with  a  firm  hand."  The  man 
who  had  written  such  daring 
refrains  as  the  "  Felon  flag  of 
England,"  had  indeed  settled 
down  into  a  respectable  and 
law-abiding  Canadian  citizen,  and  now  sat  in  its  Legislature  as  the 
advocate  of  Koman  Catholicism,  and  the  antidote  of  the  Puritan 


Mil 

Nil 


i^uiljf 


256 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


]\Ir.  Brown,  1)iit  whoso  general  policy  he  was  speedily  found 
su})porting,  thus  verifying  the  old  adage  that  extremes  some- 
.  times  meet. 

10.  The  election  of  speaker  at  once  developed  the  weakness 
of  the  opposition,  who  had  declined  to  put  forward  a  candi- 
date of  their  own.  Henry  Smith,  of  Kingston,  the  ministerial 
candidate  for  the  speakership,  was  elected  by  seventy-nine 
against  forty-two  votes ;  and  this  fact  having  been  duly  notitied 
to  the  governor-general,  he  came  down  in  state,  on  the  follow- 
ing day,  to  open  the  house.  As  belitted  the  occasion  of  a  new 
Parliament,  his  speech  Avas  more  lengthy  than  usual.  It  alluded 
to  the  progress  of  the  rebellion  in  India;  to  the  distur})ance  of 
commercial  rehitions,  which  had  distinguished  the  latter  part  of 
the  preceding  year  ;  to  the  necessity  of  sundry  improvements  in 
the  law,  and  to  the  fact  "  that  the  country  had  gone  to  the 
utmost  limit  of  pecuniary  aid  to  the  Grand  Trunk  Ivailway," 
and  against  farther  assistance,  to  which  a  great  outcry  had 
already  been  raised  outside,  as  well  as  in,  the  Legislative  As- 
sembly. 

11.  The  debate  on  the  address  was  at  once  stormy  and  pro- 
tracted. The  opposition,  led  most  ably  by  Mr.  Brown,  assailed 
the  policy  of  the  ministry  at  all  points,  and  cxultingly  pointed 
to  their  majority  from  Up[)er  Canada  as  evidence  of  the  sound- 
ness of  their  views,  and  the  popularity  of  their  position.  As 
the  session  progressed,  the  question  of  representation  by  popu- 
lation, without  regard  to  a  dividing  line  between  Upper  and 
Lower  Canada,  was  strongly  pressed  on  the  attention  of  the 
house,  but  negatived  by  a  vote  of  sixty-four  to  iift^'-two.  The 
minority  was  composed  of  the  whole  reform  representativ^es  of 
Upper  Canada,  with  the  single  exception  of  John  S.  Macdonald, 
of  Cornwall.  Thus  the  abandonment  of  the  double-majority 
principle  had  -lU'cady  produced  an  agitation  of  a  new  and 
formidable  character. 

12.  Foiled,  however,  at  every  other  point  by  the  skilful 
fencing  of  ministers,  the  opposition  at  length  determined  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  seat-of-governmcnt  question  in  order  to 
defeat  them.  And  here  it  may  be  necessary  to  remind  the 
reader,  in  order  to  understand  more  fully  the  nature  of  this 
question,  that  after  the  destruction  by  a  mob  of  the  Parliament 
building  in  Montreal,  it  had  been  determined  to  hold  tiic  seat 
of  government  alternately  at  Toronto  and  Quebec,  in  order  to 
propitiate  the  representatives  of  both  sections.  This  peram- 
bulating system  had  proved  to  be  alike  most  expensive  and 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


257 


inconvenient,  and  (luring  the  session  of  the  preceding  year,  both 
branches  of  the  Le<;ishiture  had  af^reed  to  a  resohition  asking 
the  queen  to  decide  the  question  of  a  permanent  seat  of  govern- 
ment, and  which,  owing  to  tiieir  local  interests  and  sectional 
Jealousies,  they  could  not  themselves  agree  on.  Parliament 
had  supplemented  this  request  by  passing  an  act  appropriatiii.g 
the  sum  of  nine  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  erection  of 
public  buildings  at  such  place  as  her  majesty  might  be  gra- 
ciously pleased  to  designate.  And  thus  the  matter  stood  at  the 
close  of  1857. 

13.  The  three  years'  war  with  the  United  States  had  taught 
the  imperial  government  the  necessity  of  some  safe  mode  of 
communication  from  tide  water  to  the  great  lakes.  After 
various  explorations,  the  inland  route  up  the  Ottawa  was  selected, 
to  a  point  where  an  affluent  of  that  river,  the  Ixideau,  leaps 
down  in  a  foaming  cascade  upon  its  turbid  waters  ;  and  from 
thence  a  ship  canal,  connecting  lakes  and  rivers,  was  to  extend 
navigation,  by  a  circuitous  route,  to  the  fortified  post  of  Kings- 
ton, the  Frontenac  of  French  dominion,  at  the  foot  of  Lake 
Ontario,  In  May,  1820,  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  By,  of  the 
Royal  Engineers,  arrived  in  Canada  to  carry  out  this  project 
(completed  in  1834),  and  made  his  head-(juarlers  where  the 
proposed  canal  was  to  descend,  by  eight  locks,  a  de(>p  declivity 
of  some  ninety  feet  in  perpendicular  height  to  the  Ottawa  river. 
The  romantics  beauty  of  this  sequestered  woodland  spot  had  no 
counterpart  in  all  Canada.  Less  than  a  mile  above,  the  noble 
current  of  the  Ottawa,  speeding  on  its  way  from  Ihe  north-west 
oceauAvards,  narrows  into  pictiu'csque  rapids,  and  then  plunges 
down  the  Falls  of  the  Chaudiere,  in  a  cloud  of  spray  and  mist, 
to  chafe  against  its  steep,  rocky  boundaries  l)elow.  Grassy 
dells,  where  the  parasitical  wild  vine  clung  to  the  umbrageous 
forest  tree,  and  hills  covered  by  the  stately  and  solenm  white 
pine,  along  which  the  wild  deer  bounded,  and  where  the  notes 
of  the  whippoorwill  reichoed  plaintively  through  the  solitude, 
at  intervals  varied  the  landscape.  And  liero  it  was  that,  under 
the  fostering  care  of  Col.  By,  and  stinudiitcd  by  the  expenditure 
of  English  gold,  gradually  aros3  a  town,  mainly  peopled  at  lirst 
bv  the  roujj:h  di<jf<;ers  of  the  canal,  and  the  stalwart  lumbermen, 
hahitant  and  Anglo-Saxon,  who  so  mercilessly  hewed  down 
the  magnificent  pine  forests  of  the  Ottawa,  and  whoso  careless- 
ness so  frequently  produced  conflagrations  in  the  woods,  still 
more  destructive  than  themselves.  Genuine  romdi  "shiners" 
were  all  these  sturdy  backwoodsmen,  and  many  jears  elapsed 


III 


i'-''.t1 


mn?r 


2.j8 


HISTORY   OF   DO^riNION   OF   CANADA, 


M 


!!•! 


THE   PARLIAMENT   BUILDINGS    AT   OTTAWA,    ONT. 


before;  their  rude  impress  nitido  wa}'  for  a  more  refined  eivili- 
zution.  IJut  they  were  not  the  less  its  solid  percul'sors  tliere  as 
well  as  elsewhere.  Bytown,  the  centre  of  a  vast  lumber  trade, 
and  spreading  out  its  settlements  on  every  side,  gradually  ex- 
panded into  a  city  of 
some  fourteen  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  two 
parts  English  antl  one 
part  French,  and  then 
it  ungratefully  east 
from  it  the  appropriate 
\  name  derived  from  its 
founder,  and  selected 
the  more  euphonious 
Indian  one  of  OttaAva. 
And  this  was  the  site 
!  wisel}'  selected  by  the 
queen  for  the  perma- 
nent seat  of  provincial 
government.  The  cur- 
rent of  the  river  of  the  Outawas,  here  not  quite  half  a  mile 
wide,  separated  the  straggling  litth;  city  from  Lower  Canada; 
and  thus,  situated  on  the  borclers  of  both  sections,  in  a  locality, 
too,  with  a  mixed  population,  the  selection  was  a  triumph  to 
neither  ;  whiU;  its  easy  accessibility  by  steamboat  and  railway, 
and  its  inland  central  situation,  made  it,  of  itself,  a  desirable 
point  for  tlic  seat  of  govermnent.  Thanks  to  the  provident 
foresight  of  Colonel  By,  the  crown  had  reserved  a  Ix^ld  head- 
land rising  over  th(;  river,  and  on  this  the  Parliament  buildings 
of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  the  linest  structiu'cs  of  the  kind  on 
this  continent,  have  been  erected,  at  an  expense  many  times 
Tfreater  than  was  at  lirst  intended. 

14.  Xothing,  certainly,  couM  have  been  more  judicious, 
Torn  every  ])oint  of  aicw,  than  her  n)ajesty's  gracious  decision, 
i^et  it  met  with  litHe  favor  from  those  i)arties  Avho,  intluenccd 
oy  motives  of  personal  or  local  benefit,  desired  to  set  the  ad- 
vantage of  the  seat  of  government  at  Toronto  or  (Quebec,  above 
their  sovereign's  selection,  or  the  necessities  of  the  country. 
It  was  a  weak  and  unwise  stand-point  from  which  to  assail  a 
ministry,  and  exhibited  an  ntter  want  of  tact,  and  a  recklessness 
of  ulterior  conse<[uences.  A  motion,  that  it  was  a  cause  of 
deep  regret  that  her  majesty  had  ])een  advised  to  select  Ottawa 
as  the  capital  of  the  country,  was  carried,  on  the  28th  of  July, 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


259 


hy  a  ftiMJority  of  fourteen.  Ministers  shrewdly  saw  the  advan- 
tago  they  must  derive  from  this  vote,  and,  althou<^h  it  Avas 
ostensibly  a  censure  on  the  (jueen's  judgment  and  decision,  and 
not  on  them,  at  once  determined  to  resign.  Thus  they  com 
pletely  identilied  themselves  with  their  sovereign,  and  that 
sovereign,  too,  a  woman  ;  and,  in  l)ecoming  her  defenders,  were 
covered  by  the  shadow  of  tlu;  pul)lie  sympathy  which  at  once 
encircled  her.  Nor  were  their  shrewdness  and  tact  without 
their  prompt  reward.  Vexed  with  themselves  that  sellish 
motives  had  led  them  into  a  false  position,  the  conservatives 
from  Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  who  voted  for  the  motion,  took 
the  lirst  opportunity  to  act  hostilely  to  the  opposition,  in  order 
to  redeem  their  own  reputation. 

15.  As  the  leader  of  the  opposition,  ^Nlr.  Brown  was  im- 
mediately written  to  by  the  governor-general,  otl'ered  a  seat  in 
the  executive  council,  as  the  premier  of  a  new  administration, 
and  requested  to  signify  his  acceptance  of  this  olfer  in  Avriting. 
On  the  following  evening  his  exc  dlency  informed  INIr.  Brown 
that  he  would  give  him  no  pledg(i  in  reference  to  a  dissolution 
of  Parliament,  but  that  any  advice  tendered  him  on  this  subject 
w^uld  at  once  receive  his  serious  consideration.  To  a  proroga- 
tion, however,  ho  would  pledge  himself,  provided  two  or  three 
bills,  which  he  deemed  necessary  for  the  public  welfare,  should 
be  passed,  and  the  necessary  supplies  secured  by  a  vote  of 
credit.  Mr.  Brown  accepted  these  conditions,  and  at  once  pro- 
ceeded to  form  the  cabinet.  On  the  ensuing  evening  Mr. 
Patrick,  of  Prcscott,  announced  the  names  of  the  new  ministry. 
It  met  with  scant  favor  at  the  hands  of  the  House  of  Assembly. 
On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Langevin,  seconded  by  Mv.  Eobinson,  this 
body  declared,  by  a  vote  of  seventy-one  to  thirty-one,  that  they 
had  no  confidence  in  Mr.  Brown's  athninistration  ;  while  tiie 
upper  chamber  made  a  similar  dei;laration  on  a  division  of 
sixteen  to  eight.  The  ostensible  reasons  alleged  for  this  action 
were,  that  the  members  of  the  new  cabinet  already  stood  pledged 
to  opposite  principles,  and  had  not  jjubliely  announced  a  pro- 
granune  of  their  ministerial  policy  ;  but  the  true  causes  were  the 
stronjj  dislike  entertained  towards  Mr.  15rown  bv  the  great 
majority  of  the  members  from  Lower  Canada,  and  the  desire 
of  others  to  retrace  their  course,  as  regarded  their  opposition 
to  the  queen's  decision  on  the  seat-of-government  question. 
This  adverse  vote  led  the  cabinet  to  demand  a  dissolution,  on 
the  ground  that  the  House  of  Assembly  did  not  command  the 
confidence  of  the  country,  aside  from  the  circumstance,  that  it 


'^'ti 


! 


|1 


i 
( 


i 


Jit 


2G0 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


was  entitled  to  nil  the  support  which  the  <^ovcrn()r-<^eneralVoiiUl 
•^ivo  it.  But  his  ex'  ^l«'iicy,  whose  politicjil  leiiiiings  were  (jiiite 
evidently  in  anothei  irection,  declined  to  take  this  step,  on 
several  constitutional  <^rounds.  He  ur<^e(l  that  a  new-elected 
house  nuist  represent  tho  people  ;  that  the  business  of  Parliament 
had  not  been  completed  ;  that  tho  corruption  allegcul  to  have 
been  practised  at  the  recent  elections  Avould  only  bo  repeated 
in  a  new  one,  unless  le<^islativo  enactments  interpostid,  and  that 
the  law  of  election  should  tirst  be  altered.  And  a  calm  and 
dispassionate  view  of  tho  case  must  lead  to  the  conclusion  that 
kSir  Edmund  Head  had  stron<^  j^rounds  for  the  policy  ho  avowed. 
Tho  Brown  cabinet  had  now  no  course  left  iMit  to  resi«j^n,  and 
which  course  it  accordingly  pursued,  aftc*  it  had  remained  in 
power  for  tho  brief  period  of  two  days.  Sir  Ednumd  Head 
was  never  forgiven  for  his  conduct  at  this  crisis.  He  Avas  ac- 
cused of  partiality,  of  leaning  unconstitutionally  to  tho  conserv- 
ative party,  and  from  that  day  forward  his  acts  Avere  most 
unfavo'*ably  criticised  by  the  reform  pr^ss,  and  his  position 
rendered  exceedingly  unpleasant.  Likt;  o  many  of  his  pre- 
decessors, ho  had  deeply  offended  one  of  the  political  [)arties  of 
the  country,  by  apparently  supporting  another,  and  had  accord- 
ingly to  pay  the  penalty  of  i)artial  unpopularity. 

1 G.  There  are  very  foAV  readers  of  classical  English  literature, 
who  hfn'^e  not  made  tho  acquaintance,  in  some  Avay  or  another,  of 
John  Gait,  the  friend  and  biographer  of  tho  poet  B^-ron.     This 

gentleman  came  to  this  country 
in  1820,  as  a  commissioner  of 
tho  Canada  Land  Company,  and 
remained  here  for  a  period  of 
three  years.  He  left  a  i)leasant 
record  behind  him,  and  founded 
Guelph,  Avhilc  tho  town  of  (Jalt 
continues  to  perpetuate  his  mem- 
ory. In  1833  his  son  Alexander, 
then  only  a  youth  of  seventeen 
summers,  commenced  life  in  the 
eastern  townships,  as  a  junior 
clerk  in  the  service  of  the 
British  American  Land  Com- 
pany. His  careful  Scotch  habits, 
natural  ability,  and  attention  to  his  duties,  won  for  Mr. 
Gait  the  confidence  of  the  company,  and  the  lapse  of  twenty- 
two  years  found  him  the  chief  ;nanager  of  its  estates.     In  1849, 


Sm   A.    T.    GALT. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATKS. 


2(31 


this  fiplf-iuiide  man  was  elected  for  the  j^ounty  of  Shorbrooke, 
and  ill  IHi'A  for  llic  town  of  (he  the  same  inline,  and  fur  which  ho 
has  been  eonstaiilly  relnnicd  iVoin  that  da' to  this.  Of  lil)eral 
and  {)ro<^re.ssiv(!  views,  of  inihl  and  nnassuminj^  manners,  an  ex- 
cellent s[)caker,  and  profoundly  versed  in  matters  of  trade  and 
finance,  JNIr.  (Jalc  had  <^radually  risen  to  the  foremost  i)laco  in 
the  house,  and,  in  the  present  exiirency,  the  <^overnor-i;eneral 
turned  to  him,  on  the  resignation  of  tiuj  JJrowu  cabinet,  as  the 
person  best  lilted  to  form  an  administration.  But,  at  onco  a 
Protestant  and  si  reprcsentalivo  of  an  En<flish-speaking  Lower 
Canadian  constituency,  Mr.  (Jalt's  position  was  one  of  isolation 
as  regarded  the  French  element  in  the  Legislature,  while  his 
opinions  Avero  of  too  modest  a  stamp  to  command  the  con- 
fidence of  cither  of  the  i)olitical  par- 
ties now  struggling  for  su])remacy 
in  the  western  province.  Well  awaro 
that  these  causes  preclud(>d  hini  from 
])ecoining  a  successful  miiusterial 
leader,  and  nnist  always  compel  him 
to  occupy  a  subordinate  position  in 
any  government,  he  i)romptly  and 
"wisely  declined  the  i)rotfered  honor. 
Mr.  Cartier,  as  the  leader  of  the 
Lower  ( 'anada  majority,  was  next 
applied  to  by  his  excelleiuy,  and 
that  gentleman,  with  the  aid  of  Mr. 
John  A.  iShicdonald,  speedily  suc- 
ceeded in  forming  a  new  cabinet,  and  in  which  ^Ir.  Gait  became 
tiiuuice  minister. 

17.  Out  of  the  formation  of  this  administration  a  circum- 
stance arose,  which  i)roduced  unmeasured  censiu'c  from  the 
reform  party.  The  LidepcMidence  of  Parliament  Act  of  IHaT 
l^rovidtid,  in  its  seventh  section,  that  if  any  member  of  a  cabinet 
elected  to  serve  in  the  legislative  assembly,  or  legislative 
council,  resigned  his  ofhce,  and  within  one  month  after  his 
resignation  accepted  another  otfice  in  the  government,  he  should 
not  thereby  vacate  his  seat.  Accordingly,  those  members  of 
the  ]\racdonald  cabinet  Avho  now  accepted  office  did  not  go 
back  to  their  constituents  for  reelection,  and  sought  to  comply 
with  this  law,  soon  after  repealed,  and  A\hich  should  never 
have. been  enacted,  by  a  simi)le  exchange  of  positions.  But, 
whatever  might  have  been  the  intention  of  the  law,  subsequent 
events  proved  that  the  ministry  had  complied  with  its  provisions 


sin   CEO.    E.    CAIITIER. 


m 


202 


HISTORY   OF   DOMIXrOX    OK    CANADA, 


ill  fi  lo<;iil  i)()iiit  of  viow.  Actions  wcro  l)rou«^ht  n«jfiiiiist  8"cli 
of  tliciu  !is  li!i<l  (•.\('li!iiii;;(Ml  llicir  ofHcps,  in  tho  Court  of  (^lU'ou'is 
Bciirli  jind  C'oininou  I'lcjis,  and  which,  under  tho  ruliui;  of  tho 
ju<l<ros,  r('sultc<l  ill  tlicir  favor.  And,  whikithc  h'l^ality  of  their 
conduct  was  tlni.s  estal)lished,  its  constitutionality  was  also 
assert(>d  hy  a  .soh'niii  vote  of  l*ai-lianient.  At  tho  sanio  tinio 
tho  inenibiTS  of  tho  new  administration,  wlio  had  to  return  to 
their  constituouts  for  a[)i)roval,  woro  all  roelocted.  But,  what- 
ever exeitc- 
inent  ini<;ht 
liuvo  attend- 
ed the  clos- 
inij of  Parlia- 
ment was,  on 
the  following 
(hiy,  wholly 
dinnned  hy 
theuewsthat 
the  Atlantic 
cal)lo  had 
beer.success- 
fully  laid. 
Such  was 
indei'd  tho 
case  ;  but  its 
infant  life 
hardly  suf- 
ficed for  the 
transmission  of  her  majesty's  hriof  message  of  congratulation 
to  President  Bucluinan  ore  it  ilickered  to  a  close  ;  and  it  still 
I'emained  for  science  to  bring  tho  Old  and  Xew  Worlds  Avithin 
Speaking  distance,  and  to  enable  tho  Avonderful  electric  spark  to 
travel  Avith  tho  thoughts  of  two  hemispheres  through  tho  deep 
abyss  of  tho  Atlantic  Ocean.  As  tho  year  drew  towards  its 
close  tho  country  -was  called  upon  to  mourn  tho  death  of 
Robert  I'aldwin,  the  Nestor  of  genuine  Canadian  reform,  the 
victim  of  ingratitude  and  contumely.  Two  days  afterwards 
his  brethren  of  tho  bar  met  at  Osgr)odo  Hall,  Toronto,  to  pay 
their  fitting  tribute  to  his  memory,  and  Avhero  the  two  great 
Macdonalds,  John  A.  and  John  S.,  bitter  opponents  in 
political  life,  imitcMl  to  honor  a  man  Avhose  rcmembraneo  siiould 
always  bo  green  in  tho  memories  and  hearts  of  tho  Canadian 
people. 


THE  GREAT  EASTERN  LAYING  THB  ATLANTIC  CADLE. 


ENGLAND,  AND  TUK  UNITED  STATES. 


203 


18.  I'lirlimnc'iit  mot  at  tho  cni'ly  date  of  tho  20th  of  Jiumaiy, 
1851>,  and  the  <;ov('i nor-^^^cucrars  spcccli  was  more  Uiaii  usually 
sii;?gostiv('.  It  (l('c'lai-c(l  that  it  was  now  ncccssarv  lo  canyoul 
tho  jstatuto  of  tlio  (ihocu'h  dooision,  ro!ativo  to  a  ix-nnaiiont  soat 
of  govoiniuont ;  that  tho  S(>i<;ii()iial  T(>iniro  Commission  woidd 
shortly  oloso  its  lahoi's,  and  that  a  moderate  oiitla}',  beyond  the 
approjiriation  of  1S')4,  would  satisty  all  claims.  It  likewise 
stated  that  tin;  project  of  a  imion  of  all  liritish  \orth  Amei-ica 
had  formed  tlu^  snltjoct  of  a  correspondence  witii  the  home 
government,  which  would  be  laid  before  the  house  ;  that  tho 
conmiercial  and  linancial  depression  had  not  wholly  disap- 
peared, and  that  it  was  to  be  hoped  th(>  exercise  of  a  sound  and 
rigid  economy  would  enable  I'arlianu'ut  to  Ijring  the  expenses 
within  the  limits  of  the  public  revenue.  Tho  address,  in  re- 
si)onse  to  this  s[)eech,  was  permitted  to  pass  without  much 
acrimonious  deltato.  But  a  (juestion,  liowever,  speedily  arose 
Avhich  tested  the  position  of  ministers.  ^Ir.  Brown's  name  was 
designedly  left  off  the  Connnittee  of  Public  Accounts,  and  a 
motion  to  have  it  placed  th(>reon  was  accepted  by  the  cabinet 
as  expressing  a  want  of  conlidence  in  its  members,  and  was  lost 
by  u  majority  of  seventeen.  This  vote  iiad  a  tramiuillizing 
eil'ect  on  the  house,  and  the  public  business  was  now  proceeded 
with  in  coniparativ(>  (piiet.  The  most  notable  measures  of  this 
session  were  a  new  Customs  Act,  which,  owing  to  the  continued 
deficiency  in  the  revenue,  advanced  the  rate  of  duty  on  the 
bidk  of  staphs  importations  to  twent}'  per  cent.  ;  but,  at  the 
same  time,  wisely  mad(;  provision  for  a  large  free  list  of  raw 
products,  to  stinudate  local  manufactures,  and  tl:o  acts  resijeet- 
ing  the  consolidated  statutes  of  Canada  and  Upper  Canada 
respectively.  The  work  of  consolidation  had  at  length  been 
most  carefully  com[)leted,  and  at  once  proved  of  the  greatest 
value  to  the  l)ench,  tho  bar,  and  tluMnagistracy  of  tho  country. 
The  seat-of-government  question  was  fully  set  at  rest,  and  the 
public  buildings  at  Ottawa  were  to  be  at  once  proc(>eded  with, 
while  a  loyally  couched  and  most  pressing  invitation  was  given 
her  majest}',  and  any  member  of  the  royal  family,  to  visit 
Canada,  and  open  the  Victoria  Kailway  Bridge  at  ]\Ionti-eal, 
now  on  the  point  of  completion.  Towards  the  close  of  the 
session  some  trouble  Avas  caused  by  the  upper  chamber  refus- 
ing to  adopt  the  suppl}'  bill,  in  consequence?  of  its  containing 
an  item  to  defray  tho  expenses  of  removing  the  government  to 
Quebec,  and  whore  it  was  to  i-emain  until  the  buildings  at  Ottawa 
were  completed.     But  this  exhibition  of  unusual  independence 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


ill  the  kv'^islativc  council  wiis  of  vciy  brief  duration.  ^lore 
HKitiire  consideration  of  the  matter  leil  to  calmer  lesolves,  the 
sui)i)ly  bill  was  eventually  passed  us  sent  up  by  the  Assembly, 
and  the  session  ck)sed  in  peace  on  the  4th  of  Alay,  18.V.). 

1!>.  Whiles  the  United  States  were  convulsed  by  the  shock 
of  northern  abolitionism  with  southern  slavery,  caused  by  the 
insane  attempt  of  .lohn  Brown,  —  the  small  cloud,  like  a  man's 
hand,  ^.vhich  i)resaged  the  advancing"  storm,  —  the  sunnner  sun- 
shine of  Canada  remained  nndinnned  by  a  single  untoward 
event.  In  Noveml)e)-  a  gieat  gathering  of  the  leaders  of  the 
reform  party  t(  -'k  i)laee  at  Toronto.  The  abandonment  of  the 
doul)le-maj''rity  princiide  by  ministers,  and  the  fact  that  they 
Avere  in  a  i);'rliamentary  minority  as  regarded  Upper  Canada 
votes,  naturally  led,  at  this  convention,  to  a  loud  cry  of  Lower 
Canadian  dominati;>n,  and  to  a  demand  for  representation  by 
jiopulation.  'Vhv.  conclusion  was  arrived  at,  that  the  union  of 
Upper  and  I^ow^r  Canada  had  failed  to  i-ealize  the  intentions 
of  its  promoters  ;  that  the  constitution  itself  was  defective,  and 
that  the  formation  of  two  or  more  local  govermnents,  with 
some  joint  authority  ovcv  '1,  had  now  become  a  paramount 
necessity.  The  resolutions  which  embodi(Ml  these  o})inions 
were  inspired  ))y  Mr.  Brown,  and  thus  was  laid  the  tangible 
l)asis  of  an  agitation  which  ultimately  led  to  confederation. 
The  oidy  other  cAcnt  of  note  which  the  remainder  of  the  year 
l^roduced  was  the  actual  conunencement  of  the  B;u'liament 
buildings.  On  the  22d  of  December  ground  was  l)roken  for 
the  foimdations,  and  the  prospect  of  tljeir  town  !)<>coniing  the 
seat  of  goveriunent  gave  additional  zest  to  the  Christmas  fes- 
tivities of  the  citizens  of  Ottawa.  The  i)rize  for  whJch  Quebec 
and  Toronto  had  so  iicrcely  cont'^^sted  had  fallen  most  uuex- 
pecteuly  into  th.ir  hands. 

^0.  As  the  result  of  the  new  tariff,  and  also  of  an  abundant 
harvest,  which  stinudatcd  tlie  conunerce  of  the  country,  the 
public  revenue  for  i<S')l)  had  increased  to  six  million  two  hun- 
dred and  forty-eight  thousand  six  hundred  and  seventy-nine 
dollars,  while  the  expenditure  was  only  six  million  ninety- 
nine  thousand  live  hundred  and  seventy  dollars.  The  imports 
for  the  year  amounted  to  thirty-three  million  live  hundred 
and  tifty-tive  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-one  dollars,  and 
the  exports  to  tw(Mny-foiir  million  seven  hundred  and  sixty- 
six  thousand  r.ine  hundred  and  eighty-one  dollars,  there 
being  thus,  as  usual,  a  large  trade-'oalance  against  this 
country,  to  bo  made  goo'l  by  ihe   expenditm-e  in  one  way  or 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


2G5 


another  of  foreign  ciipital.  Nearly  all  the  great  railway  enter- 
prises were  completed,  and  a  total  of  two  thousand  and  ninety- 
three  miles  had  now  been  constructed  and  put  in  operation. 
The  public  debt  had  lai'gely  increased,  and  amounted  to 
lifty-four  million  one  hundred  and  forty-two  thousand  and  forty- 
four  dollars,  of  which  the  sum  of  tweuty-oight  milMon  six  hun- 
dred and  seven  thousand  and  thirteen  dollars  was  an  indirect 
liability,  representing  advances  on  the  security  of  the  province 
to  railway  companies,  and,  also,  under  the  provisions  of  the 
Loan  Fund  Act,  to  municipalities.  But  n(uie  of  the  public 
debt  had  been  ctnitractcd  for  the  support  of  Heets  and  armies, 
and  owed  its  origin  almost  wholly  to  the  prosecution  of  great 
works  for  the  development  of  the  agricultural,  mineral,  und 
other  resources  of  the  country. 

21.  On  the  28th  of  February,  1800,  the  Legisl-^-'re  as- 
sembled at  (^uel)ec,  whither  the  scat  of  goveinment  lu  '  -  the 
preceding  summer,  Ixmii  removed.  After  the  usuai  >  Mitinc 
proceedings,  "which  embraced  no  feature  worthy  of  notice,  had 
terminated,  the  govcrnor-gencrrJ  laid  before  the  lower  house 
a  despatch  from  the  colonial  secretary,  the  Duke  of  Newcastle. 
It  announced  the  recei[)t  of  the  joint  address  of  both  chambers 
to  the  queen,  inviting  her  to  visit  this  country,  and  the  ex- 
pression of  her  regret  that,  owing  to  her  })resence  l)eing  re- 
quired at  the  seat  of  enij)ire,  she  Avas  unable  to  comi)ly  with 
their  iXHjuest.  Impressed,  however,  with  an  earnest  desire  to 
testily,  to  the  utmost  of  her  power,  her  warm  appreciation  of 
the  atl'ectionate  loyalty  of  her  Canadian  subjects,  the  queen  ex- 
pressed, through  her  minister,  the  hope  that  his  royal  high- 
ness the  I'rince  of  \\'ales  would  be  a1)le  to  attend  the  ceremony 
of  opening  the  Victoria  Bridge  in  her  name. 

22.  The  JjCgisliiture  had  only  been  a  brief  period  in  session 
when  t!io  opposition  i)rot'Ccded  to  develop  the  policy  deter- 
mined on  at  the  Toronto  lleform  Convention  of  the,  preeeding 
NovemI)er.  Mr.  Brown  gave  notice  that  he  would  move  two 
resolutions  :  the  lirst  being  to  the  effect  that  the  existing  legis- 
lative union  of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada  had  failed  to  realize 
the  anticipations  of  its  promoters,  had  resulted  in  a  heavy 
del)t,  great  j)olitical  abuses,  and  universal  dissatisfaction  ;  and 
that  iVom  the  antagonism  developed,  througiA  ditference  of 
origin,  local  interest,  and  other  causes,  the  union  in  its  present 
form  could  no  longer  be  continued  with  advantage  to  the 
people.  The  second  resolution  set  forth  that  the  true  remedy 
for  those  evils  would  be  found  in  the  formation  of  two  or  more 


'1  i 


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2036 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


local  governments,  to  "wbicli  ii;lioul(l  be  connnittcd  all  matters 
of  a  sectional  character,  and  the  erection  of  some  joint  ant'H)rii y 
to  di.sposo  oi'  the  atlairs  connnon  to  all.  Three  weeks  nfter- 
Avards  JNlr.  I'oley  moved  a  direct  vote  of  want  of  confidence  in 
ministers,  and  Mr.  Ouimet  an  amendment  thereto  of  a  directly 
opposite  character.  An  amendment  to  the  amendment  was 
moved  by  another  member  of  the  opposition,  Mr.  Labergc, 
which  struck  at  the  cabii  •  '  indirectly.  On  this  being  put  it 
was  negatived  by  sixty- -.ght  to  forty-four  votes.  A  new 
amendment  was  then  presented,  censuring  ministers,  because 
one  of  tiiem  (Mr.  Macdonald)  belor.gcd  to  the  Orange  body, 
and  which  was  lost  by  one  hundred  and  live  to  nine  votes.  Its 
bad  result,  however,  did  not  deter  another  member  from 
moving  that  the  house  did  not  repose  confidence  in  the  ad- 
ministration, because  it  had  deserted  Roman  Catholic  interests, 
and  cspo'jially  as  regarded  separate  school  reform  in  Upper 
Canada.  But  this  motion  met  with  even  worse  success  than  its 
predecessors,  and  was  sustained  by  only  six  votes.  Mr. 
Ouimet's  amendment,  expressing  confidence  in  ministers,  was 
then  put  io  the  house,  when  tlic  yeas  were  seventy  and  the 
nays  forty -four.  This  vote  convinced  the  oi)posifion  of  the 
nsclessness  of  farther  attempts  to  com^xd  the  resignation  of 
the  cabinet ;  the  public  business  was  now  quietly  pushed  for- 
ward, and  towards  the  close  of  April  the  "Estimates,"  among 
Avhieh  was  one  item  of  twenty  thousand  dollars  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  the  antici[)ated  visit  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  were 
well  advanced.  Meanwhile,  a  serious  division  had  arisen-  in 
the  ranks  oi  the  opposition,  many  of  Avhom  were  now  most 
unwilling  to  follow  any  longer  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Brown. 
This  feeling  produced  a  public  quarrel  in  lh(!  house  between 
the  latter  and  some  of  his  [)()litical  friends  ;  and  Mv.  Campbell, 
the  member  for  Kouville,  implored  him  to  retire  from  the  lead- 
ership of  a  party  wMth  which,  so  long  as  ho  remained  at  the 
head  of  it,  the  French  Canadinns  could  never  unite. 

23.  On  the  8th  of  IVIay  INlr.  Brown's  resolutions  in  refer- 
ence to  the  constitufional  relafions  of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada 
were  taken  np  and  finally  disposed  of.  The  first  was  negatived 
by  a  vote  of  sixty-seven  to  twenty-six,  and  the  second,  meeting 
no  bett(>r  fate,  was  lost  on  a  division  of  seventy-four  to  thirfy- 
two.  This  result  evinced  in  the  most  eir.phatic  nianner  that 
only  a  small  minority  of  the  Assembly  were  in  favor  of  a  fed- 
eral nnioii  on  the  basis  propounded  by  Mr,  Brown ;  yet 
subsequent  events   have   plainly  demonstrated   that  his   only 


ENGLAND,   AND   7IIE  UNITED   STATES. 


267 


error  lay  in  being  in  advance  of  his  contemporaries,  and  also 
of  general  public  opinion.  His 'joint  authority"  scheino  was 
the  one  ultimately  adopfed,  despite  tiie  censure  it  met  Avith  at 
this  time  from  the  leaders  of  the  ministerial  party.  On  the 
IDth  of  May,  after  a  loyal  address  of  welcome  to  the  Prince 
of  Wales  had  been  agr(>ed  to,  a  session  which  had  been  pro- 
ductive of  no  very  remarkable  le'rislation  Avas  ])roni»'ht  to  a 
close,  and  the  Parliament  prorogued  in  a  brief  and  appropriate 
speech  by  the  governor-general,  to  assemble  again  some  three 
months  afterwards,  in  order  to  greet  the  arrival  of  the  heir  to 
the  British  throne. 

24.  No  prospective  event  in  Canada  had  ever  cast  such  a 
joyous  shadow  before  it  as  the  r.ow  looked-for  advent  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales.  From  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other  it 
evoked  a  feeling  of  the  most  loyal  enthusiasm,  and  [)ct)ple  of 
all  classes,  and  of  all  shades  of  politics,  now  united  most  cor- 
dially to  do  honor  to  the  imp(n-ial  representative  of  their  good 
(jUv^en.  From  every  direction  along  the  [)roposed  route  of 
pr(»gress  arose  the  din  of  pre[)ai-ation ;  and  city  and  town  and 
vill  ige  corporations  voted  money  to  decorate  their  localities, 
and  make  titting  arrangements  otherwise.  At  (Quebec  a  portion 
of  the  Parliament  ])uildings  had  been  handsomely  litted  u\)  for 
the  reception  of  th(;  pi'ince  and  his  suite,  and  here,  on  the  i^lst 
of  August,  he  A"as  received  in  state  by  ])oth  houses  of  the 
Legislature,  headed  by  their  speakers,  Narcisseau  Pelleu,  of 
the  Council,  and  Ilem-y  Smith,  of  the  Assembly;  and  both  of 
Avhom  rL'ceived  the  honor  of  knighthood.  Th(^  festivities  all 
terminated  at  Quebec,  and  progress  westward  was  resumed  to 
Montreal,  where  a  grand  ovation  awaited  his  royal  highness. 
As  the  steamer 'Mvingston,"  which  carried  him  and  his  suite, 
entered  the  harbor,  the  batteries  of  St.  Helen's  Island  thun- 
dcr'd  out  a  royal  salute,  the  sailors  of  the  vessels  of  war 
manned  the  yards  and  made  the  welkin  ring  with  cheers,  taken 
up  by  the  vast  nudtitude  who  lined  the  sul)stantial  wharves, 
Avhile  the  city  bells  reverberated  far  and  wid(!  their  sonoi'ous 
tones  of  Avelcome.  A  little  farther  on,  the  current  of  the  noble 
river,  still  chating  angi'ily  from  its  descent  of  the  Lachino 
Knpids,  Avas  spanned  by  the  A'ictoria  bridge,  the  idea  of  which 
lirst  assnined  tangible  shai)e  in  the  nnnd  of  a  talented  Canadian 
engineer,  Thomas  C.  Ki'eicr,  to  be  elalforated  /nd  i)erlected 
by  the  genius  of  a  Stephenson.  Stretchinu:  ten  thousand  feet 
from  shore  to  shore,  Avith  pier-opt>nings  tAvo  hundred  feev 
in  Avidth,  and  rising  in  the  centre  one  hundred  feet  above  high- 


'^v>V*-' 


2G8 


HISTORY   or  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


water  mark,  to  permit  Like  steamers  to  jiass  heneatli,  this 
colossal  .structure  stood,  the  cightli  -woiulcr  of  tlio  world.  And 
this  "wut"  the  brid<jo  now  formally   opened  for  trafKc    by  the 

^      ^  Prince  of  ^Valcs,  in 

v^^^^,-.  the  name  of  his  au- 

fe-^  wi^^Sv"""^ "      ^-^^     ^^  P"^<^  mother,   after 


Avhom  it  Avas  most 
fitly  called.  Next 
day  jMontrcal  liter- 
ally ran  riot  with 
ioy.     A  srraiid  l)all 

^    ^  collected    all     that 

The  Victoria  Railway  Tubular  Bruise  trora  St.  Lambert.  r  ,. ;  « 1,  f    o  «  1 

\v ti s    u  1 1  IT n I'   an ci 

beautiful  in  the  city  to  fifrcct  the  heir-ap])arent  of  their  soverei<^ii, 
and.  ni<rht  was  turned  into  day  by  the  blaze  of  illuminations  and 
fireworks  that  lit  up  the  dark  mountain  side  in  the  backi;round, 
or  flashed  over  the  broad  current  of  the  St.  Lawrence  as  it  sped 
murnuiringly  oceanward. 

2 ') .  From  INIontreal  th<\  Prince  of  "Wales  proceeded  to  Ottawa, 
and  there,  on  the  1st  of  September,  in  the  presence  of  the 
I)uko  of  Newcastle,  the  governor-general,  many  of  the  notabili- 
ties of  Canada,  and  a  most  brillirnt  suite,  he  laid  the  foundation- 
stone  of  the  new  Parliament  buildings,  and  subsequently  shot 
the  timl)er  slides  of  the  Chaudiere  on  the  usual  lumberman's 
crib.  Proceeding  up  the  Ottawa  to  Arnprior,  ho  crossed  the 
country  by  carriage  and  railway  to  Pirockville,  where  he  arrived 
at  nigln  ,  and  a  most  brilliant  reception  awaited  him.  This  loyal 
little  town  greeted  him  with  a  grand  firemen's  torchlight  pro- 
cession, with  triuTnphal  arches,  firewoiks,  an  illumination,  and 
bonfires  among  the  islands  in  the  river.  Embarking  on  board 
the  "Kingston,"  the  royal  party  proceeded  next  day  Avestward 
through  the  beautiful  lake  of  the  Thousand  Islands.  But  no 
landing  Avas  made  cither  at  Kingston  or  Belleville,  in  consequence 
of  the  Orauijo  societies  of  those  neighborhoods  insisting  on 
receiving  his  ro3'al  highness  Avith  party  flags,  processions,  and 
nuisic.  Some  unpleasantness,  in  comiection  Avith  the  Orange 
body,  awaited  him  at  Toronto,  Avhere  a  triumphal  arch  on  his 
proposed  route  Avas  decorated  Avitb.  its  flags  and  emblems,  and 
beneath  Avhich  he  dc^clined  to  pass.  This  raised  a  storm  of 
Omnge  indignation  against  his  advisers,  and  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle and  the  governor-general  Avero  burned  in  ciHgy  on  Col- 
borne  street.  His  progress  through  the  Avestern  peninsida 
ev<;kcd  no  additional  demonstrations  of  this  nature,  and  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


269 


most  joyous  welcome  everywhere  awaited  him.  His  ro3-al 
highness  finally  passed,  at  Windsor,  out  of  Canada  into  the 
United  States,  to  be  exceedingly  well  received  in  all  the  great 
northern  cities  visited  by  him,  and  particularly  at  Boston;  but 
to  have  his  passage  southward  stopped  at  liiclnnond,  the  gate- 
way of  the  slave  States,  by  insulting  demonstrations  on  the  part 
of  its  mob. 

2(5.  Meanwhile,  a  dark  storm-cloud  h;  d  been  gathering  over 
the  United  States,  and  the  ultimate  breaking  of  which  exercised 
no  small  influence  on  the  progress  of  Canada.  AVearied  at 
length  with  the  domination  of  the  slave  States,  the  masses  of 
the  North  broke  away  from  the  Democratic  party,  always 
southern  in  its  instincts,  and  elected  Abraham  Lincoln,  an 
abolitionist  lawyer  of  Illinois,  to  the  presidency  of  the  Union. 
Gi'cat,  accordingly,  was  the  ferment  at  the  South,  the 
politicians  of  which  had  virtually  governed  the  country  for  a 
long  period  of  time.  But  the  loss  of  power  and  emoluments  of 
place  was  even  of  less  consetjuence  with  them  than  the  danger 
to  slavei'y,  which  they  supi)osed  resulted  from  the  election  of 
Lincoln.  South  Carolina  was  the  first  to  secede  from  the 
Union,  and  at  Charleston  a  small  federal  force  in  Fort  Sumter 
was  virtually  besieged  as  the  new  j'car  came  on,  and  an  attempt 
to  relieve  it  with  troops  and  stores,  l)y  the  steamship  "  Star  of 
the  West,"  was  repelled  by  the  cannon  of  the  insurgent  State. 
Wild  was  th'3  alarm  that  now  spread  through  tli"  Northern 
States,  and  in  ]\Iaine  a  strong  movement  was  made  for  annex- 
ation to  Canada.  The  government  of  the  Confederate  States 
was  speedily  organized,  and,  as  spring  approacheu.  North  and 
South  were  alike  busily  preparing  for  the  coming  struggle. 

27.  Parliament  assembled  at  Queljcc  on  the  l()th  of  March, 
186L  The  governor-generars  speech  alluded  to  the  abundant 
harvest  of  the  preceding  year,  the  acknowledgment  by  the 
queen  of  the  l()3'al  manner  in  which  her  son  had  been  mainly 
received  in  this  country,  and  to  the  fact  that  he  had  been  advised 
to  represent  to  her  majesty's  government  that  a  writ  issued  by 
the  Ilnglisb  Court  of  Queen's  Bench  had  l)een  served  in  this 
province,  and  the  expediency  of  preventing  by  legislation  any 
conflict  of  judicial  jurisdiction.  Canada  was  jealous  of  its 
privileges  and  aut'iority.  The  del)ate  on  the  ad.dress  developed 
a  good  deal  of  ill-feeling,  relative  to  the  un[)leasaiit  occurrences 
winch  had  taken  place  during  the  visit  of  the  Prince  of  A\'ales. 
It  Avas  stated  that  the  Orangemen  had  been  insulted,  in  not  being 
permitted  to  give  a  loyal  welcome  to  his  royal  highness  after 


'rm 


270 


HISTORY'   OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


Ihoir  own  fashion ;  that  the  Frcomnsons  had  been  treated  with 
disrespect,  in  not  l)eing  allowed  to  lay  the  corner-slono  of  Iho 
public  biiildinirs  at  Ottawa,  after  having  been  invited  to  do  so; 
and  that  indignities  had  also  been  ollercd  to  the  Presbyterian 
and  M«'lhodist  bodies,  in  eoiniection  Avith  the  })resentation  of 
their  addresses.  Amendments  to  the  address  embodying  these 
complainings  were,  however,  voted  down  by  largo  majorities; 
and  a  motion,  1)y  jSIr.  John  Sandtield  Macdonald,  asserting  that 
ministers  should  adhere  to  the  double-majority  principle,  —  a 
favorite  idea  Avith  him,  — Avas  lost  on  a  division  of  sixty-tivc  to 
forty-six.  A  direct  motion  of  "  Avant  of  confidence"  in  the 
cabinet  AA'as  also  lost  by  a  A'ote  of  sixty-two  to  forty-nine  ;  and 
on  the  22d  terminated  six  days  of  Aveary  and  profitless  debating 
on  the  address.  Still,  it  Avas  quite  evident  that  the  position  of 
ministers  AA'as  becoming  Aveaker. 

28.  After  the  Easter  recess,  a  i:)ortion  of  the  returns  of  the 
census,  taken  at  the  close  of  the  last  year,  Avas  laid  before  the 
house.  These  docinnents  showed  a  large  increase  in  the  po})u- 
lation  of  the  country.  In  1811  the  population  of  Upper  Canada 
was  four  hundred  and  sixty-five  thousand  three  hundred  and 
seventy-five  ;  in  IS")!,  nine  hundred  and  fifty-two  thousand  and 
sixty-one  ;  while  in  18(51  it  had  reached  one  million  three  hun- 
dred and  ninety-six  thousand  and  ninety-one.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  p()[)ulation  of  LoAver  Canada,  in  1841,  AA'as  six  hundred 
and  ninety  thousand  sovon  hundred  and  eighty -two  ;  in  18al, 
eight  hundred  and  ninety  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty-one  ; 
and  in  18(51  it  stood  at  one  million  one  hundred  and  ten  thousand 
four  hundred  and  forty-four.  It  will  thus  bo  seen  that  the 
population  of  all  Canada,  at  the  begiiming  of  18(51,  Avas  two 
million  tive  hundred  and  six  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty- 
five.  But  the  rate  of  increase  had  been  nnich  moie  rapid  in 
the  upper  than  in  the  loAver  province,  and  the  number  of  its 
inhabitants  was  now  tAVo  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand  four 
hundred  and  twenty-seven  in  excess  of  that  of  the  latter.  This 
circumstance  gave  ucav  hopi;  to  the  mend)ers  of  the  reform 
party  in  the  house,  and  they  eagerly  turned  to  the  question  of 
representation  by  population,  as  th(>  sure  panacea  for  the  evils 
of  French  domination.  They  Avere  strongly  opposed  by  the 
ministerial  party,  the  [>remier  nudving,  on  \\n)  I'Jlh  of  April,  a 
forcible  speech  in  opposition  to  tlu;  motion  cmI)odying  their 
vicAvs,  and  Avere  again  beaten.  I>ut  the  iMiuciple  they  now 
advocated  was  subsequently  interwoven  Avifh  the  Imperial  Act 
of  Confederation,  and  Avhich  gave  nineteen  dcav  mcnilx-rs  to 


1 11  f\ 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


271 


Upper  Canadii.  Tho  lonj^  tlel)atcs  had  coiisiimod  much  of  the 
tiuio  of  the  Asseiiil)ly,  and  this  session  drew  towards  its  close 
without  having  added  any  noticeable  legislation  to  tho  statute- 
hook.  On  the  8th  of  May  Parliament  was  prorogued,  and  in 
a  few  weeks  afterwards  was  dissolved,  and  the  writs  issued  for 
a  new  election.  The  contest  throughout  Upper  Canada  was 
most  vigorously  conducted  on  both  sides,  and  resulted  in  favor 
of  the  reform  party.  But  its  leader,  INIr.  Brown,  lost  nuich  of 
his  i)restige,  being  beaten  in  Toronto  by  a  majority  of  one 
hundred  and  ninety-one,  owing  to  the  union  of  the  Orangemen 
and  Roman  Catholics  against  him  ;  while  at  the  same  time 
Cartier  defeated  Dorion,  the  Rouge  leader,  in  Montreal  east. 

29.  IMeanwhile,  the  ti-oops  of  the  belligerent  States  wx're 
marshalling  themselves  on  the  l)anks  of  the  Potomac,  for  tho 
conHict  which  could  not  now  be  very  long  deferred.  Westward, 
at  the  fork  of  tho  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers,  a  body  of  federal 
troops  prevented  supplies  from  reaching  the  Confederate  States, 
while,  at  the  same  time,  preparations  were  made  to  blockade 
their  ports,  and  so  narrow  their  resources  seaward.  This  course 
was  a  virtual  concession  of  the  sovereign  authority  of  these  States 
to  levy  war,  and  led  to  the  declaration  of  Lord  John  Russell, 
that  the  South  nmst  now  be  regarded  as  a  de  facto  power,  and  be 
accorded  belligerent  rights.  On  the  13th  of  Ma}'  Iho  queen's 
})roclamation  .was  issued,  warning  all  her  subjects  to  ivuiintain  a 
strict  neutrality,  and  atford  aid  to  neither  of  tho  contending 
parties.  On  the  21st  of  July  tho  battle  of  Bull  Run  took  place, 
and  the  first  deep  torrent  of  blood  shed  in  u  fratricidal  war, 
during  the  progress  of  which  fully  fifty  thousand  Canadians, 
despite  the  queen's  proclamation,  entered  the  Northern  army  as 
volunteers,  while  comparatively  finv  in  number  attached  them- 
selves to  the  forces  of  the  Confederate  States. 

30.  But,  while  the  attention  of  the  people  of  Canada  Avas 
eagerly  turned  to  the  progress  of  the  bitter  civil  conflict  now 
waged  in  a  neighboring  nation  so  intimately  connected  Avitli 
them  by  commercial  relations  and  a  conunon.  language  and 
lin(^agi',  their  country  peacefully  reposed  in  the  shadow  of  the 
Ihitish  Hag,  and  j)resented,  after  its  election  contests  had  ter- 
minated, but  few  domestic  ev(mts  to  record.  On  the  28th  of 
August  William  liyon  Mackenzie's  wearisome  life  came  to  a 
close,  and  the.  troubled  spirit  sank  to  rest.  Pecuniary  em- 
bariassment  had  throwr.  a  gloom  over  the  last  days  of  his  exist- 
ence. Destitute  of  income,  with  failing  health,  and  deeply  in 
debt,  he  had  been  living  on  credit ,  and  his  bills  matured  without 


$1 


%. 


'lH\^ 


n*l 


272 


IIISTOKY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


time  brin_i;ii)ix  the  nioiins  to  pay  tliom.  The  confidence  in  tho 
future  Avhich  had  lit  up  his  path  (hiring  tlie  darkest  periods  of 
his  life  failed  hii;i  at  last,  and  he  ceased  even  to  hope.  There 
remained  for  tho  erring,  though  honest  patriot  l)ut  one  course 
now  open,  —  to  lie  down  and  die,  to  quit  a  world  which  had  no 
longer  a  solitary  ray  of  genial  sunshine  for  him.  During  his 
last  illness  he  refused  all  medicine,  would  comply  with  no 
physician's  directions,  and  the  grave  soon  closed  over  all  his 
troubles.  In  October  Sir  Edmund  Head  ceased  to  be  governor- 
general  of  (^anada.  On  the  2od  of  that  month  his  successor, 
Lord  Monck,  arrived  at  (Quebec,  and  on  the  following  day  was 
duly  sworn  in.  On  the  same  day  Sir  Ednnmd  departed  for 
Boston,  en  route  for  Engliuid.  As  already  seen,  he  also  had 
become  unpopular  with  a  portion  of  the  community,  and  had 
recently  beiMi  made  the  subject  of  a  large  amount  of  censure. 
Like  his  predecessor.  Lord  Elgin,  he  hastened  to  leave,  without 
regret,  a  country  which  had  been  fatal  to  tho  reputations  of  so 
many  governors-general,  and  who  had  unwisely  identified  them- 
selves with  one  or  the  other  of  its  political  parties. 


> » * 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  rnOVINCE  OF  CANADA,   FROM   18-tO  TO  I8r>7 —  (continued). 

THE   ADMUJISTHATIOX   OF    LORD    MONCK  —  COVFEDEnATION. 

1.  In  180 1  Charles  Stanley  Monck  succeeded  to  the  govern- 
ment of  Canada.  He  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  181i).  IIo  entered 
l*arliament,  with  an  English  constituency,  in  18r)2,  and  in  1848 
he  was  appointed  lord  of  tho  treasury  by  the  Palmerston 
administration,  holding  tho  office  for  two  j'cars.  'He  had 
scarcely  taken  the  reins  of  government  of  Catiada  firmly  in  his 
hands  M'hen  Avhat  was  known  as  the  Trent  difficulty  arose 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  and  which,  for  a 
time,  threatened  to  involve  them  in  a  war,  in  Avhich  Canada, 
had  it  occurred,  must  have  acted  a  most  important  part.  Capt. 
Wilkes,  of  tho  United  States  steamship  "Jacinto,"  took  by 


'  I  wish  to  repeat  here,  what  has  heen  sakl  in  a  previous  note,  that  tliis  and  the  pre- 
ceding,' chapter  are  tal<en  suhstantially  from  the  work  of  Mr.  John  f  laeMullen,  an  author 
whose  hihors  in  eoUectiug  and  preserving  the  luutcriaU  of  Canadiua  history  uauuot  be  too 
highly  appreciated. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


273 


force,  ou  the  9th  of  Novouiber,  18G1,  the  Confodenite  comuiis- 
sioncrs,  Mason  and  Slidell,  from  the  iiritisU  mail  steamer 
"Trent,"  plying  between  Vera  Cruz  and  Southampton,  in  utter 
detianee  of  the  law  of  nations,  and  the  rights  of  a  neutral 
power.  Hitherto  a,  strong  sympathy  for  the  United  States 
had  existed  in  Canada,  and  the  secession  of  tho  South  was 
regarded  Avith  little  favor  by  the  great  bulk  of  its  p(H)[)le  ;  but 
tho  Trent  dilEeulty,  and  the  idle  boastings  and  thn  ats  of  the 
more  unserupulous  portion  of  tho  American  press,  now  rapidly 
changed  tho  current  of  public  sentiment,  and  turned  it  largely 
into  indillercnce,  or  in  tho  direction  of  the  Aveaker  party,  — tho 
South.  As  the  year  drcAv  towards  its  close  the  whole  country 
was  rapidly  springing  to  arms,  in  expectation  of  immedi:  e 
hostilities.  Volunteer  companies  were  being  formed  in  every 
direction,  steps  were  taken  to  organize  tho  militia  force,  and 
steamship  after  steamship,  freighted  with  troops  and  numitions 
of  war,  arrived  from  tho  mother  country.  While  tho  excite- 
ment produced  by  these  occurrences  culminated  to  its  meridian, 
Canadii  Avas  thrown  into  tho  saddest  mourning  by  the  intelli- 
gence that  Prince  Albert,  the  amiable  and  high-minded  consort 
of  the  queen,  had,  on  the  15th  of  December,  expired  of  gastric 
fever.  Deep,  indeed,  Avas  the  sympathy  of  the, people  of  Canada 
for  their  bereaved  sovereign,  Avho  had  long  since  Avon  their 
hearts  by  her  virtuous  and  prudent  conduct,  and  by  tho  true 
Avonmnly  instincts  of  her  nature.  While  this  country  still 
mourned  the  irreparable  loss  Avhich  tho  empire  had  sustained, 
the  Avar-cloud  passed  aAvay  ;  jNIason  and  Slidell  Avere  surrendered 
to  the  British  government,  and  Avere  speedily  on  their  Avay  to 
Europe. 

2.  The  beginning  of  the  year  1862  Avas  not  distinguished  by 
any  domestic  events  of  importance.  Parliament  met  at  Quebec 
on  the  21st  of  March,  and  Lord  Monck  came  doAvn  in  no  small 
state  to  open  its  proceedings.  A  large  portion  of  the  inhab- 
itants Avere  out  of  doors  to  Avitness  his  progress,  and  tifteen 
hundred  volunteers  and  a  force  of  regular  troops  lined  both 
sides  of  tho  streets  through  Avhich  he  passed.  The  garrison 
guns,  manned  by  the  royal  artillery,  thundered  forth  their 
salute  from  Durham  terrace,  far  and  Avide,  over  land  and 
water ;  a  battery  of  volunteer  artillery,  repeated  the  Avelcomc 
elseAA'herc  ;  Avhile  the  hearty  cheers  of  the  dense  masses  of  »pec- 
tators  hailed,  in  a  still  more  acceptable  fashion,  the  appearance 
of  their  new  governor-general.  At  the  chamber  of  the  legisla- 
tive council  a  brilliant  assemblage  of  military  and  civil  digni- 


11 


m 


|<    .   liM 


274 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


! 


tarics  grcctod  his  arrival,  and  gave  additional  lustre   to  the 
undent  ceremonies  of  tiie  occasion. 

ii.  I'arliament  liaving  been  ojjencd  Avith  tlie  due  formalities, 
the  Assembly  proceeded  to  elect  Joseph  K.  Turcotto  as  their 
speaker,  by  a  majority  of  thirteen  over  the  opposition  candi- 
date, ]\lr.  8ieott(? ;  and  that  duty  performed,  his  excellency 
made  a  second  visit  to  the  house  to  deliver  his  "opcMiing" 
speech.  It  paid  a  titting  tribute  to  the  memory  of  tiie  (leccasod 
prince  consort ;  stated  how  the  feeling  of  loyally  cxhibitccl  b}- 
the  Canadian  people  during  the  recent  Trent  ditiiculty  had  been 
graciously  recognized  in  the  queen's  speech  on  the  opening  of 
the  Imperial  Parliament ;  and  congratuhited  the  Legislature  on 
the  iiibundant  harvest  of  the  preceding  year,  and  the  satisfactory 
condition  of  trade,  notwithstamling  the  i)artial  derangement  to 
"which  it  had  J)een  subjected  by  the  civil  war  still  raging  in  the 
United  States.  It  farther  set  forth  that  papers  would  l)o  laid 
before  it  showing  that  the  imperial  government  ent(M-tained  no 
objection  to  the  establishment  of  a  system  of  free  commeniial 
intercourse  between  the  ditferent  provinces  of  British  North 
America,  and  that  during  the  recess  a  connnission  had  sat  to 
consider  the  present  condition  of  the  militia  force,  with  a  view 
to  improving  its  organization  and  efficiency,  and  the  report  of 
which  Avould  be  submitted  for  its  approval. 

4.  The  debate  on  the  address  was  of  that  lengthy  character 
now  so  common  in  the  Canadian  ijcgislature,  and  dis[)layed  the 
discordant  elements  of  which  the*  two  great  parties  in  the  house 
were  composed.  Keformers  declared  for  and  against  represen- 
tation by  population,  —  the  prominent  feature  of  the  wearisome 
del)ate ;  and  Sidney  Smith  voted  against  his  colleagues  of  the 
government  on  the  same  question.  But  ministers  tided  it 
safely  through  the  prolonged  discussion,  which  terminated  on 
the  5th  of  April,  defeated  the  opposition  on  a  test  vote  by  a 
majority  of  seventeen,  and  the  public  business  was  at  length 
proceecled  with.  On  the  7th  an  address  of  condolence  to  the 
queen,  on  the  death  of  the  prince  consort,  was  agreed  to  in  the 
upper  chamber,  of  which  Sir  Allan  M'Nal>  was  now  the 
speaker,  and  sent  down  to  the  Assembly  for  its  concurrence. 
It  was  at  once  adopted,  and  a  joint  committee  of  both  houses 
presented  it  to  Lord  Monck,  for  transmission  to  her  majesty. 

5.  As  the  session  progressed,  it  became  more  and  more 
evident  that  the  position  of  the  cabinet  was  daily  becoming 
weaker.  Mr.  Patton  had  been  defeated  on  returning  to  his 
constituents  for  reelection,  —  a  circumstance  which   damaged 


til 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


ministers  to  sonio  oxtoiit.      A  loii.tf  term  of  i^ljicc  und  power, 
ill  a  coiistitutioniil   systi-m  oi'  govoruiuout,  of  it.scif  luitiirully 
Avetikons  a  ministry ;  unci  not  a  few  gross  ahnscs,  vhich  had 
ari.«en  in  sonic  of  tlio  piiMic  (loparlnients,  relative  lo  sii[)plies 
of  stationery  and  other  matters,  were  now  used  hy  the  oi)[)osi- 
tion  to  enfeeble  still  more  the  position  of  the  eahinet.      Added 
to  these  causes  of  dissatisfacrtion,  tlu!  eonstant  annual  detieieney 
in  the  revenue  was  aserihed  to  the  tinaneial  policy  of  ministers, 
the  cvy  raised  ai^ainst  Avhoni  reeeived,as  the  session  i)rogressed, 
additional  volume  from  the  iiseal  changes  proposed  by  ]Mr.  Gait, 
and   which  found  its  little  favor  with  the  conservative,  as  they 
did   with  the  reform  press.     On  the  oOtli  of  May,  when  the 
second  reading  of  the  Militia  Bill,  a  government  mciisure,  Avas 
moved,   ministers   were  abandoned   by  several  oi'  their  Lower 
Canadian    sui)porters,   and  defeated  on  a  vote  of  sixty-one  to 
lifty-four.    Their  resignation  sixnulily  followed,  and  the  Assembly 
adjourned,  on  the  23d,  to  ])ermit  of  tlu;  formation  of  a  irmv  ad- 
ministration.   Three  days  afterwards  it  again  asseiiii)led,  to  learn, 
from  Lewis  Wallbridge,  of  Belleville,  that  a  cabinet  had  been 
formed   under  the  leadership  of  John  .Sandtield  Macdonald  and 
1j.   V.   Sicotte.     The    same   gentleman   briefly    announced    the 
policy  of  the  new  administration  to  be,   the  restoration  of  the 
double-majority  ])riiieii)le, 
in  all  matters  locally  afteet- 
ing  either   section   of  the 
province ;      the     readjust- 
ment of  the  representation 
of  Ui)pcr  and  Lower  Can- 
ada 1-  e  s  p  e  c  t  i  V  e  1  }^ ;  an 
amended  militia  law;  and 
a  revision  of  the  taritf,  so 
as    to    produce    increased 
revenue,   and   aftbrd   pro- 
tection  to    manufacturing 
industries ;     an    insolvent 
debtors'  act ;  a  system  of 
retrenchment  in  the  public 
expenditure ;     the     main- 
tenance   of   her   majesty \s 
decision  on  the  seat-of-gov- 
ermncnt  question  ;  and  an 

investiijation  into  certain  alleged  abuses  in  connection  with  the 
construction  of  the  parliamentary  buildings  at  Ottawa.     This 


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WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  873-4503 


27G 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


announcement  of  tlioir  proposed  policy  was  received  with  a 
good  deal  of  ftivor  by  all  classes  of  the  community,  and  the 
leaders  of  the  late  cabinet  now  declared  their  intention  to  give 
ministers  a  fair  trial,  and  tiirow  no  obstacles  in  the  W{?y  of  useful 
legislation.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Upper  Canada  section  of 
the  new  administration  was  fiercely  assailed  by  jNlr.  Brown,  in 
the  "Globe,"  for  not  making  representation  by  population,  Avith- 
out  any  regard  to  a  dividing  line  between  Upper  and  Lower 
Canada,  a  cabinet  question,  and  for  having,  like  their  predeces- 
sors, surrendered  themselves  to  French  domination.  Such  was 
the  condition  of  public  affairs  when  the  session  terminated  on 
the  9th  of  Juno,  after  the  transaction  of  only  a  very  limited 
amount  of  business.  A  short  amendment  to  the  Militia  Act 
had  rendered  it  much  more  efficient,  and  showed  that  the 
country  was  prepared  to  incur  a  larger  amount  of  expenditure 
for  preparation  against  foreign  attack.  The  closing  speech  of 
the  governor-general  Avas  brief,  l)ut  courteous  :  and  he  still  stood 
well  with  both  parties. 

G.  The  defeat  of  the  Macdonald-Cartier  administration  on 
its  Militia  Biil  awoke  a  most  unpleasant  feeling  in  England ;  and 
the  cry  v^as  raised  there  that  the  Canadian  people  were  unwilling 
to  defend  themselves,  and  desired  to  throw  the  burden  on  the 
mother  coimtry  ;  and  Lord  Palmerstou  angrily  declared,  in  the 
Imperial  PiU'liament,  that  the  home  government  had  done  as 
much  to  defend  the  Canadians  as  it  intended  to  do,  and  that  it 
rested  with  themselves  to  do  the  remainder,  or  disgrace  the  race 
from  whence  they  sprung.  At  a  public  dinner  in  Montreal, 
Lord  Monck  reechoed,  in  a  subdued  form,  the  warning  tones  cf 
the  British  premier  ;  told  his  hearers  plainly  that  England  alone 
could  not  protect  them  in  the  event  of  war  with  the  United 
States,  and  that  from  among  themselves  must  arise  the  great 
armies  of  defence  in  the  event  of  an  attack.  But  the  imperial 
premier  and  the  governor-general  erred  alike  in  accepting  the 
circumstances  of  the  downfall  of  an  unpopular  administration  as 
the  act  of  the  people  of  Canada,  and  Avho,  in  every  time  of 
peril,  have  invariably  proved  that  they  are  not  the  degenerate 
ofispring  of  a  gallant  ancestry. 

7.  The  second  week  in  August  witnessed  the  death  of  Sir 
Allan  INl'Nab,  at  his  residence  near  Hamilton,  and  who  had 
survived  his  reform  contemporary,  William  Hamilton  Merritt, 
but  a  brief  space.  And  thus  the  links,  which  bound  the  present 
to  the  past  generation  of  Canada,  were  being  sundered  one  by 
one,   by  the  inexorable  hand  of  time,      lu   September  tho 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


277 


I 


goveniov-<^ciici"iil  paid  his  first  visit  to  Upper  Canada,  to  open  the 
Provincial  Exhibition  at  Toronto,  and  increased  his  prestige,  in 
no  small  degree,  by  bis  frank  bearing  and  popular  manners.  His 
return  to  the  scat  of  government  was  distinguished  l)y  tlio  resig- 
nation of  Mr.  Dorion,  the  provincial  secretary,  on  the  ground 
tiiat  he  could  not  support  the  Intercolonial  Itaihvay  policy  of  his 
colleagues. 

8.  The  imposition  of  a  high  rate  of  duty  by  the  Canadian 
Parliament  had  already  produced  in  the  United  States  a  good 
deal  of  agitation  adverse  to  the  Kcciprocity  Treaty.  The  Legis- 
lature of  tho  State  cf  New  York  had  adopted  a  long  series  of 
resolutions  urfavorable  to  its  renewal,  which  Avere  transmitted 
to  Congress,  and  there  referred  to  the  Connnittee  on  Connnerce  ; 
and,  as  time  progressed,  this  agita  ion  received  additional  force 
from  the  heavy  internal  taxation  catailcd  by  the  war.  Towards 
tiic  close  of  the  3^ear  Canada  began  to  gain  enormously  by  tho 
operations  of  tiiis  treaty.  Tho  progress  of  hostilities  Avas 
already  narrowing  down  the  resources  of  tho  Xorthern  States, 
and  farm  stock  vosc  to  an  unusually  high  value.  As  tho  cheapest 
market,  Canada  was  now  inundated  with  American  si)eculators  ; 
and  horse-dealers,  csiJccially,  spread  themselves  in  every  direc- 
tion over  the  country,  to  secure  remounts  for  the  United  States 
cavalry  and  artillery.  Never  had  the  agricultural  comnumity 
such  a  market  before,  and  they  cagerlj^  availed  themselves  of 
the  opportunity  to  dispose  of  their  surplus  stcK'ks  to  the  best 
advantage.  ,In  this  Avay  a  very  large  amount  of  money  came 
into  their  possession,  and  which  tho  great  majority  of  the  re- 
cipients prudently  used  to  discharge  claims  against  their  proper- 
ties, and  release  themselv(is  otherwise  from  dcl)t.  Tho  frugal 
and  simple  habits  of  a  rough  backAvooc]s  population  had  long 
since  disappeared  in  most  parts  of  the  country,  ox-teams  and 
homespun  clothing  were  no  longer  prized  as  heretofore,  and  i 
fondness  for  dress,  expensive  carriages,  and  luxurious  living 
had  dee])ly  plunged  a  large  portion  of  tho  rural  population  into 
debt.  To  diochargo  obligations  incurred  to  store-keepers 
money  Avas  liorrowed  on  mortgage,  and  many  unfortunate  and 
imprudent  people,  in  this  Avay,  lost  properties  Avhich  it  had  cost 
a  long  period  of  hard  toil  to  create.  But,  ha\nng  acquired 
AA'isdom  by  the  most  bitter  experience,  farmers  ucjav  eagerly 
availed  themselves  of  this  season  of  great  prosperity  to  dis- 
charge every  claim  againiit  them,  and  to  bring  their  transactions 
much  nearer  to  a  general  cash  basis  than  Avas  possible  Avitli  them 
at  any  former  pedod.    The  prosperous  years  Avhich  now  followed 


i-l  i 


■ 


lil, 


278 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


wore  distiiigiiislicd  by  an  unusually  small  amount  of  litigation, 
and  in  every  direction  lawyers  of  even  superior  abilities  could 
hardly  make  a  living  ])y  their  profession  ;  Avhilc  money-lenders 
no  longer  reaped  the  abundant  harvest  they  had  hitherto 
enjoyed.  This  gratifying  condition  of  aliairs  tended  also  to  a 
diminution  of  crime,  but  the  volume  of  Avhich  had  always  been 
very  limited  in  this  country.  The  war  had  already  absorbed 
the  more  unquiet  spirits  of  the  population,  and  the  amplo 
employment  and  high  wages  which  prevailed  led,  in  addition, 
to  light  calendars  in  the  courts  of  justice. 

9.  Parliament  assembled  at  Quebec  on  the  13th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 18(Jo,  and  the  legislative  council,  having  elected 
Alexander  Campbell  as  their  speaker,  in  the  room  of  the  late 
Sir  Allen  M'Nab,  the  governor-general  delivered  his  speech. 
Ho  congratulated  the  chambers  on  the  loyal  spirit  evinced 
throughout  the  country  lu  the  enrolment  of  numerous  volunteer 
companies,  and  the  formation  of  drill  asso,jiations,  and  sub- 
mitted a  ])r()gramme  for  legislation,  based  on  the  previously 
announced  policy  of  the  cabinet,  lie  added  that  commissioners 
had  been  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  every  branch  of 
the  public  service,  Avith  a  view  of  retrenchment  and  economy  ; 
and  gratefully  alluded  to  the  spontaneous  contnl)uti()ns  Avhich 
had  tiown  so  freely  from  the  province  to  relie/e  the  distress  in 
the  manufacturing  districts  of  Great  Britain,  caused  by  the 
great  advance  in  the  A^aluc  of  raw  cotton,  and  by  the  other  dis- 
turbances to  the  usual  currents  of  trade  resulting  from  the 
American  civil  war. 

10.  But  the  policy  of  the  ministry,  as  avowed  in  his  excel- 
lency's speech,  was  by  no  means  satisfactory  to  all  the  reform 
members  of  the  house,  and  Matthew  Crooks  Cameron  moved 
an  amendment  to  the  address,  asserting  the  princi[)le  of  repre- 
sentation l»y  i)()pulation  ;  while,  from  the  conservative  benches, 
John  llillyard  Cameron  gave  notice  of  a  motion  which, 
without  disturbing  the  existing  nunil)er  of  members,  would 
increase  the  representation  of  Upper  Canada.  The  groat  bulk 
of  the  western  reformers,  and  some  conservatives,  declared  for 
the  amendment ;  but  the  French  Canadians  to  a  man  voted  with 
the  ministry,  as  well  as  John  A.  Macdonald,  and  it  was  lost  on  a 
vote  of  sixty -four  to  forty-two;  while  John  llillyard  Cameron's 
motion  fared  still  av  )rse,  and  Avas  negatived  by  a  division  of 
eighty-ono  to  thirty-three.  Ministers  were  safe  for  the  time 
being,  but  now  stood  on  dangerous  ground,  arid  might,  at  any 
adverse  moment,  be  defeated.     It  was  quite  evident  that  pablic 


IT 


liLk 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


279 


L-C- 

jll, 
lid 

Ik 
or 
th 
la 
■ifs 


opinion  in  Upper  Canada  was  already  far  in  advance  of  the 
d()ul)le-uiajority  expedient,  and  a  large  section  of  the  reform 
pr<^ss  londly  demanded  the  representative  position  Aviiich  its 
greatly  increased  popula- 
tion and  Avealth  entitled 
that  province  to  fill.  The 
lapse  of  time  and  the  prog- 
ress of  the  country  had 
tiius  created  a  political  dif- 
ficulty of  constantly  in- 
creasing magnitude,  and 
which  a  new  constitution- 
al revolutI:)n  could  alone 
remedy.  Nor  did  Mr. 
Brown  long  remain  with- 
out an  opportunity  to  again 
advocate  his  views  on  this 
point  in  the  Assembly. 
The  elevation  of  Dr.  Con- 
nor, a  member  of  the  cab- 
inet, to  a  judgeship  in  the 
Court  of  Queen's  !^^2nch, 
created  a  vacancy  in  the  representation  of  the  South  Riding  of 
Oxford,  and  for  which,  early  in  jMarcli,  Mr.  Brown  was  re- 
turned;  but,  for  some  unex[)lained  cause,  a  month  elapsed 
before  he  took  his  seat  in  the  house.  Most  probably  lie  felt 
disinclined  to  embarrass  ministers  by  prcssij'g  his  peculiar 
viewo   on  their  notice  at  this  juncture. 

11.  The  intelligence  of  the  approaching  marriage  of  the 
Prince  of  AValcs  to  the  beautiful  daughter  of  the  King  of  Den- 
mark, softened,  for  a  brief  space,  the  asperities  of  party  ;  and 
the  lOtli  of  March,  announced  as  the  wedding-day,  witnessed 
the  adjournment  of  the  legislative  council  as  a  mark  of  respect 
fur  his  royal  highness.  But  this  auspicious  event  produced 
only  a  temporary  suspension  of  the  political  storm  in  the 
Assembly.  Scott's  separate  school  bill  which  conceded  some 
privileges  to  the  Roman  Catholics,  awoke  anew  the  hostilities 
of  the  western  reformers,  thirty  of  whom  now  voted  against 
it,  —  a  circumstance  which  increased  ';till  more  the  dislike  of 
the  Lower  Canadians  to  cooperate  with  them.  Nor  was  the 
statement  of  the  financial  minister,  JNIr.  IIoAvland,  calculated 
to  raise  the  confidence  of  the  house  in  the  administration. 
Despite  the  large  increase  of  revenue  taxation  in  the  preceding 


!  il.J 


1  * 


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,'li 


'T^i-f' 


•11*1 


280 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


session,  the  defieit  in  the  public  cxehenuer  "vvas  Htill  quite 
serious,  and  showed  that,  on  this  most  important  point,  ministers 
had  proved  unequal  to  the  redem])tion  of  their  promises.  Mr. 
John  A.  jNlacdonald  now  saw,  Avith  ids  aceustonn;d  shrewdness, 
that  the  correct  time  had  come  for  adverse  action,  and,  on  tho 
1st  of  May,  moved  a  direct  vote  of  Avant  of  contidence  ?n  the 
administration.  A  vigorous  debate  ensued  which  lasted  for  four 
days,  and  when  a  division  took  place  the  government  Avas  de- 
feated by  a  majority  of  five,  tho  vote  standing  sixt3'-four 
for  the  motion,  and  f.fty-nine  against  it.  Ministers  had 
now  either  to  resign  or  appeal  to  the  country.  They  chose  the 
latter  course,  and  on  the  1:2th  of  May  tho  governor-general,  in  a 
l)rief  speech,  prorogued  Parliament,  with  a  view,  as  he  said,  to 
its  immediate  dissolution. 

12.  Aside  from  the  excitement  caused  by  a  general  election 
midsummer  produced  no  domestic  events  of  importance.  In 
the  United  States  the  army  conscription,  now  being  relentlessly 
enforced,  caused  the  greatest  alarm  among  their  ])cople,  many 
of  whom  fled  ^cros  the  borders  into  Canada;  Avhilo  in  the  city 
of  New  York  the  dissatisfaction  broke  out  into  furious  riots, 
which  produced  robl)eries,  burnings,  and  much  bloodshed,  and 
were  only  suppressed  Avith  the  utmost  difficulty.  The  refugees 
from  the  conscription  did  not  prove  themselves  by  any 
means  a  desirable  addition  to  our  population.  Some  of  them 
engaged  in  the  illegal  occupation  of  procuring  Canadians  to 
SAvell  tho  ranks  of  the  A'cry  army  they  had  themselves  declined 
to  join ;  Avhile  others  had  recourse  to  still  more  questionable 
methods  to  acquire  a  living.  But  while  the  progress  of  tho  Avar 
added  to  the  intensity  of  the  cotton  famine  in  tho  mother  country, 
and  produced  the  greatest  suffering  among  its  patient  opera- 
tiA'es,  it  deepened  tho  current  of  Canadian  prosperity',  and  con- 
tinned  to  create  a  large  market  for  our  surplus  produce. 

1.3.  The  new  Parliament  assembled  on  the  13th  of  August. 
Ulric  J.  Tcssier  AA'as  chosen  speaker  of  the  legislative  council, 
and  LeAvis  Wallbridge,  government  candidate,  speaker  of 
the  Assembly,  on  a  vote  of  sixty-six  to  fifty-eight.  The 
governor-generars  speech  Avas  cxceedmgly  non-committal, 
and  did  not  develop  any  ncAV  ideas  of  public  policy.  When 
the  address  came  up  for  discussion,  ministers  Avero  hotly 
assailed  on  tho  score  of  tho  recent  changes  in  the  cabinet. 
Ill  the  course  of  the  debate  the  premier  stated  that  the 
policy  of  the  reconstructed  cal)inet  Avas  not  the  same  as  that  of 
its  immediate  predecessor.     The  double-majority  principle  Avas 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


281 


not  now  to  be  insisted  on,  anil  rcproscntation  by  population 
should  be  left  an  open  question.  His  former  colleague,  Mr. 
Sieotte,  bitterly  assailed  him  for  having  thus  shifting  his  ground, 
and  charged  him  with  untair  dealing  towards  himself  in  the 
formation  of  his  present  cabinet ;  while  the  explanations  t)f  jVlr. 
Foli-y  and  Mr.  M'Gee,  as  to  the  causes  of  their  compelled 
resignations,  were  also  very  hostile.  For  full  fourteen  daj's 
did  the  debate  on  the  address  drag  its  tedious  length  along ; 
and  on  the  28th,  when  the  final  division  was  taken,  sixty-three 
voted  for  ministers  and  sixty  against  it.  Foley,  Sicotte,  and 
M'Gee,  all  late  colleagues  of  the  premier,  voted  with  the 
opposition ;  and  it  was  now  evident  that  the  position  of  the 
cabinet  was  an  excessively  weak  one.  A  discussion  Avhich 
ensued,  on  Iho  expediency  of  having  another  removal  of  the 
peat  of  government  to  Toronto,  in  the  interval  of  the  comple- 
tion of  the  public  buildings  at  Ottawa,  still  farther  damaged 
ministers  (Avho  opposed  the  change  very  properly)  with  western 
members.  Nor  was  the  amiual  budget  submitted  by  Mr. 
Ilowland,  now  finance  minister,  very  reassuring.  He  stated 
that  the  total  expenditure  for  the  3'ear  would  bo  fifteen  million 
one  hundred  and  nineteen  thousand  two  hundred  dollarc,  in- 
cludiufj  four  million  two  hundred  and  ninetv-four  thousand  dollars 
for  the  redemption  ot  the  seignorial  tenure  bonds,  and  leaving 
ten  million  nine  hundred  and  eleven  thousand  and  ninety  dollars 
as  the  ordinary  outlay.  The  gross  debt  of  Canada,  funded  uiiJ 
floating,  was  estimated  by  the  minister  at  seventy  million 
dollars,  and  the  annual  interest,  which  the  country  had  to  pay, 
at  five  million  five  hundred  and  sixty-three  thousand  two 
hundred  and  sixty-three  dollars.  The  total  deficit  in  the 
revenue  since  1857  amounted  to  twelve  million  dollars,  and  he 
stated  that  some  means  nuist  now  be  devised  to  produce  an 
additional  sum  of  iwo  million  dollars  annually,  in  order  ro 
make  the  public  income  equal  to  the  expenditure.  The  finan- 
cial ditliculties  thus  developed  were  not  a  little  increased  by 
the  eagerness  of  the  public  men  and  press  of  England  to  have 
Canada  place  itself  in  a  still  \y  tter  position  for  defence. 

14.  But,  small  as  the  government  majority  was,  it  hell 
solidly  together,  and  carried  it  safely  through  the  session, 
Avhich  terminated  on  the  15th  of  October.  To  accomplish  this 
object,  however,  ministers  had  to  trim  their  course  with  the 
greatest  care,  and  introduce  no  important  measures  which 
might  provoke  defeat.  AVith  a  war-cloud  lining  the  horizon, 
which   might  at   an}  time  break  with   disastrous   force,   the 


282 


IIISTOIIY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


I. 


Southern  Coniedcracy  giving  cvitlonco  of  exhaustion,  Mhich 
must  ero  long  leave  the  victors  at  leisure  to  turn  their  arms  in 
this  direction,  and  Congress  authorizing  the  President  of  the 
United  States  to  give  the  necessary  notice  to  terminate  the 
Reciprocity  Treaty,  never  was  a  strong  government  more  re- 
quired in  Canada  than  at  this  juncture.  The  constitution  was 
now  fairly  on  its  trial,  a  crisis  was  approaching  in  the  ali'airs 
of  this  countiy,  and  how  the  dithculties  of  the  situation  were 
to  be  met  and  overcome  became  a  matter  of  no  small  anxiety 
with  many  thinking  people. 

15.  The  Legislature  assembled  at  Quebec  on  the  19th  of 
February,  IHG-l.  The  governor-general's  speech  informed  the 
public  that  ho  had  taken  steps  for  the  better  organization  of 
the  militia  force  and  volunteers,  under  the  act  of  the  preceding 
session ;  that  the  period  was  approaching  when  notice  might 
be  given  to  terminate  the  lleciprocity  Treaty,  by  cither  party 
thereto  ;  and  that  ho  had  devoted  His  best  attention  to  the  great 
interests  involved.  He  farther  stated  that  the  Ottawa  build- 
ings had  been  prosecuted  Avith  nmch  diligence  during  the  pre- 
ceding summer,  and  a  fresh  contract  entered  into  for  ocean 
steamship  mail  service.  The  debate  on  the  address  weakened 
the  confidence  in  the  ministry  of  several  of  its  supporters. 
The  opposition,  however,  did  not  think  it  advisable  to  move 
any  amendment,  and  waited  for  a  more  favorable  opportunity 
to  assail  the  cabinet.  A  motion  made  by  Mr.  Brown  on  the 
14th,  having  reference  to  representation  by  population,  still 
more  embarrassed  ministers.  Mr.  S.  Macdonald  now  vainly 
essayed  to  strengthen  his  cabinet,  and  with  that  view  made 
overtures  to  leaders  of  the  Lower  Canada  opposition.  But 
these  being  rejected,  and  INIr.  Brown  having  openly  stated  in 
the  house  that,  circumstanced  as  ministers  were,  they  had 
better  resign,  they  succumbed  to  the  force  of  adverse  circum- 
stances, and  surrendered  their  portfolios  into  the  hands  of  the 
governor-general.  Mr.  Blair,  a  member  of  the  upper  house, 
and  provincial  secretary  in  the  late  administration,  was  now 
sent  for  by  his  excellency  to  form  a  new  government ;  but  this 
gentleman  failing  to  succeed.  Sir  E.  P.  Taclio,  a  Lower  Cana- 
dian conservative,  was  next  requested  to  undertake  the  ditficult 
task.  He  at  first  declined  the  .proffered  honor,  but  finally,  at 
the  solicitations  of  Mr.  Cartier  and  other  friends,  consented  to 
form  a  new  administration.  He  succeeded,  and  when  the  house 
assembled  on  the  30th  of  March,  Mr.  Cauchon  informed  it 
that  a  cabinet  had  been  completed,  with  Sir  E.  P.  Tach«^,  as 


to 
se 
it 
as 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


283 


rcccivcr-gencrjil  and  minister  of  militia,  at  its  licatl.  Its  pro- 
posed policy  was  announced  to  bo  the  placing  of  the  militiji 
force  oil  the  best  possible  footing,  without  increasing  the  ex- 
isting expense,  the  niain- 
tenanco  of  the  Reciprocity 
Treaty,  a  commercial  union 
with  tlu^  lower  or  soal)oard 
provinces,  the  readjust- 
ment of  the  canal  tolls  so 
as  to  secure  western  trade, 
the  permanent  establish- 
ment of  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment at  Ottawa,  de- 
partmental and  liscal  re- 
form, and  the  question  of 
representation  to  remain 
an  open  one.  The  house 
adjourned  until  the  3d  of 
May,  to  enable  the  mem- 
bers of  the  new  cabinet  to 
complete  their  arrange- 
ments, and  to  go  to  their 

constituents  for  reelection.  They  were  all  again  returned,  Avith 
the  exception  of  jNIr.  Foley,  who  was  beaten  in  the  North 
Hiding  of  Waterloo  by  a  J^dr.  Bowman. 

IG.  But  ministers,  on  resiiuiing  their  seats,  soon  found  that  the 
house  was  not  disi)Osed  to  treat  either  them  or  their  policy  with 
much  forbearance.  The  factious  spirit  of  the  Asseml)ly  Avas 
now  thoroughly  aroused,  and,  wholly  forgetful  of  the  great 
public  interests  at  stake,  it  appeared  to  be  the  sole  aim  of  each 
of  the  rival  parties  to  defeat  their  opponents,  and  secure  them- 
selves in  power.  Accordingly,  on  the  13th  of  May,  a  motion 
of  non-contidcnce  in  ministers,  in  consequence  of  their  having 
advised  the  isb^uing  of  an  order  in  council  reducing  the  canal 
tolls,  was  moved  by  the  opposition.  The  vote  stood  sixty-four  to 
sixty-two,  the  narrow  majority  of  two  being  on  the  side  of 
ministers.  On  the  14th  of  June  a  fresh  adverse  motion,  based 
on  a  ffovernmcnt  loan  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  to 
Montreal,  in  18.59,  was  made,  and,  Messrs.  Ilankin  and  Dunkin 
now  deserting  the  cabinet,  it  was  defeated  by  a  majority  of  two, 
the  vote  standing  sixty  to  fifty-eight. 

17.  Faction  had  now  literally  exhausted  itself,  the  public 
affairs  of  the  country  were  completely  at  a  stand-still,  and  for 


it 


w-m 

Kb  k 


284 


IIISTOUV  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


a  moment  it  seemed  as  if  coiiHtitutional  govenmicnt  luul  liimlly 
ended  in  ii  total  fiiiluro.  Kcpeiited  changes  of  cahinets  liud 
been  tried,  dissolutions  of  Parliament  had  been  resorted  to, 
every  eonstitutional  specific  had  been  tested  :  but  all  alike  had 
failetl  to  unravel  the  Gordian  knot  which  i)arty  spirit  had  tied 
so  firmly  round  the  destinies  of  this  province,  and  tlu^  pul)lic 
stood  aghast  at  this  state  of  things,  Avhile  the  lovers  of  JJritish 
constitutional  government  regarded  the  cXtraoidinary  situation 
with  unlimited  dismay.  Lord  Sydenham's  Act  of  Union  had 
already  fulfilled  its  mission,  and  from  the  progress  of  the 
country  had  arisen  a  condition  of  affairs  which  imperatively 
pointed  to  u  fresh  constitutional  revolution  as  the  only  solution 
of  the  diflicuities  that  surrounded  it.  Xor  could  the  double- 
majority  principle  bo  now  resorted  to  as  even  a  temporary 
specific ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Lower  Canadians  would 
never  agree,  under  existing  circumstances,  to  concede  a  repre- 
sentative preponderance  to  the  sister  province.  The  leading 
minds  of  the  country  naturally  applied  themselves,  at  this 
juncture,  to  discover  some  mode  of  escape  from  the  dangerous 
difficulties  of  the  public  situation.  One  course,  and  one  course 
Oiiiy,  promised  relief;  and  that  was  the  adoption  of  the  "joint- 
authority"  scheme  of  j\Ir.  IJrown,  so  frequently  voted  down  in 
Parliament,  so  long  opposed,  and  so  mercilessly  ridiculed  by 
friend  and  foe  alike.  The  night  had  passed  away,  and  the 
morning  dawn  of  success  at  length  lit  np  an  agitation  based 
upon  correct  political  principles,  and  which  atone  time  seemed 
as  if  it  never  could  be  successful,  and  only  Avorthy  of  being 
classed  as  the  idle  dream  of  an  impracticable  theorist. 

18.  Fortunately  for  the  country  ministers  now  proved  them- 
selves equal  to  the  grave  occasion  which  had  arisen.  Xo  time 
was  lost  in  comnnuiicating  with  Mr.  Brown,  who  had  already 
expressed  himself  in  favor  of  a  settlement,  by  compromises,  of 
the  constitutional  difficulty  which  existed,  with  a  view  to  some 
arrangement  and  mutual  understanding,  which  would  permit 
the  business  of  the  country  to  bo  carried  on.  That  gentleman 
had  now  his  revenge  in  the  most  ample  manner.  Mr.  John  A. 
Macdonald,  the  man  who  had  snatched  the  falling  scejitrc  of 
Francis  Ilincks  from  his  hand  ten  years  before ;  who  had  so 
constantly  traversed  all  his  plahs  and  neutralized  his  policy ; 
who  had  been  his  perpetual  opponent  at  every  point,  and  the 
shafts  of  AvhosG  keen  Avit  had  so  frequently  transfixed  his 
"joint-authority  "  idea,  —  that  man  Avas  no av  prepared  to  adopt 
the  vioAvs  he  bad  so  often  covered  Avith  sarcasm,  and  to  aid  in 


ENGLAND,    AND   TUP]    UNITKD    STATES. 


285 


ciirrying  llicm  into  pnicticiil  oiroct.  Aiul  j\[r.  lirown's  iHabrm 
iVionds,  so  restive;  iiiulcr  liis  l(^ii(l('rs'iii[)  (liitluu'to  oiio  of  nijita- 
tioii),  iiii<l  wliicli  liiid  lunnn*  led  tliciu  into  powcu",  or  scHUUvd  to 
tli(MU  tlio  (Muolumonls  of  pliice,  so  intensely  siglicd  for  by  tlio 
(Jjuiiidiau  professional  politician,  who  had  so  recently  tried  to 
stand  Avithoiit  him,  and  failed,  — these  friends  must  now  bend 
to  him  MS  the  true  master  of  the  situation,  afica'  all,  and  virtu- 
ally a(hnit  his  policy  to  have  been  all  along  that  which  the 
country  really  required. 

11).  The  negotiations  which  now  ensued  between  the  rival 
political  leaders  speedily  resulted  in  a  satisfactory  under- 
standing, based  upon  a  project  of  confederaticm  of  ali  the 
British  Xorth  American  provinces,  on  the  federal  principle, 
and  leaving  to  each  province  the  settlenuviit,  by  local  legislation, 
of  its  own  municipal  and  peculiar  all'airs.  In  order  to  ensure 
the  satisfactory  arrangement  of  all  the  details  of  the  project 
Mr.  JJrown  was  to  have  three  seats  in  the  cabinet  placed  at  his 
disposal.  He  aecordingly  became  i)resident  of  the  council, 
William  McDougall,  provincial  secretary,  and  Oliver  Mowatt, 
postmaster-general.  Thus  a  strong  coalition  government  was 
formed  to  carry  out  the  newly  accepted  policy  of  confederation, 
and,  although  extreme  par- 


ties, here  and  there,  grum- 
l)led  at  these  arrange- 
ments, the  great  body  of 
the  people,  of  all  shades 
of  opinit)n,  were  thankful 
that  the  dangerous  crisis 
had  been  safely  passed, 
gladly  accepted  the  situ- 
ation, and  calmly  and  con- 
fidently awaited  the  prog- 
ress of  coming  events. 
Never  before  had  a  coali- 
tion been  more  opportune. 
It  rendered  the  govern- 
ment of  the  country  again 
respectable,  elevated  it 
above  the  accidents  of  fac- 
tion,and  enabled  it  to  Avicld 

the  administrative  powerwiththat  firmness  and  decision  so  requi- 
site during  the  trying  and  critical  period  which  speedily  ensued. 
It  would  indeed  seem  as  if  a  special  Providence  was  controlling 


I 
I  I 


II' 


286 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


nuittors  for  its  own  wiso  purposes,  antl  cvokln*:;  results  from 
the  ambitions  and  passions  of  partisan  leaders  direetly  tending 
to  elevate  this  country  to  u  position  of  greater  einineueo  and 
to  increased  usefulness  among  the  nations.  The  curtain  fell  on 
the  parliamentary  drama  on  the  ;K)th  of  June.  IJut  faction, 
even  yet,  was  not  wholly  extinct,  and  soon  found  a  i)rominent 
exponent  in  Matthew  Crooks  Cameron,  ^vho  now  contested 
North  Ontario  with  Secretary  McDougall,  and  beat  him  by  ono 
hundred  votes.  The  latter  was  not,  however,  left  without  a 
seat  in  the  Legislature.  IIo  was  subsequently  returned  by  the 
thoughtful  Scotch  settlers  of  North  Lanark,  who  gavo  him  a 
large  majority  over  a  Mr.  Kosamond,  and  whose  father,  an  Irish 
conservative  of  the  straitest  school,  showed  his  appreciation 
of  the  coalition,  by  voting  for  the  secretary,  and  against  his 
own  son. 

20.  Very  speedily  did  the  progress  of  events  develop  the 
necessity  of  a  strong  government.  Hitherto  the  long  frontier 
of  Canada  had  been  wrap})ed  in  the  most  ])rofound  quiet ;  and 
while  this  country  aflbrded  a  ready  and  snfe  asylum  to  Southern 
refugees,  no  obstacles  Avere  thrown  in  the  way  of  the  North  in 
the  purchase  of  remounts  for  its  cavalry  and  of  other  supplies. 
Noi,  unless  in  very  glaring  cases,  which  could  not  possibly  bo 
ov  rlooked,  were  any  active  steps  taiieu  to  prevent  recruits  for 
its  armies  from  passing  out  of  Canada  in  no  inconsiderable 
numbers.  But  this  condition  of  afliairs  was  now  about  to  bo 
very  materially  altered.  Sorely  pressed  in  all  their  coasts, 
without  the  remotest  prospect  of  ICuropean  intervention  in  their 
behalf,  the  Confederate  authorities  essayed,  in  the  month  of 
September,  to  efiect  a  diversion  in  their  favor  from  the  Cana- 
dian frontier  ;  to  menace  the  defenceless  borders  of  the  Northern 
States,  and  thus,  if  possible,  to  cause  a  war  between  them  and 
Great  Britain.  In  pursuance  of  this  policy,  two  American 
steamboats,  the  "Pliilo  Parsons"  and  "Island  Queen,"  were 
seized  on  Lake  Eric  by  confederate  desperadoes,  some  of  whom 
had  l)een  refugees  in  this  country,  with  the  immediate  design 
of  releasing  a  number  of  Southern  loriscners,  contined  on  John- 
son's Island,  and  of  destro3'ing  the  lake  shipping.  But  beyond 
the  seizure  of  thcsu  steamboats,  their  partial  plunder,  and  the 
great  alarm  occasioned  for  the  moment,  no  other  injury  was  in- 
flicted. Scarcely,  however,  had  the  excitement  which  these 
acts  produced  died  away  when,  on  the  19th  of  October,  a  body 
of  twenty-three  Southern  refugees  made  a  raid  on  the  little 
Vermont  town  of  St.  Albans,  close  to  the  Canadian  frontier 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


287 


slu)t  ail  Anioriciin  citizen  thorc  ;  robliod  its  baiik.s  of  two  Imnclrcd 
niid  Ihirly-throo  thousand  dollars  in  current  funds,  and  ilicii 
liastily  retreated  across  the  border.  The  CiUiadian  anthoiities 
promptly  arrested  fourteen  of  these  marauders,  Avho  wore 
connnittcd  for  safe-kcopin«r  to  the  Afontreal  jail.  Ncverlhidess, 
our  relations  with  the  United  States  were  now  much  dislurhed, 
and  it  l)ccamc  necessary  to  incur  a  lar<:^e  outlay,  in  policin<jf  the 
frontier  with  thirty  volunteer  companies,  to  prevent  tho  re- 
currence of  future  raids  of  a  similar  character.  It  was  also 
deemed  expedient  to  pass  a  strinj^ent  act  for  the  iirevcntion  of 
outrtiges  on  the  borders,  and  to  enable  the  governor-general  to 
order  disorderly  aliens  to  leave  the  province,  or,  in  case  of 
their  refusal  to  do  so,  to  commit  them  to  prison  during 
pleasure. 

21 .     These  unpleasant  circumstances,  and  others  of  a  kindred 
character,  caused  the  Canadian  people  to  long  earnestly  for  the 
conclusion  of  the  war.     But  the  reelection  of  Lincoln  to  the 
prcsi<lency  in  November  plainly  established  that  the  Northern 
people  had  determined  to  prolong  the  struggle  until  the  total 
subjugation  of  the  South  ensued.     A  great  change  had  taken 
place  in  the  sentiments  of  the  Northern  States  during  the  prog- 
ress of  the  war.     At  lirst  the  preservtion  of  the  Union,  with- 
out any  reference  to  slavery,  was  the  sole  object  aimed  at. 
But,  rendered  desperate  by  repeated  defeat  and  disaster,  and 
coming  to  regard  slavery  as  the  true  cause  of  all  their  difKculties, 
its  total  extinction  was  finally  aimed  at ;  and  to  this  task,  by  the 
reelection  of  Lincoln,  did  the  Northern  people  apply  themselves. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  South  was  equally  resolute  in  the  pres- 
ervation of  slavery,  and  of  founding  an  empire  'laving  that 
institution  for  its  basis.     So  the  struggle  must  bo  prolonged 
until  the  total  defeat  of  one  or  the  other  of  the  belligerents,  and 
it  only  remained  for  Canadians  to  fold  their  arms  and  look 
patiently  on.     Meanwhile,  the  bitter  feelings  provoked  by  the 
Lake  iM'ie  outrage  and  the  St.  Albans  raid,  as  Avell  as  by  the 
expression  of  sympathy  for  the  South  on  the  pait  of  many  of 
the  Canadian  journals,  reacted  most  unfavorably  on  this  country, 
and  materially  tended,  in  conjunction  with  other  adverse  causes, 
to  the   speedy  abrogation   of  the   Reciprocity  Treaty.     The 
hurried  and  indecent  discharge  of  the  St.  Albans  raiders  by 
Judge  Coursol,  of  Montreal,  in  December,  and  the  illegal  sur- 
render to  them  of  ninety  thousand  dollars  of  the  stolen  money 
(which  the  government  had  subsequently  to  repay),  by  the 
police-chief  of  that  city,  still  further  complicated  matters,  and 


288 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


intensified  the   unpleasant  relations   now  subsisting  with  the 
United  States. 

22.  While  these  events  -vvere  transpiring  in  this  country,  the 
project  of  a  cojit'oderation  of  the  North  American  provinces  had 
attracted  the  attention  of  many  of  the  leading  minds  of  England, 
and  was  very  generally  regarded  as  the  true  mode  of  escape 
from  the  difficulties  Aviiich  now  enveloped  Canada,  both  as  re- 
garded the  question  of  defence,  looming  up  at  this  juncture  into 
great  importance,  and  the  legislative  siiuation.  The  idea  of  a 
union  between  themselves  had  ah'eady  been  agitated  in  the 
maritime  provinces,  and  a  meeting  held  during  the  summer,  to 
arrange  the  preliminaries,  was  informally  attended  hy  a  portion 
of  the  Canadian  cabinet.  At  their  suggestion  an  enlarged  proj- 
ect of  confederation  was  readily  entertained,  and  which,  under 
the  pressure  of  circumstances,  speedily  assumed  a  tangible 
shape.  The  governor-general  opened  the  preliminary  negotia- 
tions with  the  several  lieutenant-go^'ernors,  and,  on  the  4th  of 
October,  thirtj'-threo  representatives,  of  all  shades  of  politics, 
from  the  various  British  North  American  provinces,  assembled 
in  council  at  Quebec,  to  arrange  the  terms  of  the  proposed 
union.  They  proceeded  to  business  methodically  and  cautiously, 
the  representatives  of  each  province  having  a  close  eye  to  its 
local  benefits,  and  seeking  to  place  its  peculiar  advantages  in 
the  best  possible  light. 

23.  'Airliament  met  at  Quebec  on  the  19th  of  January, 
18G5.  The  governor-general's  speech  congratulated  the  cham- 
bers on  the  "  general  contentment  and  prosperity  of  the  peo- 
ple Oi  the  province,  and  the  continuance  of  the  inestimable 
blessing  of  peace."  lie  alluded  also  to  the  outrages  on  the 
American  frontier,  the  perpetrators  of  which  had  sought  refuge 
in  Canada,  rendering  a  detective  police  system  necessary ;  to 
the  calling  out  a  portion  of  the  volunteer  force  and  its  prompt 
response ;  and  asked  for  larger  jiowers  to  deal  with  persons 
Avho  violated  the  right  of  asylum  in  this  country.  The  progress 
of  confederation  was  briefly  yet  pointedly  limned  out,  and  the 
Legislature  informed  that  her  majesty's  Secretary  of  ttate  was 
])repared  to  introduce  a  measiu'e  into  the  Imperial  Parliament, 
to  give  eifect  to  the  acts  of  union  which  might  be  passed  by  the 
diti'erent  local  Legisiucur^^s.  It  remained  with  the  public  men 
of  British  North  America  to  say  whether  the  vast  tract  of 
country  "which  they  inhabited  should  be  consolidated  into  a 
State,  combining  within  its  area  all  the  elements  of  national 
greatness,  providing  ioL-  the  security  of  its  component  parts, 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


280 


and  contributing  to  the  strength  and  stal)ility  of  the  empire  ;  or 
wliethcr  the  several  provinces  of  which  it  wns  constituted 
should  remain  in  their  present  fragmentary  and  isolated  condi- 
tion, comparatively  powerless  for  niut  lal  aid,  and  incapable  of 
undertaking  their  proper  share  of  imperial  responsibility.  His 
excellency  closed  his  speech  by  fervently  praying,  that  in  the 
discussion  of  an  issue  of  such  moment  their  minds  might  be 
guided  to  such  conclusions  as  would  redound  to  the  honor  of 
their  sovereign,  the  welfare  of  her  subjects,  and  their  own  repu- 
tation as  patriots  and  statesmen. 

24.  On  the  23d  the  Assembly  proceeded  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  address  and  reply,  when  two  Lower  Canadians, 
Dorion,  of  Hochelaga,  and  LatVamboise,  moved,  in  amendment 
thereto,  that  the  house  did  not  desire  to  disturb  existing  politi- 
cal relations,  nor  to  create  a  new  nationality.  Only  four  Upper 
Canadians  supported  this  amcndmiMit,  and  the  number  in  favor 
of  which  was  twenty-live  in  all,  while  sixty-four  voted  against 
it.  On  the  12th  paragraph  of  the  address,  asserting  the  feasi- 
bility and  desirability  of  union,  being  put  to  vote,  there  .vcre 
seventy  yeas  and  only  seventoon  nays,  not  one  member  of 
British  origin  being  among  the  latter.  Another  division  fol- 
lowed  with  like  result ;  and  the  same  day  the  address  was  fully 
conctirred  in.  What  a  profound  relief  was  this  from  the  weari- 
some partisan  debates,  which  had  of  late  years  characterized 
the  moving  of  addresses  !  So  far  as  Canada  was  concerned 
confederation  was  now  an  accomplished  fact ;  and  the  subsequent 
long  debates  on  this  question,  which  distinguished  this  session, 
were  mere  matters  of  form,  and  designed  to  give  members  an 
opportunity  of  expressing  their  individual  opinions  relative 
thereto,  to  be  recorded  in  a  "blue  book"  of  one  thousand  and 
thirty-tAro  octavo  pages,  of  little  value  to  the  historian,  aud  no 
small  expense  to  the  country.  The  question  was  finally  disposed 
of  b}'^  a  motion  asking  an  imperial  measure  of  confederation, 
which  the  house  endorsed  by  a  vote  of  ninety-one  to  thirty- 
three.  On  the  18th  of  March,  the  necessary  l)usiness  havin£r 
all  been  completed,  Parliament  was  prorogued,  and  ministers 
hastened  to  put  themselves  into  communication  with  the  home 
government,  by  a  deputation,  on  the  matter  of  confederation. 

25.  While  a  revolution,  rendered  necessary  by  the  course 
of  events  and  national  progress,  was  thus  being  poagefiiUy 
accomplished  in  Canada,  in  accordance  with  the  expansive 
character  of  the  unwritten  British  constitution,  the  dark  drama 
of  blood  destined  to  reconstruct  the  ivritten  constitution  of  the 


tS  'm 


290 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


United  Stalos,  "with  slavery  forever  blotted  out  from  their 
eseiiteheoii,  was  rapidly  dra\vin<|j  to  a  close,  liet'oro  l*etorsl>urg 
tho  silent  and  inilexihio  CJrant  still  patiently  marshalled  his 
le<j^ions,  Availing  for  tlu^  lon<2^-l()ok«Mj-for  opiMJrtnnily  to  crush  the 
<jallant  army  of  Ijcc,  and  whose  distant  rear  was  already 
threatened  by  tlu!  victorious  forces  of  Sherman,  swecpin<^  down 
in  II  desolatinijj  current,  forty  miles  in  width,  throui^h  the  very 
heart  of  the  South.  In  the  last  days  of  March  the  western 
army  of  invasion  was  not  two  hundred  miles  from  Kichmond, 
and  the,  dark  shadow  of  linal  defeat  was  already  settling  down 
on  tho  slave  empire  of  tho  CV)nfederate  States. 

2().  This  year  brought  with  it  sad  misfortune  for  the  ancient 
city  of  (Quebec.  Its  narrow  streets  and  freipiently  recurring 
■wooden  buildings  had  repeatedly  made  it  tho  scene  of  terrible 
fires,  and  on  the  2.')(l<)f  ,Iuno  ii  new conJlagralion  rendered  throe 
thousand  people  homeless,  and  destroyed  property  to  tho  extent 
of  one  million  dollars.  For  tho  last  time  the  Ijcgislature  of 
United  Canada  assembled  there,  on  tho  8th  of  Atigust,  to  hear 
the  report  of  the  d<>[)utation  to  England  relative  to  confederation, 
and  to  comi)letc  tho  important  business  left  unfinished  at  its  last 
session.  Tho  i)remier,  Sir  K.  1*.  Tache,  had  died  a  i'ow  days 
before,  and  Sir  Narcissus  lielleau,  a  member  of  tho  uppei*  house, 
becanu>  his  successor ;  so  tho  public  business  moved  tranquilly 
forward.  Tho  session  Avas  an  unusually  shoit  one,  tho  largo 
majority  now  Avielded  by  ministers  enabling  them  to  push  their 
measures  through  the  house  very  (piickly.  Beyond  the  act  im- 
posing a  stamp-duty  on  noti'S  and  bills  it   developed  no  very 

novel  feature  in  legislation,  and 
was  chiefly  distingr.ished  for  the 
largo  number  of  private  nu'asures 
Avhich  were  enacted.  Tho  de- 
spatches and  papers  laid  before  the 
chamber  stated  the  Avillingness  of 
the  home  government  to  aid  in 
forwarding  confederation,  and  tliat 
it  had  already  instructed  tho  Brit- 
ish minister  at  Washington,  Sir 
Frederick  Bruce,  to  give  all  prac- 
ticable assistance  to  the  Canadian 
cabinet  to  procure  the  renewal  of 
SIR  NAHcisscs  DELLEAu.  ^ho  lieciprocity  Treaty,  and  Avhich 
must  expire  in  the  ensuing  month  of  March.  The  death  of  the 
imperial  premier,  Lord  Palnierston,  in  October,  produced  no 


EN(1LAN*I),    AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


291 


aUoratlou  us  rogardcd  Canadian  affairs,  and  tlio  policy  of  his 
(•al>in(!t  touching  (hem  was  fully  adoi)t<'d  by  its  successor. 
Towards  the  latter  part  of  the  year  th«5  removal  at  l(Migtli  of 
the  seat  of  government  to  Ottawa,  and  the  rumors  of  a  F(uiian 
invasion  from  the  United  States,  were  th(?  only  events  of  not((. 

27.  As  th(i  period  diew  near  for  lh<!  termination  of  the 
Keciprocity  Treaty  Canada  presented  a  most  unusual  s[)ectaclc. 
American  dealers  in  farm-stock  and  [)roduce  sjjread  themselves 
in  fcvery  direction  over  the  country,  aln^ady  largely  dtsnuded 
of  salable  articles,  and  purchas('d  everything  buyable.  The 
various  international  ferries  were  chok(^d  up  contimially  Avith 
vast  droves  of  cattle,  sheep,  and  horses,  ns  though  a  hostile 
army  lind  harried  all  Canada;  Avhilc  the  conveying  capacity  of 
the  railways,  in  every  direction,  was  taxed  to  its  utmost  limits 
to  nu'ct  the  needs  of  produce-buyers  at  this  juncture.  Under 
th(i  provisions  of  the  lieciprocity  Trc^aty  the  interaational  com- 
merce between  the  United  States  and  this  coimtry  had  swelled 
to  the  enormous  sum  of  severity  million  dollars  \nn-  annum.  Its 
termination  produced  a  great  disturbance  of  trade,  and  the 
New  England  States,  now  so  accustomed  to  the  cheap  markets 
of  Canada,  lying  almost  .at  their  doors,  were  largely  the  suf- 
ferers, and  had  to  look  elsewhere  for  sui)i)lies  for  their  manu- 
facturing population. 

28.  The  calmness  with  which  the  peojdo  of  Canada  regarded 
the;  abrogation  of  the  Jieciprocity  'I'reaty  puzzled  not  a  little 
SOUK!  of  the  leading  politicians  of  the  United  States,  who  had 
so  vainly  fancied  that  it  must  lead  them  to  clamor  for  a  union 
with  themselves.  Jiut,  having  so  totally  failed  in  this  direction, 
they  did  not  hesitate  to  resort  to  more  (piestionable  means  to 
accom[)lish  their  purpose  ;  and  to  this  policy,  as  well  ns  to 
the  desire  to  secun;  the  Irish  vote,  may  now  be  traced  the 
countejiancc  so  oi)cnly  given  to  the  Fenian  associations  in  many 
of  the  principal  towns  in  the  Northern  States.  The  readiness 
with  which  military  supplies  of  all  descriptions  were  procured, 
and  the  large  numbers  of  this  society,  which  made  no  secret  of  its 
hostile  intentions,  led  many  Americans  to  indulge  in  the  chi- 
merical idea  that  it  was  equal  to  the  conquest  of  this  country,  or  at 
least  to  so  harass  its  people  that  they  would  hasten  to  seek 
r(>pose  under  tlie  flag  of  the  United  States.  Early  in  March 
the  plan  of  Sweeny,  the  Fenian  generalissimo,  was  published. 
It  was  based  on  a  series  of  combined  movements,  and  the  17th 
of  March,  St.  Patrick's  day,  (lesignate<l  as  the  time  when  hos- 
tile operations  would  commence.     The  Canadian  government 


li 


292 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  C!\NADA, 


at  onco  rospoiuled  to  the  thretit  of  invasion  by  calling  out  ten 
thousand  volunlcers,  our  citizen  soldiers,  and  never  Avas  a  call 
more  j)romptly  met.  In  less  than  twenty-four  hours  fourteen 
thousand  men  sprang  to  arms  to  defend  their  country.  It  was 
a  gallant  spectacle,  the  best  possible  answer  to  the  sneers  of  those 
who  would  depreciate  the  military  spirit  of  Canada,  and  raised 
it  greatly  in  the  estimation  of  the  mother-land.  But  the  17th 
of  March  i)assed  away,  no  Fenian  advance  took  place,  and  the 
proj)osed  invasion  exhausted  itself,  in  the  month  of  April,  in  a 
silly  demonstration  by  a  few  badly-armed  men,  of  the  O'Ma- 
hony  faction,  against  the  New  lirunswiek  frontier.  In  the 
middle  of  May  all  danger  having  apparently  passed  away, 
several  of  the  volunteer  corps,  called  out  for  active  duty,  were 
permitted  to  return  home. 

29.  As  summer  advanced  it  became  evident  that  the  Fenian 
organization  in  the  United  States  was  of  much  larger  propor- 
tions than  had  been  deemed  possible.  It  was  divided  into  two 
sections.  One  of  these,  led  by  O'Mahony  and  Stejjhens,  made 
Ireland  the  sole  objective  point  of  its  preparations;  the  other, 
and  much  the  more  formidable,  led  by  Koberts  and  Sweeny, 
proposed  to  conquer  Canada  in  the  first  place,  and  make  it  the 
base  of  subsequent  operations  against  Great  Britain.  However 
chimerical  this  project  might  be,  it  found  some  favor  among  public 
men  in  the  United  States,  and  both  the  republican  and  demo- 
cratic parties,  from  President  Johnson  downwards,  coquetted 
with  the  Fenian  leaders,  in  order  to  secure  the  Irish  electoral 
vote.  Hitherto  that  vote  had  almost  invariably  gone  with  the 
democratic  or  pro-slavery  paily ;  but  the  republican  leaders 
now  boldly  bid  for  it,  and  hoped,  by  a  quad  countenance  of 
Fenian  operations,  to  effect  their  object.  An  indistinct  idea 
was  also  entertained  by  them  that  poss'bly  this  course  might 
ultimately  promote,  in  some  way,  the  union  of  Canada  with  the 
United  States,  obliterate  the  Alabama  claims,  and  gratify  their 
dislike  of  Great  Britain,  intensified  by  the  aid  and  svmpathy 
extended  by  so  many  of  its  subjects  to  the  South  during  the 
war.  Under  these  circumstances  the  Fenian  leaders  were 
permitted,  almost  without  restraint,  to  make  hostile  prepara- 
tions. Fenian  circles,  or  societies,  were  numerous  in  all  the 
cities  and  towns  of  the  United  States,  and  formed  the  media 
through  which  arms  and  munitions  of  war,  now  so  cheap  •  nd 
abundant,  and  money  were  collected.  Aspiring  politicians,  and 
other  sym})athizers,  cf)ntributed  large  sums  to  the  invasion 
fund,  while  a  number  of  disciplined  men,  discharged  from  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


293 


American  army,  without  scttlod  employment,  and  unfitted  for 
tlio  ordinary  routine  of  civil  life  by  their  military  antecedents;, 
were  only  too  ready  to  engage  in  i\uy  enterprise  that  presented  a 
prospect  of  pay  and  plunder.  Nor  Avere  experienced  leaders 
wanting  to  direct  this  dangerous  class  of  men  in  their  designs 
upon  Canada.  Sweeny,  an  officer  of  some  skill,  had  resigned 
his  commission  in  the  American  regular  service  to  take  the 
supreme  control,  and  with  him  were  associated  a  number  of 
Avell-trained  military  men,  who  had  held  conmiands,  either  at 
the  North  or  Soi'th,  during  the  late  war. 

30.  About  the  middle  of  JNIay,  and  with  the  expectation  of 
being  joined  by  many  presumed  disaffected  Canadians,  the 
Fenian  leaders  commenced  to  make  pnjparations,  on  a  large 
sca'e,  for  a  descent  on  this  countr3\  Three  lines  of  operations 
had  been  determined  on  :  one  from  Chicago  and  other  western 
cities  on  the  Lake  Huron  coast;  another  from  Buffalo  and 
Eochester,  ac.  ss  the  Niagara  frontier;  and  a  third,  and  the 
most  formidable  of  all,  from  the  cities  of  the  Atlantic  sea- 


board, to  organize  in  the  vicinity  of  Ogdensburg.  The  force 
to  assemble  at  the  latter  point  was  destined  to  menace  Ottawa, 
only  fifty  miles  distant,  to  capture  Prescott,  and  oi^erate  along 
the  exposed  frontier  in  the  direction  of  the  eastern  townships. 
But  this  system  of  combined  attack  was  bejond  the  capacity  of 
the  Fenian  resources.  It  rendered  necessary  a  sinndtaneous 
movement  of  their  different  colunms  of  invasion,  and  a  failure 
in  this  res^pect  nuist  largely  tend  to  neutralize  every  prospect 
of  ultimate  success.  A  few  gunboats  on  the  lakes  and  rivers 
would  have  been  invaluable  at  this  juncture  ;  but,  through  the 
reniissness  of  the  home  and  colonial  authorities,  these  had  not 
been  provided.  Nor  for  some  cause  were  adequate  prepara- 
tions adopted  to  resist  the  attack  which,  during  the  last  week 
in  May,  it  was  quite  evident  would  shortly  bo  made.  The  city 
of  Bufialo,  situated  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Eric,  now  swarmed 
with  Fenian  bands,  which  had  collected  from  all  quarters. 
Before  daylight  on  Friday,  the  1st  of  June,  a  body  of  these, 
about  twelve  hundred  strong,  under  the  command  of  Gen. 
O'Neil,  crossed  at  Blackrock,  three  miles  down  the  Niagara 
river,  at  this  point  about  half  a  mile  wide,  and  established  them- 
selves unopposed  on  Canadian  soil.  Their  first  step  was  to  take 
possession  of  the  ruins  of  Fort  Erie,  a  short  distance  above  their 
point  of  landing,  and  of  the  depot  of  the  Buft'alo  and  Lake 
Ilurwn  Railway  dose  by ;  but  fortunately  not  before  all  the 
rolling  stock  had  been  safely  removed.     Beyond  taking  all  tho 


fViin 


294 


IirSTOUY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


provisions  and  horses  they  could  Uiy  hands  on  no  violence  was 
oti'ered  to  the  inhabitants,  and  in  some  instances  guards  were 
furnished  by  order  of  O  Neil  for  their  special  protection.  Dur- 
ing the  day  an  American  war  vessel,  the  "Michigan,"  patrolled 
the  river,  with  the  ostensible  object  of  preventing  the  crossing 
of  reinforcements.  Small  boats,  nevertheless,  i)lied  back  and 
forth  continually,  conveying  not  only  supplies,  but  recruits  to 
the  Fenian  camp,  no  hindrance  of  any  consequence  being  at- 
temi)ted.  But  whatever  might  have  been  the  expectations  of 
the  Fenians  as  to  a  Canadian  rising  in  their  favor,  they  were 
almost  wholly  disappointed.  Not  half  a  dozen  of  the  inhab- 
itants joined  them  altogether ;  and  their  only  hope  of  aid  lay  in 
reinforcements  from  the  American  side  of  the  river,  which 
reached  them  during  the  day  to  the  extent  of  some  three  hun- 
dred men.  On  Saturday  morning  O'Neil  made  u  rccomiois- 
sance,  in  force,  down  the  Niagara,  to' conceal  his  true  objective 
point.  Then,  rapidly  retracing  his  steps,  he  left  a  guard  at 
Fort  Erie,  to  preserve  his  connnunication  with  Bulfalo,  and 
moving  in  the  direction  of  the  Wei  land  Canal,  for  about  ten 
miles,  took  up  a  position  in  an  elevated  woodland,  termed 
Limeridge,  wdicrc  a  temporary  breastwork  was  at  once  eou- 
structed. 

31.  Meanwhile,  the  Canadian  military  authorities  had  been 
actively  engaged  in  making  preparations  to  drive  this  dangerous 
band  of  marauders  from  our  soil.  Volunteer  corps  were  called 
out  in  every  direction,  and  General  Napier,  connnanding  the 
Western  District,  instructed  to  adopt  any  measures  he  deemed 
necessary.  During  Friday  the  Queen's  Own,  a  Toronto  vol- 
unteer corps,  composed  of  college  students  and  other  patriotic 
young  men  of  that  city,  the  13th  Hamilton  A'^olunteers,  and  the 
York  and  Caledonia  Volunteer  companies,  in  all  not  quite  nine 
hundred  strong,  and  connnanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Booker, 
a  volunteer  ofticer  of  no  experience,  were  despatched  to  I'ort 
Colborne,  at  the  Lake  Erie  entrance  of  the  Welland  Canal,  to 
cover  that  important  work.  Late  on  Friday  evening  a  colunm 
of  eighteen  hundred  troops,  composed  of  seven  hundred  and 
lifty  regulars,  and  the  rest  of  volunteers,  with  a  battery  of 
artillery,  all  under  the  connnand  of  Colonel  Peacock,  took  post 
two  miles  above  Niagara  Falls,  at  the  classic  village  of  Chip- 
pewa. On  Saturday  morning  very  little  was  known  about  the 
whereabouts  of  the  enemy,  no  proper  system  of  scouts  having 
been  organized.  O'Neil  was  still  sup[)()sed  to  bo  in  the  vicinity 
of  Fort  Erie,  and  the  design  was  that  Booker's  force  should 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


295 


unite  with  that  under  Peaeock,  and  attack  him  there.  In  pur- 
suance of  tiiis  phui  ll(K)ker  moved  downwards  from  I'ort 
Colborne,  at  an  early  hoin-,  six  miles  by  railway  and  three  on 
foot,  and  at  nine  A.M.  unexpectedly  encountered  CNeil's  out- 
posts at  Limeridge.  Had  he  been  an  officer  of  experience  lie 
would  have  now  withdrawn  his  force  hMsurely,  and  c(mnninii- 
eated  with  Peacock ;  but,  instead  of  doing  this,  the  (Queen's 
Own  Averc  thrown  forward  in  sl-irmishing  oriler,  and  very 
quickly  and  gallantly  drove  back  the  advanced  line  of  O'Neil 
on  his  main  body.  Had  this  advance;  been  properl}'  supported, 
and  the  whole  force,  new  to  the  battle-field  as  it  Avas,  been 
handled  with  skill,  the  enemy  would  unquestionably  have  been 
beaten  ;  but,  just  at  the  critical  moment,  an  inquoper  order  to 
form  square,  produced  l)y  the  sight  of  a  few  mounted  Fenians, 
led  to  immediate  confusion,  increased  by  some  of  the  advanced 
skirmish  lino  getting  out  of  amnnmition,  and  retiring  on  their 
supports.  The  panic  so  common  to  raw  and  ))adly-led  troops 
now  ensued,  and  the  whole  force  was  speedily  in  full  retreat. 
The  loss  of  the  volunteers  in  this  action  was  one  officer  and  six 
men  killed,  and  four  officers  and  nineteen  men  wounded,  some 
quite  dangerously.  The  Fenian  loss  has  never  been  correctly 
ascertained,  as  the  possession  of  the  battle-field  enabled  them 
to  bury  their  dead  without  notice  ;  but  it  was  certainly  larger 
than  that  of  the  volunteers. 

32.  O'Neil  had  not  the  heart  to  pursue  this  temporary  advan- 
tage, and  commenced,  soon  after  the  action,  a  retreat  on  Fort 
Erie.  He  arrived  there,  about  two  P.M.,  to  find  the  post  in  pos- 
session of  a  force  of  seventy  volunteers,  under  the  command  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Dennis,  who  had  meanwhile  arrived  in  a 
tug-boat  from  Port  Colborne,  and  captured  sixty  prisoners, 
which  he  stowed  away  in  the  hold  of  the  vessel.  The  tug-boat 
had  also  rendered  efficient  service  in  patrolling  the  river.  A 
brief  action  immediately  ensued,  which  necessarily  ended  dis- 
astrously for  the  little  body  of  volunteers,  thirteen  of  whom 
were  wounded,  some  badly,  and  foity  made  prisoners.  But 
they  fought  stoutly,  and  inflicted  a  loss  on  the  encni}'  of  five 
killed  and  quite  a  number  wounded. 

33.  AVorn  out  with  marching  and  fighting,  the  Fenians  be- 
gan to  understand  that  campaigning  in  Canada  was  not  the 
holiday  affair  they  had  anticipated ;  and  after  night  had  set  in 
many  of  them  stole  down  to  the  river,  and  crossed  to  the 
American  shore  in  small  boats.  Meanwhile,  their  friends  in 
Buffalo  were  making  the  most  strenuous  exertions  to  reinforco 


I 

•  ■-SI 


•  / 

I 


290 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


tlu'm ;  and  towards  midnight  a  tng,  toAving  two  canal-boats, 
laden  with  funr  hundred  well-armed  men,  and  abnndant  sup- 
plies, left  the  harbor  for  Fort  Eric  ;  while  the  lower  part  of  the 
city  swarmed  with  armed  sympathizers,  and  the  American 
authorities  were  powerless  to  interfere.  But  O'Neil  and  his 
oflicers  had  already  given  up  every  hope  of  success,  and  all 
they  now  desired  was  to  escape  in  safety  from  the  attack  which 
daylight  must  bring  with  it  from  Peacock's  colunm,  lying  on  its 
arms  a  few  miles  distant.  A  small  boat  carried  the  order  from 
O'Neil,  to  the  officer  commanding  the  reinforcements,  to  return 
to  Bull'alo,  and  to  send  the  tug  and  canal-boats  to  take  oft'  his 
force  from  Fort  Erie.  This  order  reached  the  reinforcing 
party  when  about  midway  in  the  river,  was  obc^'ed,  and  shortly 
after  one  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Sundiiy,  the  3d,  the  bulk  of 
the  Fenian  force,  to  the  number  of  fully  nine  hundred,  without 
even  drawing  in  their  pickets,  stole  on  board  the  boats  sent  for 
them,  and  were  speedily  on  their  wa}'  to  the  American  shore. 
Before  they  could  land,  however,  they  were  intercepted  by  the 
United  States  armed  propeller  "Harrison,"  compelled  to  sur- 
render, and  were  soon  anchored  under  the  guns  of  the  Avar- 
steamer  "Michigan."  The  rest  of  the  Fenians  endeavored  to 
cross  as  best  they  could,  some  even,  in  their  extremity,  pulling 
the  planks  from  the  Avharves,  and  pUshing  out  into  the  current 
upon  them.  Many  also  escaped  in  small  l)oats  sent  over  by 
their  friends,  Avhile  the  remainder,  who  Avere  probably  about 
two  hundred  in  number,  hid  themselves  in  the  vicinit}',  or 
skulked  oft"  into  the  bush.  The  prisoners  they  had  captured 
Avere  all  abandoned  at  Fort  Erie,  as  Avell  as  most  of  their  dead 
and  Avounded  ;  and  Avhen  Colonel  Peacock  came  up,  on  Sunday 
morning,  he  found  ho  hud  nothing  to  do  beyond  arresting  the 
st)aggling  Fenians  still  lingering  m  the  neighborhood,  and  Avho 
were  sent  to  Toronto  jail.  And  thus  ingloriously  terminated 
the  Fenian  invasion  of  the  Niagara  frontier.  Their  New  York 
leaders  sought  to  conceal  their  chagrin  at  its  ill-success  by 
describing  it  as  a  mere  feint,  designed  to  cover  a  more  im- 
portant attack  to  bo  made  else  av  he  re. 


34.  During  the  earlier  part  of  the  ensuing  week  the 
American  railways  leading  to  Ogdensburg  Avero  freighted  Avith 
largo  bodies  of  men  for  the  attack  on  Preseott  and  subsequent 
advance  to  OttaAva.  But  the  rapid  massing  of  over  tAvo  thou- 
sand volunteers  and  regulars  at  the  point  menaced,  and  the 
placing  of  a  British  gunboat  in  the  river,  completely  frustrated 
their  projects.     Tho  Fenians  uoav  moved  doAvuAvards  to  Ma- 


n 


EXGLAXD,    AND  THE   UXITEl)   STATES. 


297 


y  I 


lono,  jis  if  an  altack  on  Cornwall  was  contomplatod  ;  but  u 
ganisou  thoiv  of  tlircn*  tlioiisaiid  troops  ami  voluntocrs  led 
tlu'in  to  abandon  tholr  designs  against  this  point  also.  On  the 
5th  fnllv  live  thousand  Fenians  had  congromitod  on  tho  borders 
of  tho  eastern  townships,  —  a  nourishing  seetion  of  eountr^', 
with  nothing  but  a  surveyed  lino  between  it  and  the  United 
States,  lint  their  period  of  uin-estrieted  aetion  had  now  passed 
away.  The  president  could  no  ionger  ignore  the  representa- 
tions of  tho  British  minister  at  ''^'asliinirton,  nor  shut  his  eves 
to  the  faet  that  Avar  was  being  made  on  a  friendly  country  from 
tho  United  States,  and  issued  a  proclamation  calling  on  tho 
Fenians  to  disperse,  and  connnit  no  overt  acts  ;  while  General 
Meade,  an  honest  and  capable  otKcer,  was  ordered  to  arrest 
their  leaders  and  seize  their  sup[)lies.  In  pursuance  of  this 
order  ho  speedily  cai)tured  a  largo  amount  of  arms  and  annnu- 
nition,  which  arrived  by  railway  at  Ogdensburg,  and  prevented 
the  passage  north  of  other  reinforcements.  On  the  8th, 
however,  a  body  of  Fenians,  two  thousand  strong,  under  tho 
counnand  of  General  Spear,  crossed  the  frontier  near  St.  Al- 
bans, and  marched  three  miles  into  the  interior.  There  they 
formed  a  sort  of  camp,  and  from  whence  they  spread  out  over 
the  country,  plundering  every  description  of  property  which 
could  possibly  bo  of  any  use  to  them.  I'ut  tho  advance  of 
troops  against  them  caused  them  to  retreat  across  tho  border, 
whore  Spear  and  other  leaders  were  arrested  by  General 
Meade,  and  tho  masses  of  mischievous  men  rapidly  disi)ersed, 
the  American  government  granting  them  free  conveyance  home 
on  tho  dift'erent  railway  lines.  Thus  terminated  tho  Fenian 
invasion  of  tho  Canadian  fronfier.  The  actual  injury  to  prop- 
erty it  produced  was  not  of  much  account,  but  tho  indirect  loss 
sustained  by  this  country — forty  thousand  volunteers  being  at 
cue  period  under  arms  —  was  very  considerable.  No  new 
Fenian  attempts  M-ere  made  against  Canada.  Din-ing  the  sum- 
mer, gunboats  guarded  the  lake  and  river  approaches ;  and 
troops  and  volunteers  stationed  at  every  assailable  point 
demonstrated  the  folly  of  farther  eft'orts  at  invasion.  Canada 
bewailed  the  death  of  her  college  vouths  and  voung  men  of 
Toronto ;  but  their  blood  was  not  shed  in  vain.  It  speedily 
bore  fruit ;  and,  in  connection  with  tho  gallant  manner  in  which 
a  great  volunteer  force  ha<l  sprung  to  arms,  raised  this  countrj^ 
in  the  opinion  of  the  world,  and  greatly  s'timulated  tho  project 
of  confederation.  Deeply  Avere  the  Canadians  incensed  at  the 
wanton  invasion  of  their  borders,  and  tho  expense  and  annoy- 


ti 


P  m 


"•41 


r^fff"^ 


208 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


mice  tlh\y  liad  been  put  to ;  and  the  public  voice  now  loudly 
denmndcd  that  the  c!i[)tured  Fenians  should  receive  the  most  ex- 
treme punishnient  the  law  could  award  tiienj. 

iJ').  Meanwhile,  on  the  8th  of  .June,  the  Lefj^islaturc  had 
assembled  at  Ottawa,  in  the  new  I'arliament  buildings.  In  his 
openin<j^  speech  th(!  governor-general  set  forth,  that  immedi- 
ately after  the  termination  of  the  last  session  ho  had,  under 
instructions  from  the  homo  govermnent,  convened  a  Council 
of  Trade,  Avhich  included  rci)resentatives  from  the  dilferent 
provinces  of  British  North  America,  and  the  proceedings  of 
which  would  be  laid  before  them,  lie  urged  that  the  termina- 
tion of  the  Keeiprocity  Treaty  with  the  United  States  rendered 
it  necessary  to  seek  new  avenues  of  trade  ;  and  stated  that, 
with  the  consent  of  the  imperial  authorities,  ho  had  sent  a  dep- 
utation to  the  West  Indies  and  Brazil,  to  ascertain  the  best 
mode  of  developing  and  extending  commercial  relations  with 
those  countries.  The  Fenian  attack  v»as  also  alluded  to  by  his 
excellency,  and,  while  he  deplored  th(!  loss  of  life  it  cMUsed,  ho 
paid  a  well-merited  tribute  to  the  prompt  and  gallant  spirit 
evinced  by  the  volunteers  of  the  country.  To  repress  further 
outrages,  and  to  enable  improper  persons  to  bo  summarily 
dealt  with,  ho  asked  that  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  be  tempo- 
rarily suspended.  And  while  he  congratidated  the  Chambers 
on  the  prosperity  of  the  countr}^  he  informed  them  that  tho 
revenue  of  tho  past  year  had  been  largely  in  excess  of  the  es- 
timates, and  had  enabled  him,  without  inconvenience,  to  pro- 
vide for  tho  heavy  and  unlooked-for  expenditure  entailed  by 
tho  Fenian  outrages. 

30.  Tho  abrogation  of  the  Reciprocity  Treaty  rendered  a 
new  tariff  a  necessity,  and  Mr.  Gait  now  introduced  a  bill  into 
the  Assembly  embodying  the  desired  alterations.  It  reduced  the 
duty  on  the  great  bulk  of  imported  goods  five  per  cent.,  leaving 
the  maximum  rate  fifteen  per  cent.,  admitted  articles  Avhich 
entered  largely  into  the  manufactures  of  tho  country  free,  and 
provided  for  the  deficiency  thus  produced  by  increasing  the 
impost  on  whiskey  thirty  cents  a  gallon.  While  this  tariff'  was 
a  sensible  relief  to  importers  of  foreign  goods  it  largely 
stimulated  tho  manufactures  of  the  country ;  and,  with  a  few 
isolated  interests  excepted,  gave  very  general  satisfaction. 
Several  other  important  measures  became  law  during  this 
session.  Tho  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was  suspended  for  ono 
year,  the  assessment  law  of  Upper  Canada  amended,  and  its 
municipal  law  subjected  to  very  important  modifications,  which 


\ 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


299 


raised  the  franc  I  i  so  in  towns,  and  ofTcM'tcd  other  improvements 
well  received  h}  all  classes.  On  tho  8d  of  .Inly  ministers  in- 
trodnced  resolntions  into  tho  Le<^islatur(5  detinin<^  the  constitu- 
tions of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  respectively,  under  tho 
proposed  measure  of  confederation,  and  which  were  all  subse- 
quently cnd)odicd  in  the  imperial  bill.  These  proceedings  woro 
uneasily  regardcjd  by  some  of  the  leading  politicians  of  tho 
United  States,  who  strongly  deprecated  the  creation  of  a  united 
power  on  their  northern  frontier,  and  an  attempt  was  now  made 
to  sow  the  seeds  of  discord  l)y  the  introduction  of  a  bill  into 
Congress,  which  provided  fur  the  admission  of  British  North 
America  into  tho  American  Union  as  four  s(>parate  States,  and 
the  assumption  of  their  i)ul)lic  debt  by  the  general  government. 
This  bill  Avas  read  twice  and  referred  to  the  Connnittee  on 
Foreign  Alfairs.  It  totally  failed,  however,  of  its  object.  Tho 
day  for  annexation  had  forever  departed,  and  INIr.  lianks'  con- 
gressional bfll,  already  described,  was  regarded  by  the  Caimdian 
people  with  tho  most  supreme  indifterence  and  contempt,  and  as 
an  insolent  interference  with  the  atfairs  of  an  independent 
country.  Early  in  August  Mr.  Gait  resigned,  owing  to  com- 
plications Avhich  arose  in  connection  with  a  school  bill,  giving 
larger  ])rivileges  to  tho  Protestant  minority  of  Lower  Canada. 
It  failed  to  pass,  and  Mr.  Gait,  as  representing  that  minority, 
deeming  it  treated  with  injustice,  unexpectedly  resigned, 
although  avowing  himself  still  prepared  to  support  tho  general 
policy  of  tho  govcrimient.  On  the  lath  of  August  the  cabinet 
having  carried  all  its  measures  with  largo  majorities,  and  tho 
public  business  having  been  fully  completed.  Parliament  Avas 
prorogued. 

37.  Towards  the  close  of  summer  a  most  disastrous  firo 
occurred  at  Quebec,  by  which  all  of  the  St.  Koch  suburb,  and 
also  nuicli  of  the  St.  Savour,  were  burned  down.  Only  a  few 
buildings  were  left  standing  in  a  district  a  mile  long  by  about 
half  a  mile  wide ;  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  nineteen 
houses,  mostly  belonging  to  the  poorer  classes,  were  destroyed, 
and  over  twenty  thousand  people  left  homeless.  Great  exertions 
were  niado  for  tho  relief  of  the  sutferers  in  Canada,  and  large 
contributions  were  also  made  for  the  same  object  by  the  benevo- 
lent in  tho  mother  countr3\  But  Quebec  is  not  at  all  likely  to 
recover  from  this  disaster.  Its  commerce  had  already  largely 
declined,  and  tho  scattering  of  its  population,  which  now 
ensued,  accelerated  tho  decay  which  had  so  surely  seized  upon 
this  ancient  city.     Tho  Fenian  trials  took  place  at  tho  October 


t| 


:|| 


'Si 


300 


IIISTOUV   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


III 


term,  at  Toronto,  when  manyoflho  p'.-l.soiUTH  were  (lis(rliargctl, 
the  gnind  jury  h^iumiv^  the  hills  agari  .st  (hem.  True  hills, 
however,  were  found  against  a  large  numher,  several  of  whom 
w«'re  eonviiU'd  and  .senteneed  to  death,  hut  had  their  sentenees 
afterwards  eominute«l  hy  the  <|ueen  to  a  i)eriod  of  imprisonment 
in  the  provincial  penitentiary.  The  ealm  and  firm  attitude  of 
our  eoui-ts  of  justice  during  these  trials,  and  the  punctilious  oh- 
Hcrvaneo  of  every  form  of  civil  law,  eonstitutetl  the  best  rebuke 
to  the  American  politicians,  from  Seward  downwards,  who,  by 
an  indecent  sympathy  or  interference  on  behalf  of  the  criminals, 
pandered  to  their  partisans  with  tlio  view  of  securing  their 
electoral  sup^xn't. 

Meanwhile,  the  great  project  of  confederation  continued  to 
progress  towards  final  consunnnatiou.  The  Legislatures  of 
Mew  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia  had  already  passed  resolutions 
adopting  the  scheme,  as  did  also  the  Legislature  of  Newfound- 
laud,  liut,  as  regarded  the  latter,  no  steps  were  taken  subse- 
quently to  carry  them  into  practical  efi'ect ;  while  the  little 
Island  of  I'rinco  Edward  rei)udiated  the  action  of  its  delegates  at 
Quebec,  and  wholly  declined  to  become  a  part  of  the  proposed 
confederacy.  All  the  necessary  i)reliminaries  having  been  dis- 
posed of,  delegates  from  the  provinces  of  Canada,  Nova  Scotia, 
and  New  Brunswick  assembled  at  London,  on  the  4th  of 
December,  to  arrange  the  final  terms  of  the  Act  of  Union  to  bo 
submitted  to  the  Imperial  Tarliament.  Every  question  at  issue 
having  been  satisfactorily  adjusted,  the  colonial  secretary,  the 
Earl  of  Caernarvon,  introduced,  on  the  7th  of  February,  1807, 
the  Confederation  Bill  into  the  House  of  Lords.  On  the  lUth 
it  had  its  second  reading ;  on  the  22d  it  passed  through  c(>m- 
mittcc  ;  and  on  the  2Gtli  was  read  a  thir  1  time,  and  sent  down 
to  the  Commons.  It  was  read  a  second  time  there  on  the  28th 
of  February,  and  after  a  brief  yet  interesting  debate  the 
measure  was  agreed  to  without  a  division.  It  passed  through 
a  committee  of  the  whole  on  the  4th  of  March,  the  proposed 
guaranty  for  an  intercolonial  railway  loan  being  alone  objected 
to,  but  not  pressed  to  a  vote.  On  the  8th  it  was  read  a  third 
time,  and  tinally  passed  without  debate.  On  the  12th  a  few 
judicious  amendments,  made  by  the  Commons,  were  agi-eed  to 
by  the  lords ;  and  on  the  28tli  it  received  the  royal  assent, 
and  became  the  law  of  the  empire.  On  the  following  day  Mr. 
Adderley  introduced  a  bill  into  the  Commons,  to  guarantee  a 
loan  of  three  million  pounds  sterling  for  the  intercolonial  rail- 
way, which  was  accepted  by  an  overwhelming  majority,  and 


ENOLANI),   AND  THE   UNITED   STATES. 


301 


ulso  duly  passed  In  tho  House  of  liords.  On  the  22d  of  May 
the  work  of  legislation  havii)g  been  fully  completed,  and  all  the 
other  arrangements  made,  her  majesty  was  pleased  to  issue  her 
royal  proclamation,  ai)pointing  the  1st  of  July  as  tho  day  on 
which  tho  Dominion  of  Canada  should  counnenco  its  existence, 
and  nominatiiig  its  seventy-two  senators.  Tho  great  proje«  t  of 
confederation  wis  at  length  finally  and  happily  completed,  ar.d 
tho  morning  voico  of  a  new  peopliMvas  heard  among  the  nations 
of  tho  earth.  Tho  governors,  both  French  and  English,  who 
have  administered  the  aOairs  in  Canada  from  its  earliest  settle- 
ment to  the  confederation  of  IHCtl,  with  the  dates  of  appointment, 
are  as  follows  :  — 


Jll 


1:1 


GOVEllNOllS  OF  CANADA  DURING  FIIENCII  RULE. 


Samuel  (!«  Champlain,  Viceroy  1G12 
Maris  Antoiiio  do  Uras  do  I'er 

do  (  liateaufort  ',  .  .  1035 
Chevalier  do  Montmagny  ,  HVM 
Chevalier  d'Ailloboust  do  Con- 

lon<re  .  .  .  1G48  and  1(557 
Jean  do  Lauzon  .  .  .1051 
Charles  do  Lauson  Charny  .  1050 
Viscount  do  V^oyer  d'Argonson  1058 
Baron  dii  Bois  d'Avaugour  .  1001 
Ciievalier  do  Saffray  Alesy  .  1003 
Alexandre  do  rroville  Tracy  .  1003 
Chevalier  do  Courcelles  .        .  1005 


Count  do  Frontenac,  1072  and  lOHO 
Sieiir  de  la  Barro  .  ,  .  1082 
Manjuis  de  Denonvillo  .  .  1085 
Chevalier  dc  Callieres  .  .  1099 
ManjuiH  de  Vaudreuil  .  .  1703 
Alaniuis  do  Beauharnois  .  .  1720 
Count  do  Galissonniero  .  .  1747 
Marquis  de  la  Jonquii^re  .  .  1749 
Marquis  d«  Quesne  do  Menne- 

villo 1752 

Marquis  do  Vaudreuil  Cavag- 

nai 1755 


GOVERNORS  OF  CANADA  DURING  BRITISH  RULE. 


1705 


1766 


Gen.  James  Murray,  Gov.  Gen. 
Paalus  E.  Irving,  Esq,,  Presi- 
dent       

Gen.  Sir  Guy  Carlton  (Lord 
Dorchester),  Governor-Gen- 
eral, 1700, 1774, 1770,  and  1793 
Hector  T.  Cramahe,  President.  1770 
(icn.  Frederick  Haldimand  .  1773 
Henry  Hiwnilton,  Lieut.-Gov.  .  1774 
Henry  Hope,  Esq.,  do.    .        .  1775 

LOWEB  CANADA. 

Col.  Clarke,  Lieut.-Gov.  .  1791 
Gen.  Robert  Prescott  .  .  1790 
Sir  R.  S.  Milnes  .  .  .  1799 
Hon.  Thos.  Dunn,  President, 

1805  and  1811 
Sir  J.  II.  Craig  .  .  .  1807 
Sir  George  Prevost .         .        .  1811 


Sir  G.  Drummond,  Administ, 
Gen.  John  Wilson,  Administ. 
Sir  J.  Coape  Sherbrooko 
Duke  of  Richmond  . 
Sir  James  Monk,  President 
Sir  Peregrine  Maitiand  , 
EarlofDalhousie  .  1820  and  1825 
Sir  F.  N.  Burton,  Lieut.-Gov.  i824 
Sir  James  Kem,  Atlniinist. 
Lord  Aylmer,  Administrator  . 
Earl  of  Gosforil 
Sir  J,  Col  borne  (Lord  Seaton) . 
Earl  of  Durham 
C.  Poulett  Thompson  (Lord 
Sydenham)  .... 


1815 
1810 
1810 
1818 
1819 
1820 


1828 
1837 
1837 
1838 
1838 

1839 


UPPER  CANADA. 

Col.  J.  G.  Simcoe,  Lieut.-Gov.  1792 
Hon.  Peter  Russell,  President.  1792 
Gen.  Peter  Hunter  .        .        .  1799 


302 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CA.'ADA, 


lion.  Alexander  Grant,  Pres't .  1805 
Hon.  Francis  (iore  .  180G  and  1815 
Sir  Isaac  Hrock,  President  .  1811 
Sir  R.  Hale  Sheaffe,  President  1813 
Baron  F.  de  liottenburw,  Pres.  1813 
Sir  Gordon  Drumraoncf  .  .1813 
Sir  George  Murray  .  .  .1815 
Sir  Frederick  P.  Robinson  .  1815 
Hon.  Sam.  Smith,  Adm.  1817  &  1820 
Sir  Peregrine  Maitland.  1818  &  1820 
Sir  J.  Colborne  (Lord  Seaton)  1828 
Sir  Francis  R.  Head  .  .  183G 
Sir  George  Arthur  .        .        .  1838 


Gen.  Sir  William  Eyre,  Adm.  1857 
Lord  Viscount  Monck,  1801  and  1806 
Gen.  Sir  John  Michel,  Adm.  .  1805 

PROVINCE  OP  CANADA. 

Baron  Sydenham  and  Toronto.  1841 
Gen.  Sir  R.  Jackson,  Admin.  .  1841 
Sir  Charles  Bagot  .  .  .  1842 
Sir  Charles  (Baron)  Metcalfe  1843 
Earl  Cathcart ....  1845 
Earl  of  Elgin  jmd  Kincardine.  1847 
Sir  Edmund  \V.  Head,  1854  and  1857 
Lord  Monck    ....  1864 


♦  ♦  ♦ 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


ACADIA  F'tOM   1748   TO   1784. 


BRITISH   RUI-E    IN    NOVA    SCOTIA   FROM     ITS     COMMENCEMENT    TO    THE    ESTABLISH- 
MENT   OF   THE    PROVINCE    OF   NEW    DUUNSWICK    IN    1784. 

1.  Ix  a  previous  chapter  we  have  traced  events  in  the 
history  of  Acadia  to  the  close  of  the  French  and  Indian  war, 
which  had  lost  Canada  to  the  French ;  but  in  this  connection, 
for  the  better  understanding  of  the  reader,  we  will  go  back  of 
tliat  date  to  the  commencement  of  British  rule  in  the  province, 
not  that  we  shall  repeat  anything  already  said,  but  that  wo 
may  construct  the  history  from  both  a  logical  and  chronoU)gical 
stand-point.  The  lion.  Edward  Cornwallis  was  the  first  Eng- 
lish governor  of  Nova  Scotia  who  administered  the  govern- 
ment at  Halifax.  The  English  governors  wlio  preceded  him 
were  located  at  the  ancient  capital  of  Port  lloyal,  where  the 
French  governors  also  resided.  The  complete  list,  with  the 
dates  of  appointment,  of 'both  classes  are  as  follows  :  — 


1.  FRENCH  GOVERNORS  OF  ACADIE  AT  PORT  ROYAL. 


M.  de  Poutrincourt . 
Isaac  do  llazillai 
Charles  de  Charnizay 
Charles  de  la  Tour  . 
M.  Manival 


1604 
1633 
1647 
1652 
1685 


M.  de  Villebon 
M.  de  Brouillon 
M.  de  Subercase 
Baron  St.  C'astine 


1687 
?700 
1706 
1710 


2.  ENGLISH  GOVERNORS  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  AT  PORT  ROYAL. 


Col.  Vetch  ....  1710 
Francis  Nicholson,  Esq.  .  .  1714 
'Richard  Philips,  Esq,      .        .1719 


Lawrence  Armstrong,  Esq.     .  1725 
Paul  Mascarene,  Esq.     .        .  1740 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


303 


2.  P.  T.  Hobson  succeeded  Cornwallis  in  1752,  and  Charles 
Lawrence  followed  Hobson  in  1754,  and  was  followed  by  Hon. 
Robert  Monckton  in  1750.  Jonathan  Belcher  was  appointed 
to  the  government  in  17G0,  and  was  succeeded  by  Montague 
Wilmont  in  17G3.  The  latter  died  in  1766,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Lieutenant-Governor  Francldin,  whose  administration,  like 
that  which  preceded  him,  was  not  remarkable  for  important 
events.  The  colony  grew  in  prosperity,  and  a  steady  flow  of 
of  immigration  swelled  its  population.  Agriculture  and  lum- 
bering were  the  chief  pursuits  of  the  people,  and,  owing  to  the 
restraints  of  the  English  government,  there  was  little  or 
nothing  done  in  manufacturing.  It  is  a  sorry  fact  that  direct 
^ttbrts  were  made  by  the  English  government  to  suppress  any 
attempts  at  the  homo  production  of  goods  made  in  England ; 
and  in  1768  Governor  Francklin  received  instructions  from  the 
Secretary  of  State  to  prohibit  the  Avorking  of  the  Cape  Breton 
coal  mines,  Avhicli  w\as  intended  as  a  hindrance  to  homo  manu- 
factures and  a  protection  to  all  that  was  English.  This  policy 
was  continued  many  years,  and  even  after  the  close  Oi'  the 
American  Avar  for  independence  and  the  advent  of  the  U:  :'vi 
Empire  Loyalists,  Cape  Breton  Avas  kept  as  if  under  lock  and 
key;  and,  while  grants  of  land  Averc  freely  made  in  Nova 
Scotia,  none  Avere  made  in  Cape  Breton  till  1784. 

3.  This  hurtful  policy  of  the  government  is  very  clearly 
set  forth  in  the  letter  from  Governor  Francklin  to  the  Earl  of 
Shelburne  in  1766.  He  says  :  "  The  country  people  in  general 
work  up,  for  their  own  use,  into  stockings  and  a  stuff  called 
homespun  Avhat  little  wool  their  few  sheep  produce.  The 
toAvnships  of  Truro,  OnsloAV,  and  Londonderry,  consisting  in 
the  Avhole  of  six  hundred  and  ninety-four  men,  Avomen,  and 
children,  composed  of  people  chietly  from  the  north  of  Ireland, 
make  all  their  linen,  and  even  some  little  to  spare  to  the  neigh- 
buriiig  towns.  This  /ear  they  raised  seven  thousand  live 
hundred  and  twenty-four  pounds  of  tlax,  Avhich  Avill  probably 
be  Avorked  up  in  their  several  families  during  the  Avinter.  I  * 
cannot  omit  representing  to  your  lordship  on  this  occasion  that 
this  government  has  at  no  time  r/iven  encouragement  to  manufac- 
tures Avhicli  could  interfere  Avith  those  of  Groat  Britain ;  nor 
has  there  been  the  least  appeai'ance  of  any  association  of 
private  persons  for  that  purpose ;  nor  are  there  any  persons 
who  profess  themselves  Aveavers,  so  as  to  make  it  their  employ- 
ment or  business,  but  only  Avork  at  it  in  their  own  families 
during  the  Avinter  and  other  leisure   time.     It  may  be   also 


304 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


proper  to  observe  to  your  lordship  that  all  the  inhabitants  of 
this  colony  are  cmplojccl  either  in  husbandry,  fishing,  or  pro- 
viding lumber ;  and  that  all  th(5  manufactures  for  their  clothing 
and  the  uter.  ils  for  their  farming  and  hshing  are  made  in  Great 
Britain."  This  extract  reveals  the  condition  of  the  province  at 
that  time  with  respect  to  local  industries. 

4.  In  Massachusetts,  when  the  excitement  Avas  raging  over 
the  Stamp  Act,  the  House  of  Hepresentatives  of  that  province 
addressed  a  lettf  i"  to  the  speaker  of  the  house  in  Nova  Scotia, 
in  1768,  soliciting  the  sympathy  and  support  of  this  province  ; 
but,  by  some  good  fortune,  the  letter  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
governor,  who,  without  submitting  it  to  the  Assembly,  forwarded 
it  to  the  Earl  of  Slielburne,  and  sent  him  therewith  the  most 
emphatic  assurances  of  the  loyalty  of  the  government  and  people 
of  Nova  Scotia  to  the  crown.  The  assurance  was  fully  verified 
throughout  the  whole  Revolution.  Nova  Scotia,  ever  loyal, 
stood  lirmly  by  her  allegiance. 

5.  AVhcn  the  war  broke  out  in  New  England  a  proclamation 
was  issued  by  Lieutenant-Governor  Legge,  who  had  been  ap- 
pointed in  1773,  in  Avhich,  in  the  name  of  the  crown,  he  forbade 
any  correspondence  with  the  rebels  in  New  England.  "And  an 
order  was  afterwards  issued  by  the  Assembly  prohibiting  the 
exportation  of  arms,  gunpowder,  and  ammunition,  without  the 
sanction  of  the  governor.  This  was  to  prevent  a  traffic  in  those 
articles,  which  would  undoubtedly  have  sprung  up,  as  they 
were  very  scarce  with  the  Americans,  and  prices  ranged  very 
high.  Indeed  the  communities  of  Cobequid  and  Cumberland 
did  not  respect  the  proclamation,  and  were  punished  by  dis- 
franchisement. Nova  Scotia  did  not  escape  altogether  the 
horrors  of  war  during  the  struggle  in  the  neighboring  colonies  ; 
some  of  her  settlements  were  ravaged  by  privateers,  but  no 
regular  invasion  took  place,  as  was  the  case  Avith  Quebec.  The 
Americans  constantly  had  emissaries  at  work  ti-ying  to  sap  the 
lo    ilty  of  the  people,  and  they  so  far  succeeded  that  a  small 

'demonstration  was  made  by  the  people  of  Mongerville,  and  an 
attempt  made  to  capture  Fort  Cumberland  (formerly  Fort 
Beausejour),  but  it  Avas  easily  foiled.  The  people,  however, 
seized  a  brig  which  was  lying  in  the  Missiquash  river,  and  took 
it  to  Machias,  where  it  Avas  sold  as  a  prize.  The  offence  Avas 
overlooked  by  the  government  on  the  owner  of  the  brig  being 
indemnified  for  his  loss.  The  people  of  Machias,  Avho  Avore 
empowered  by  the  Massachusetts  Assembly,  fitted  out  a  sloop, 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


305 


icr 

o 

•e 


commanded  by  Stephen  Smith,  a  member  of  the  Miissachusetts 
Assembly,  and  made  a  descent  upon  the  river  St.  John,  de- 
stroyed Fort  Frederick,  and  burned  the  house  and  stores  of 
Simmons'  lishing-station.  They  also  captured  a  brig  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  tons,  laden  with  supplies  for  the  troops  in 
Boston." 

•  G.  The  efforts  of  the  Americans  on  the  Nova  Scotia  Indians 
proved  futile.  The  agents  of  the  jNIassachusetts  government 
succeeded  in  persuading  the  Micmacs  to  revolt,  and  the  scheme 
was  carried  so  fur  that  the  Indians  entered  into  a  treaty, 
"  agreeing  to  send  six  hundred  warriors  to  Washington's  assist- 
ance :  and,  in  the  spring  of  1778,  a  large  body  of  Micmacs  and 
Milicetes  appeared  at  the  mouth  of  the  Jemseg,  and  sent  down 
the  British  flag  to  Captain  Studhohne,  who  was  at  Fort  Howe, 
which  Mas  equivalent  to  a  declaration  of  war.  Captain  Stud- 
holme  invited  all  the  leading  chiefs  to  attend  a  council  at  the 
fort,  at  which  Mr.  Franklin  —  then  commissioner  of  Indian 
affairs  —  was  present,  and  the  chiefs  were  so  flattered,  feasted, 
and  loaded  with  presents  that  they  broke  their  promise  to  help 
Washington,  and  renewed  their  oath  of  allegiance  to  Georgo 
the  Third.  The  following  year  they  again  threatened  to  break 
the  peace ;  but  more  flattery  and  presents  pacified  them,  and 
the  Indians  of  Nova  Scotia  have  never  made  a  hostile  demon- 
stration since.  Several  of  the  numerous  privateers  which  were 
fitted  out  in  New  England  during  the  war  combined  in  June, 
1782,  to  make  an  attack  on  Lunenburg.  They  landed  in  con- 
siderable force,  and,  compelling  some  of  the  inhabitants  to  pilot 
them  to  the  town,  plundered  the  settlement,  and  burnt  the 
house  of  Mr.  Creighton.  This  was  the  last  hostile  act  of  the 
war,  as  far  as  Nova  Scotia  was  concerned,  and  the  declaration 
of  peace,  in  178-T,  relieved  the  inhabitants  from  any  farther 
fears  of  molestation  by  privateers.  One  of  these  priviteers 
met  a  trasric  end  in  the  harbor  of  Lunenburg.  She  was  chased 
by  an  English  cruiser,  and  put  into  the  harbor ;  but,  while 
coming  to  anchor,  one  of  the  officers  —  who  had  formerly  been 
a  seaman  in  the  British  navy  —  set  fire  to  the  magazine  to 
escape  the  fate  of  a  deserter,  and>  out  of  a  crew  of  about  one  ' 
hundred,  only  six  vrero  saved." 

7.  In  177G  Leggo  Vv'as  recalled,  but  being  a  relative  of  the 
Earl  of  Dartmouth  continued  through  that  inlluence  lo  hold 
the  position  of  governor,  and  draw  the  pay  for  many  years,  the 
affairs  of  the  province  being  administered  by  Lieutenant-Gov- 


306 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


ii. 


crnors  Arbuthnot,  Hughes,  Hammond,  Parr,  and  Fanning. 
Leggc  Avas  a  sharp  man  of  business,  very  industrious,  and  was 
particularly  active  in  correcting  abuses  in  the  expenditure  of 
the  public  funds.  He  made  himself  unpopular  by  examining 
into  the  past  expenses  of  the  province,  which  was  then  twenty 
thousand  pounds  in  debt,  and  much  excitement  was  caused  by 
the  fact  that  the  books  of  the  late  treasurer  could  not  be  found. 
Leggo  was  greatly  disliked  b^  the  council,  and  that  body  was 
glad  of  his  recall. 

8.  The  war  had  not  been  fairly  over  in  the  United  States 
when  the  loyalists  began  to  pour  into  Nova  Scotia  and  New 
Brunswick.  On  the  18th  of  May,  1783,  the  ships  bearing  the 
first  arrivals  of  these  loyalists  arrived  at  Navy  Island,  and 
during  the  summer  over  five  thousand  had  settled  between 
Passtown  and  St.  Ann's.  The  arrivals  at  Annapolis,  Port 
Eoseway,  and  other  points,  were  also  large,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1783  the  lieutenant-governor  of  Nova  Scotia,  in  a  letter  to  Lord 
North,  estimated  the  whole  number  of  loyalist  emigrants  at 
over  thirteen  thousand.  They  included  all  classes,  —  dis- 
banded soldiers,  lawyers,  clergymen,  merchants,  farmers,  and 
mechanics.  They  brought  nothing  with  them  but  a  persistent 
energy,  but  that  has  proved  a  valuable  acquisition  for  the 
maritime  provinces. 

9.  In  1783  Nova  Scotia  vindicated  her  intelligence  by  re- 
moving some  of  the  disiil)ilities  from  lioman  Catholics.  The 
province,  on  this  point,  was  in  adv.ince  of  the  mother  country. 
However,  all  of  these  disabilities  Avere  not  removed  until  1829. 
The  new  population  from  the  American  colonies  was  destined 
to  work  a  considerable  change  in  the  political  divisions  of  the 
country.  At  first  they  began  to  urge  a  larger  representation  for 
the  districts  which  they  occupied  in  the  Legislature.  Next  they 
began  to  agitato  for  a  division  of  the  province,  —  a  policy  which 
the  governor  strongly  opposed,  and  which  gave  rise  to  nmch 
ill  feeling.'  Governor  Parr  went  so  far  as  to  remove  some  of  the 
loyalists  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  Bay  of  Fundy  ;  but  this  did 
not  help  the  ditficulty,  and  the  loyalists,  Avho  had  many  Avarm 
friends  at  the  English  court,  urged  a  division  so  judiciously  that 
the  ministry  yielded  to  their  desires,  and  the  province  of  New 
Brunswick  was  created,  and  received  its  name  in  honor  of  the 
House  of  Brunswick,  the  reigning  family  of  England.  The 
division  took  place  in  the  fall  of  1784,  and  Col.  Thomas 
Carleton,  brother  of  Lord  Dorchester,  was  appointed  the  first 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


307 


governor  of  the  new  province.  In  the  same  year  Cape  Breton 
was  made  a  separate  province,  and,  as  the  ishmd  of  St.  John 
(Prince  Edward  Island)  had  been  separated  from  Nova  Scotia 
in  1770,  there  were  now  four  separate  governments  in  the 
maritime  provinces. 


♦  ♦» 


CAPE     BRETON ■ 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

NOVA  SCOTIA  FROM  1784  TO  1837. 

■  THE     WAR     OF     1812-14,    FltOM    A    NOVA    SCOTIA    STAND-POINT 
INTERNAL   AFFAIRS    OF   THE    PROVINCE. 


1.  The  province  prospered  well  under  the  government 
of  Edward  Fanning,  Esq.,  from  1783  to  1791.  The  event 
which  caused  most  excitement  and  pleasure  was  the  arrival, 
on  the  4th  of  October,  1786,  of  H.R.H.  Prince  AVilliam 
Henry,  afterwards  William  IV.  The  city  dressed  herself 
in  her  best  attire,  and  presented  quite  a  festive  appearance 
during  his  stay.  Ii  1792  John  Wentworth  arrived  at  Halifax 
as  governor.  His  first  act  was  to  dissolve  the  Assembly  which 
had  sat  for  seven  years.  The  new  election  passed  off  quietly. 
In  May,  1794,  U.K. II.  Prince  Edward,  afterwards  Duke  of 
Kent,  and  the  father  of  the  joresent  Queen  Victoria,  arrived  at 
Halifax,  where  he  remained  for  Bome  time.  But  three  years 
later  a  sad  event  occurred  to  cast  a  gloom  over  the  province. 
II.M.  frigate,  "La  Tribune,"  a  fine  ship  of  forty-two  guns,  was 
lost  near  Herring  Cove,  and  out  of  the  crew  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  men,  with  some  women  and  children,  only  eight 
lives  were  saved.  Many  of  the  unfortunate  crew  clung  to  the 
rigging  for  hours,  but  were  all  washed  off  or  fell  exhausted 
into  the  sea ;  the  first  person  who  Avcnt  to  their  rescue  the  next 
morning  being  a  boy  of  thirteen,  who  went  out  alone  in  a 
skiff. 

2.  Sir  John  Wentworth,  who  had  l)een  knighted  since  his 
arrival  in  the  country,  administered  the  atl'airs  of  the  province, 
for  sixteen  years,  in  a  very  satisfactory  manner.  He  wa.s  a 
strong  supporter  of  the  church,  and  through  his  influence  King's 
College  was  established  at  Windsor,  in  the  interests  of  the 
Church  of  England,  Jill  other  denominations  being  exckided. 
He  was  an  accomplished  gentleman,  and  retired  from  the  gov- 


Ii' 


308 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


■I"' 

i  ■ 


ill 

ill' 


ernment  Avith  the  respect  of  all  classes.  IIo  was  succeeded  by 
Sir  George  Provost,  in  1808.  The  latter  administered  llie 
affairs  of  the  province  until  1811,  when  he  was  called  to  the 
•  governorship  of  Canada.  Ilis  term  was  not  characterized  by 
any  very  important  events.  Ho  made  a  tour  of  the  province, 
and  expressed  himself  as  highly  pleased  with  the  general  prog- 
ress of  the  several  industries.  The  governor  laid  the  founda- 
tion stone  of  the  provincial  building  in  1811,  and  in  doing  so 
he  said,  "May  the  building  which  shall  arise  from  this  founda- 
tion perpetuate  the  loyalty  and  liberalily  of  Nova  Scotia."  It  was 
now  evident  that  a  war  would  take  place  between  England  and 
the  United  States,  and  Sir  George  was  transferred  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  Canada,  his  place  in  Nova  Scotia  being  taken  by 
Sir  John  Coapo  Sherbrooke.  Sir  John  arrived  at  Halifax  in 
October,  1811.  In  the  following  June  Parliament  was  simi- 
moncd  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  war.  Eight  thousand 
pounds  were  voted  for  l)lock-houscs,  twenty-two  thousand 
pounds  for  militia  purposes,  and  provision  was  made  for  bor- 
rowing thirty  thousand  pounds  for  general  defence.  The  war 
nearly  doubled  all  kinds  of  trade  in  Halifax.  It  was  from  this 
port  that  the  ''Shannon,"  under  Capt.  Broke,  sailed  for  Boston 
harbor,  Avliero  she  met  and  so  completely  demolished  the 
"Chesapeake,"  of  which  an  account  has  already  been  given. 
Early  in  July,  1814,  instructions  were  received  to  assume  the 
offensive  towards  the  State  of  Maine,  lying  near  New  Bruns- 
wick. Sir  John  Coape  Sherbrooke  sent  Col.  Pilkington,  with 
a  small  force,  to  take  possession  of  Moose  Island,  in  Passama- 
quoddy  Bay,  which  he  did,  the  garrison  of  seven  officers  and 
eight  men  surrendering  themselves  prisoners  of  war.  On 
the  2Gth  of  August  Sir  John  sailed  from  Halifax,  with  a  fleet 
under  Admiral  Griffiths,  and,  ascending  the  Penobscot  river, 
established  himself  at  Castine  in  September,  Avithout  opposition, 
the  enemy  having  destroyed  the  magazine  and  retreated.  Sir 
John  next  sent  six  hundred  troops,  with  a  body  of  sailors,  to 
capture  the  frigate  "Adams,"  which  bad  passed  up  to  Hampden, 
where  she  was  protected  by  some  batteries.  The  towns  of 
Machias  and  Bangor  were  taken,  and  the  whole  country  from 
Penobscot  to  New  Brunswick  was  brought  under  the  British 
rule,  where  it  remained  till  the  end  of  the  war.  Sir  John  Sher- 
brooke was  publicly  thanked  for  this  gallant  service,  and  the 
Assembly  voted  one  thousand  pounds  to  buy  him  a  service  of 
plate.  Nova  Scotia  flourished  during  the  war  in  every  de- 
partment of  trade  and  commerce.     Sir  John  was  a  popular 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


309 


•i^overnor,  and  just  boforo  ho  retired  the  prineipal  eitizens  of 
llalifiix  tendered  him  a  grand  l)an(|uet.  lie  remained  in  ottiec 
until  1810,  when  he  was  promoted  to  the  governor-generalship 
of  Canada.  The  allairs  of  the  province  were  administered 
temporarily^  by  Maj.-Gen.  Straey  Smith,  until  the  arrival  of  the 
Karl  of  Dalhousie,  who  regularly  succeeded  Sir  John  Sher- 
brookc. 

3.  The  carl's  administration  Avas  distinguished  by  the  found- 
ing of  Dalhousie  college.  The  Legislature,  on  the  reconnnenda- 
tion  of  the  governor,  granted  thirty-nine  thousand  dollars,  out 
of  the  Castinc  fund,  —  a  fund  raised  in  Elaine  during  the  war, 
while  the  British  held  possession  there.  This  grant  was  for  the 
founding  of  a  college  in  Halifax,  in  connection  with  the  church 
of  Scotland,  but  open  to  all  denominations.  In  IS  18  a  part  of 
the  parade-ground  was  given  for  a  site  for  the  proposed  college. 
In  1819  the  Legislature  made  a  grant  of  eight  thousand  dollars 
for  the  erection  of  a  new  institution  to  be  called  Dalhousie  col- 
lege. In  1820  the  college  was  incorporated,  and  one  year  after 
another  grant  was  made  of  four  thousand  dollars  towards  the 
erection  of  a  building.  Owing  to  a  variety  of  causes,  chief  of 
which  was  the  existence  of  several  rival  institutions  in  Nova 
Scotia,  the  new  institution  was  not  put  in  successful  operation 
until  1863,  when  various  denominations  united  to  support  it. 
The  general  business  affairs  of  the  province  fell  into  a  condition 
of  comparative  stagnation  after  the  war,  and  for  a  considerable 
period  hard  times  prevailed  ;  but  the  able  administration  of  the 
Earl  of  Dalhousie  did  much  to  revive  the  lajjijfinf?  industries. 
The  earl  was  i)romoted  to  the  governor-generalship  of  Canada, 
and  Avas  succeeded  by  Lieutenant-General  Sir  James  Kempt, 
G.C.B.,in  June,  1820. 

4.  Sir  James  opened  his  administration  Avitli  an  ellbrt  to 
annex  Cape  Breton  to  Nova  Scotia,  and  we  may  therefore  glance 
over  the  history  of  that  island  from  its  erection  into  a  separate 
province,  in  17S4,  to  the  reunion  Avith  Xova  Scotia,  in  1820  ;  and 
in  the  first  place  Capo  Breton  did  not  enjoy  a  very  successful 
career  as  a  separate  dependency.  The  council  constantly 
(luarrelled  Avith  itself  and  Avith  the  goA'ernor.  jNIajor  Desbarres 
Avas  tlko  first  governor  appointed,  and  he  arrived  in  1784.  Pre- 
viously Louisbourg  had  l)een  the  capital  of  the  island  ;  but  the 
new  governor  selected  a  site  on  Spanish  river,  and  built  a  resi- 
dence there.  lie  called  the  place  Sydney,  in  honor  of  the 
colonial  secretary  of  that  day.  This  place  has  groAvn  to  be  a 
considerable  toAvn,  and  was  the  cilpital  of  the  island  throughout 


f  '■■». 


hii 


310 


IIISTOIIY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


its  scpanite  existence.  In  1 780  grunts  were  made  to  loyulists, 
and  the  settlements  greatly  inereased.  Desbnrres  was  succeeded 
by  Colonel  McCormick,  but  the  administration  of  the  latter  was 
not  attended  with  much  success  for  the  people  of  the  island. 
When  he  retired  the  government  Avas  left  with  the  president  of 
the  council  or  his  successor.  The  iumiigratiou  of  Highlanders 
was  an  event  in  the  history  of  Capo  Breton,  and  with  them 
came  a  declaration  from  the  crown,  in  answer  to  internal  dis- 
putes, uniting  the  island  with  Nova  Scotia.  The  laws  of  Nova 
Scotia  were  extended  over  the  province.  An  attempt  Avas  made 
to  reverse  the  decision  of  the  croAvn  ;  but  it  proved  unavailing, 
and  the  island  has  ever  since  remained,  politically,  a  part  of 
Nova  Scotia. 

5.  The  death  of  the  Eight  Reverend  Edmund  Burke,  first 
Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Nova  Scotia,  in  1820,  was  lamented 
by  all  classes.  He  was  one  of  the  most  enlightened  and  liberal- 
minded  prelates  of  America.  A  very  extensive  and  destructive 
bush  fire  o  •  ,urred  in  September,  1820,  which  rendered  about 
sixty  families  homeless  and  destitute.  Sir  James  Kempt  at 
once  sent  a  government  vessel  laden  Avitli  provisions  to  their 
relief,  and  subscriptions  for  their  benefit  were  also  taken  up 
throughout  the  province.  The  administration  of  Sir  James 
Kempt,  which  lasted  eight  years,  was  a  mild  and  prosperous 
one,  unmarked  by  any  political  agitation  or  any  very  noteworthy 
incidents.  The  great  fire  at  Miramichi,  in  1825,  elicited  deep 
and  Avidc-spread  sympathy  throughout  the  province,  and  hand- 
some subscriptions  for  the  sutterers  Avero  taken  up  in  the  dif- 
ferent districts.  Sir  James  Kempt  assiduously  devoted  himself 
to  the  consideration  of  the  roads  in  the  province,  Avhich  AA'cre  in 
a  Avrctched  condition,  and  made  a  tour  through  several  districts 
for  the  purpose  of  personal  inspection,  the  result  of  Avhich  Avas 
that  at  the  session  of  Parliament  in  1828  he  recommended  many 
great  and  important  changes  in  the  manner  of  conducting  the 
department,  Avhich  suggestions  Avere  adopted  by  the  house,  to 
the  subsequent  great  advantage  of  the  province.  Sir  James 
Kempt  left  the  province  in  August,  1828,  and  lion.  Mr.  Wallace 
acted  as  administrator  until  the  arri\'al  of  Sir  Peregrine  Mait- 
land,  Avho  had  been  transferred  from  Upper  Canada,  ^t  the 
session  of  Parliament  in  1824  a  considerable  commotion  Avas 
created  over  the  suspension  of  Mr.  Barry,  member  for  Shel- 
burne.  The  affair  has  been  thus  recorded  :  "  In  presenting  a 
petition  from  some  militia-men  asking  to  l)e  relieved  from  duty, 
he  made  use  of  some  expressions  for  which  he  was  censured  by 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


311 


tiit- 
itho 
Ivas 
iel- 


tho  house  and  ordered  to  apologize.  This  he  refused  to  do,  and 
was  suspended.  He  then  tried  to  get  his  constituents  to 
petition  the  house  to  expel  hlni,  so  that  he  might  be  reelected 
and  escape  having  to  apologize  ;  failing  in  this  he  wrote  a  violent 
letter  against  the  eommitteo  which  had  reported  on  his  case,  and 
attacked  its  individual  nienil)ers.  For  this  he  was  brought  to 
the  bar  of  the  house,  and  ordered  to  be  imprisoned  for  contempt 
during  the  balance  of  the  session  ;  but  he  was  rescued  by  a  num- 
ber of  his  friends,  and  the  members  of  the  house  liooted  at  and 
pelted  with  stones  and  snow  until  the  military  were  called  out 
and  the  mob  dispersed.  Mr.  Barry  was  subsequently  arrested 
and  imprisoned  for  the  remainder  of  the  session,  being  also  ex- 
pelled the  house.  He  was  reelected  for  Shelburne,  and  took 
his  scat  quietly  next  session,  when  he  was  not  disturbed.  The 
Assembly  showed  more  temper,  however,  Avith  (he  editors  of 
the  "Acadian  Recorder"  and  "  Free  Press,"  who  published  Mr. 
Barry's  letters,  and  these  gentlemen  were  called  to  the  bai  of 
the  house  on  the  8th  of  April,  1821),  and  repriniimded  by  the 
speaker,  an  attack  on  the  liberty  of  the  press  which  was  resented 
by  Mr.  Joseph  Howe,  then  of  the  "  Nova  Scotian,"  who  said  in 
hi^  next  issue  :  "  The  Assembly  claims  freedom  of  speech  within 
its  walls,  and  those  to  whom  the  press  is  entrusted  claim  it 
without ;  and  if  the  editors  are  brought  for  olfences  to  the  bar 
of  the  house,  legislators  may  depend  upon  this, —  that  they  will 
be  brought  individually  and  collectively  to  a  bitter  expiation 
before  the  bar  of  the  public." 

6.  The  "quit-rents"  question  was  a  prominent  one  in  Nova 
Scotia  politics  in  these  days,  as  in  the  adjacent  provinces  also. 
NoAV  these  quit-rents  originated  in  this  way :  when  Governor 
Laurence,  in  1759,  issued  a  proclamation  with  reference  to 
the  granting  of  public  lands,  it  was  stipulated  that  all  such 
lands  should  be  subject  to  a  quit-rent  of  one  shilling  a  year 
for  every  tifty  acres,  to  be  paid,  after  the  cxi)iration  of  ton 
years,  to  the  receiver-general.  Small  as  this  tax  Avas  it  Avas 
not  paid,  poverty  being  the  general  plea,  and  the  collection 
Avas  not  enforced.  In  1811  these  taxes  amounted  to  some 
forty  thousand  pounds,  and  an  etfort  Avas  made  by  the  receiver- 
general  to  collect  them  ;  but  he  had  only  got  in  a  fcAV  hundred 
pounds  Avhen  he  Avas  ordered  to  suspend  the  collection,  on 
account  of  a  petition  to  the  home  government  from  the  House 
of  Assembly.  The  matter  then  remained  in  abeyance  mitil 
1827,  Avhen  Lord  Bathurst,  Secretary  of  State  for  the  colonies, 
issued  an  order  remitting  all  back  rents  up  to  the  1st  of  January 


312 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


of  lliat  year,  but  ordering  Ihoir  collection  ii^  future,  the  pro- 
co(!(ls  to  bo  used  for  siicli  local  improvements  ns  might  pleuHi* 
the  judgment  of  his  majesty.  This  plan,  however,  met  with 
no  success,  and,  in  1821),  the  Assembly  gravely  resolved : 
"That  it  does  not  app(!ar  to  bo  the  general  wish  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  country  that  .  .  said  quit-rents  should  bc!  col- 
lected and  enforced  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  this  house;  is  induced 
to  believe  that  the  reliiKpiishment  of  the  claim  woidd  give 
general  satisfaction  to  the  people  of  Is'ova  Scotia,  as  their  long 
suspension  had  produced  a  belief  j.mong  the  inhabitants  in 
general  that  they  would  never  be  insisted  on,  and  that  the  transfers 
of  land  had  been,  Avith  scarcely  an  exception,  made  under  that 
impression."  ]n  1H.'50  there  was  a  dispute  between  the  house 
and  thc!  council  on  the  question  of  the  tax  on  brandy.  8oon 
after  the  temperance  movement  began  in  the  i)r()vince,  and 
many  societies  were  formed.  Steam  was  introduced,  ferries 
were  established,  and  in  1831  a  steamboat  made  regular  trips 
between  Pictou  and  Xew  Glasgow.  In  October,  1832,  the  admin- 
istration of  Sir  Perregrine  Maitland  terminated,  and  lion.  T.  N. 
Jett'ery  became  administrator  until  the  arrival  of  the  new  lieu- 
tenant-governor. Sir  Colin  Campbell. 

7.  The  short  administration  of  lion.  T.  N.  Jefl'cry  was  full 
of  events.  He  met  Parliament,  and  beyond  congratulating  the 
house  on  the  escape  of  the  province  from  cholera,  and  on  the 
union  Avith  Capo  Breton,  there  was  very  little  in  the  speech 
from  the  throne.  Chief-Justice  Blowers  having  resigned  after 
thirty-tive  years'  service,  the  administrator  appointed  Judge 
Haliburton  to  the  vacancy,  and  recommended  the  house  to  grant 
Judge  Blowers  a  pension.  lie  also  submitted  a  despatch  from 
Lord  Godcrich  recommending  an  increase  in  the  salaries  of 
judges,  the  pay  not  being  considc  "cd  sufficient.  The  chief- 
justice  received  eight  hundred  and  iifty  pounds  per  annum ; 
puisne  judges,  five  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  per  annum  ;  asso- 
ciate judge,  three  hundred  and  sixty  pounds ;  master  of  the 
rolls,  five  hundred  and  forty  pounds ;  chief-justice  inferior 
court  Capo  Breton,  four  hundred  and  fifty  pounds ;  the  three 
judges  of  the  eastern,  western,  and  middle  divisions,  four 
hundred  and  five  pounds  each.  The  house  in  reply  adopted  an 
address  to  his  majesty,  stating  the  willingness  of  the  house  at 
all  times  to  accede  to  his  majesty's  wislies,  and  to  contribute 
all  possible  aid  to  the  government,  when  required  to  do  so, 
in  the  manner  prescribed  by  the  British  constitution  and  the 
usages  of  the  Imperial  Parliament ;  and  prayed  that  the  con- 


MM 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


313 


trol  of  tlio  casual  and  torritorlal  revenue  should  ho  given  to 
the  house.  A  eonsiderablo  portion  t)f  the  time  ot'tiio  Assembly 
was  taken  up  in  discussiu';  the  currency  question,  and  a  l;ill 
passed  to  the  eH'oct  that  only  coin  or  treasury-notes  be  received 
for  provincial  duties ;  that  all  notes  issued  by  banks  or  indi- 
viduals Bhould  1)0  convertible  into  gold  or  silver  on  demand  ; 
that  the  passing  of  any  bills  not  so  payable  on  demand  should 
1)0  prohibited.  The  bill  passed  the  house,  but  was  rejected  by 
the  council ;  the  members,  however,  expressing  their  concur- 
rence in  the  principle  that  uU  bank-notes  should  be  convertible 
into  specie,  on  demand.  This  principle  was  shortly  after 
adopted.  On  the  occasion  of  the  opening  of  the  next  session 
of  Parliament,  in  1834,  the  administrator  sent  down  a  message 
on  the  subject  of  the  casual  and  territorial  revenues,  and  the 
quit-rents,  enclosing  an  extract  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  E.  G. 
Stanley,  Secretary  of  State  for  the  colonies,  in  AvJiich  he  offered 
to  surrender  to  the  house  the  casual  and  territorial  revenues  in 
exchange  for  a  tixed  civil  list  and  the  quit-rcMits,  on  adequate 
provision  being  made  for  the  support  and  independence  of  the 
judicial  establishment  of  the  province.  The  solicitor-general 
moved  the  adoption  of  a  series  of  resolutions  agreeing  to  the 
proposal,  and  a  bill  Avas  introduced  and  read  a  iirst  time.  It 
provided  for  the  salaries  as  follows  :  chief-justice,  twelve  hundred 
pounds,  besides  travelling  expenses  and  certain  fees  ;  attorney- 
general,  six  hundred  pounds ;  solicitor-general,  two  hundred 
pounds  ;  assistant  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  seven  hundred 
pomids  each;  master  of  the  rolls,  seven  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds ;  first  justice  of  Cape  Breton,  four  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds ;  three  justices  of  common  pleas  and  presidents  of 
sessions,  three  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  each ;  the  provincial 
secretaries,  one  thousand  pounds,  besides  five  hundred  pounds 
as  register,  one  hundred  pounds  as  clerk  of  the  council,  and 
four  hundred  pounds  for  clerks  and  contingencies.  The  salary 
of  the  governor  was  fixed  at  twenty-five  hundred  pounds. 
The  publication  of  the  salary-list  caused  great  indignation,  as 
it  was  held  that  the  province  was  not  in  a  position  to  stand  so 
heavy  a  civil  list,  and  petitions  from  several  counties,  as  well 
as  the  city  of  Halifax,  were  presented  against  it,  and  farther 
consideration  of  the  bill  was  laid  over  until  next  session. 
Nova  Scotia  at  this  time  was  almost  as  completely  in  the  hands 
of  a  "  Family  Compact "  as  was  Upper  Canada.  It  controlled 
the  executive  and  lejrislativo  councils,  the  meetings  of  which 
were  held  with  closed  doors,  and  was  very  tenacious  of  its 


3l4 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


ri^^lits  and  privileges  diifing  this  session.  "The  first  iittuek  on 
the  (>li;,'arehy  was  made  by  Mr.  Alex.  JStcwart,  in  the  uhape  of 
three  rcsoUitions,  havin«5  lor  their  olijeet  tlie  throwing;  open 
of  tlio  doors  of  the  eoinieil ;  an  increase  of  the  iunnl)er  of 
councillors  by  members  chosen  from  the  country  (all  the  mcni- 
bera  of  the  council  ut  this  time  were  residents  of  llalifax),  and 
the  divestin<jf  it  of  its  executive  powers.  The  resolutions  led 
to  nothin<if  at  the  time,  but  the  discussion  of  them  drew  atten- 
tion to  the  composition  of  the  council,  and  prepared  the  public 
mind  for  the  changes  which  were  to  come." 

8.  Tile  new  governor,  Major-General  Sir  Coliji  Camj)bell, 
K.C.B  ,  arrived  in  Halifax,  in  July,  1834,  and  assumed  the 
reins  of  government,  xdieving  Mr.  Jeffery,  after  an  adminis- 
tration of  eighteen  months.  "The  year  1834  was  a  dark  one 
for  Nova  Scotia,  and  es[)ecially  for  llalifax.  Two  years'  suc- 
cessive bad  harvests  greatly  reduced  the  province,  while  the 
scarcity  of  coin,  and  the  flooding  of  the  country  with  irredeem- 
able paper  money,  on  which  the  people  had  to  lose  nearly  four 
per  cent.,  caused  not  only  heavy  loss,  but  great  inconvenience. 
The  prices  of  produce  fell  very  nnich,  fish  declined  over  thirty 
per  cent.,  and  many  heavy  failures  took  place  in  Halifax;  but 
business  tn)uble  was  not  the  only  calamity  that  befell  llalifax 
during  this  luckless  summer,  i'<n-  the  grim  spectre  of  cholera 
marched  through  her  streets,  and  laid  many  of  her  fairest  sons 
and  daughters  in  the  cold  and  silent  tomb ;  while  fear  of  the 
dread  disease  drove  hundreds  from  the  city  and  kept  the  coun- 
try people  from  entering  it,  &,o  that  on  market  day  the  streets 
were  almost  as  deserted  as  on  the  Sabbath  during  chiu'ch  hours. 
The  disease  made  its  first  appearance  on  the  14th  of  August, 
when  several  cases  were  reported,  and  all  through  that  month 
and  part  of  Sept'  uxber,  the  death-rate  continued  to  increase 
until  September;  vLen  twenty-three  deaths  were  reported  as 
having  taken  pluc  ,  on  the  previous  day,  out  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty -four  cases."  Soon  after  the  weather  became  cooler, 
and  the  disease  gradually  disappeared. 

9.  The  session  of  Parliament  of  183G  was  characterized  by 
a  settlement  of  the  quit-rents  question,  and  the  appointment  of 
a  committee  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  education  in  the  prov- 
ince. The  report  of  the  committee  informs  us  that  an  act  for 
the  cstabhshment  of  common  and  grammar  schools  had  been 
passed  in  1832,  the  support  depending  on  the  voluntary  con- 
tributions of  each  district.  The  report  shows  that,  in  1836, 
there  "were  five  hundred  and  thirty  schools  in  the  province,  at- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


315 


i 


tended  l)y  nn  nggrej^ato  of  iiftoeii  thousand  children,  Avhleh  vraa 
a  good  exhibit.  An  eleetiou  was  hckl  in  1H'M\,  at  which  ^fr. 
Joseph  IIowo  and  Mr.  William  Annand  wore  elected  to  repre- 
sent Halifax  County.  Th(>so  wero  two  of  the  a))lest  reform  men 
of  that  day,  and,  with  tlu'ir  accession  to  the  house,  new  ditii- 
culties  aroso  between  that  hody 
and  the  council.  Mr.  IIowo 
introduced  twelve  resolutions, 
concerning  tho  council,  which 
present  the  state  ofallairs  at  that 
time.  Therefore,  tho  following 
synopsis  is  given:  —  In  tho 
infancy  of  tho  colony  its  gov- 
crnuicnt  was  necessarily  vested 
in  a  governor  ai;d  council,  and 
even  after  a  representative 
assembly  was  granted,  tho 
practice  of  choosing  members 
of  council  exclusively  from 
tho  heads  of  departments,  and 
persons  resident  j'l  tho  capital,  was  still  pursued,  and,  with  a 
solitary  exception,  had  been  continued  to  tho  present  time. 
Tho  practical  effect  of  this  system  had  been  in  tho  highest 
degree  injurious  to  tho  interests  of  tho  country,  inasmuch  us 
one  branch  of  tho  Legislature  had  been  generally  composed  of 


HON.    JOSEril    HOWE. 


men  Avho,  from  want  of  local  knoAvledgo  and  experience,  were 
not  qualified  to  decide  upon  tho  wants  of  distant  jjortions  of  tho 
province,  by  which  tho  eftbrts  of  tho  reijresentativo  branch 
were  in  many  instances  neutralized.  Among  tho  proofs  that 
might  be  adduced  of  the  evils  arising  from  tho  imperfect  struc- 
ture of  tho  council,  it  was  oidy  necessary  to  refer  to  tho  unsuc- 
cessful eftbrts  of  the  Assembly  to  extend  to  tho  outports  the 
advantages  of  foreign  trade  ;  to  the  largo  sum  which  it  was 
compelled,  after  a  long  struggle,  to  resign  for  the  support  of 
the  customs  establishment ;  to  tho  difficulties  thrown  in  the  way 
of  a  liberal  system  of  education,  and  to  tho  recent  abortive  at- 
tempt to  abolish  tho  fees  taken  l)y  tho  judges  of  tho  Supremo 
Court.  At  tho  lastionsus  of  the  population,  taken  in  1827, 
tho  membership  of  the  Episcopal  Church  was  twenty-eight 
thousand,  and  that  of  the  dissenters  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
thousand ;  yet  the  appointments  to  the  council  were  mainly 
made  from  the  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  so  as  to  secure 
to  that  body  a  decided  majority  at  the  board.     There  were  now 


'!  1 

I  ill 


■n 


*  *'i 


i 

I 


316 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


in  the  council  eight  members  representing  the  church,  whilst 
the  l*rosl)ytcrians,  who  were  much  more  numerous,  had  but 
three  representatives,  and  the  Roman  Catholics  —  a  larfrc  body 
—  had  I)ut  one  representative;  the  Methodists  and  Baptists 
being  entirely  unrepresented.  The  bishop  of  the  Episcojial 
Church  was  a  member  of  the  council,  whilst  the  Roman  Catholic 
bishop  and  clergymen  of  all  other  denominations  Avere  excluded. 
The  result  of  this  state  of  things  ^vas  a  general  and  injurious 
sj'stem  of  favoritism  and  monopoh',  extending  almost  thiough 
every  department  of  the  public  service  over  which  the  local 
government  had  no  control,  thereby  vesting  in  the  hands  of  a 
^)art  of  the  population  the  resources  arising  from  the  industry 
of  the  whole,  and  creating  invidious  distinction  and  jealous  dis- 
content in  the  mind.5  of  a  largo  number  of  his  majesty's  subjects. 
Two  family  connections  embraced  five  members  of  the  council. 
Till  very  recently  five  others  Averc  copartners  in  one  mercantile 
concern,  and  to  tlris  circumstance  might  be  attributed  the  failure 


of  the  efibrts  of  the  Assembly  to  fix  a  standard  of  value,  and 
establish  a  sound  currency  iu  the  proA'ince.  The  Assembly  had 
for  years  assorted  this  right  to  coutrol  the  casual  and  territorial 
revenues  of  the  country,  whether  arising  from  the  fees  of  office, 
the  sale  of  lands,  or  the  royalty  paid  upon  the  protluco  of  the 
mines  ;  but  their  efforts  to  obtain  justice  had  been  unsuccessful. 
The  lands  of  the  province  were  in  etfect  mortgaged  to  pay  the 
commissioner  a  salary  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  services  he 
was  called  upon  to  perform,  while  all  the  mines  and  minerals 
of  the  province  had  been  leased  for  sixty  years  to  a  wealthy 
English  company,  without  the  couvsent  of  the  representatives  of 
the  people.  The  presence  of  the  chief-justice  at  the  council 
board  was  unwise  and  injurious,  having  a  tendency  to  lessen 
the  respect  which  the  people  ought  to  feel  for  the  courts  over 
which  he  presided.  From  the  warm  interest  he  had  always 
felt  in  pul)lic  questions,  and  particularly  in  some  ot  those  in 
which  the  representative  branch  and  tho  council  had  been 
diametricallj'^  opposed,  and  from  the  infiuence  which  his  position 
gave  him  over  a  numerous  bar,  he  had  generally  l)een  regarded 
as  the  head  of  a  political  party,  and  frequently  brought  into 
violent  conflict  with  a  people  imbued  with  the  truly  British 
idea  that  judges  ought  not  to  mingle  in  the  trials  and  contentions 
of  politics.  The  evils  arising  from  the  structure  of  the  council, 
and  the  disposition  evinced  by  some  of  its  members  to  protect 
their  own  interests  and  emoluments  at  the  public  expense,  were 
rendered  more  injurious  by  the  uucoustitutior.al  and  insulting 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


317 


practice,  still  pertinaciously  adhered  to  by  that  l)ody,  of  shuttiii^ 
out  the  people  froni  their  deliberations,  —  a  practice  which  was 
opposed  to  that  of  the  House  of  Lords  in  England,  of  the  legis- 
lative councils  of  Lower  Canada,  New  Brunswick,  Prince 
Edward  Island,  and  Newfoundland,  and  persevered  iu  notwith- 
standing the  murnuirs  and  complaints  of  the  people,  and  the 
repeated  representations  and  remonstrances  of  the  Assembly. 
In  England  the  people  by  one  vote  of  their  representative 
could  change  the  ministrjs  and  alter  any  course  of  policy  in- 
jurious to  their  interests  ;  but  here  the  ministry  and  his  majesty's 
council,  combinmg  legislative,  judicial,  and  executive  powers, 
held  their  seats  for  life,  and  treated  with  contempt  or  indifl'cr- 
ence  the  wishes  of  the  people,  and  the  representatives  of  Com- 
mons. In  England  the  representative  branch  could  compel  a 
redress  of  grievances  by  withholding  the  supplies.  Here  they 
had  no  such  remedy,  because  the  salaries  of  nearly  all  the  public 
officers  being  provided  for  by  a  permanent  clause,  or  paid  out 
of  the  casual  or  territorial  revenues,  or  from  the  produce  of 
duties  collected  under  the  imperial  acts,  a  stoppage  of  supplies, 
while  it  inflicted  a  great  injury  on  the  country  by  leaving  the 
roads,  bridges,  and  other  essential  services  unprovided  for, 
Avould  not  touch  the  emoluments  of  the  heads  of  departments 
in  the  council,  or  of  any  but  a  few  of  the  subordinate  officers 
of  the  government.  As  a  remedy  for  these  grievances  it  Avas 
suggested  to  pray  his  majesty  to  take  such  otc  ps ,  either  by 
granting  an  elective  legislative  council,  or  by  such  other  recon- 
struction of  the  local  government  as  would  insure  responsibility 
to  the  commons,  and  confer  on  the  people  of  the  province,  what 
they  valued  above  all  other  possessions,  the  blessings  of  the 
British  constitution.  The  council  was  embittered  with  these 
resolutions,  and,  on  the  5th  of  March,  gave  the  house  the  alter- 
native of  rescinding  them  or  being  ignored  by  the  council 
altogether. 


This  created  the  greatest  excitement,  and  Mr. 
Howe  himself  moved  to  rescind  the  obnoxious  resolutions, 
and  the  motion  was  adopted,  by  which  the  public  business  was 
resumed. 


318 


mSTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 


NOVA  SCOTIA  FROM   1837  TO  1852. 


THB     BATTLE     AND      VICTORY      OF      KE8POKSIBLE       GOVERNMENT 
GROWTH    AND   DEVELOPMENT    OF   THE    PROVINCE. 


RAILWAYS 


1.  The  fishery  question,  which  has  ever  been  one  of  great 
difficulty  in  the  maritime  provinces,  is  still  unsettled.  The 
Americans  have  had  the  advantage  of  British  American  waters 
for  many  years,  and  have  managed,  through  diplomacy,  to  pay 
but  little  therefor.  The  war  of  1812-15  put  a  stop  to  Amer- 
ican fishing  for  the  time  being,  and  Nova  Scotia  took  advantage 
of  the  temporary  suspension  to  petition  the  home  government 
that  the  right  of  the  province  should  thereafter  be  mor'^  der 
nitely  respected  in  treaty  enactments.  By  the  treaty  of  iaiis, 
1815,  the  fisheries  question  was  lelt  to  a  convention,  which  did 
not  settle  thj  terms  on  which  the  Americans  could  fish  in  Nova 
Scotia  and  Newfoundland  waters  until  1818,  when  ar  arrange- 
ment Was  agreed  to  by  which  foreigners  were  excluded  from 
fishing  Avithin  three  miles  of  the  headlands,  or  landing  on  its 
coasts.  These  conditions  were  speedily  broken  by  the  Amer- 
ican fishermen,  who  bought  bait  from  the  inhabitants,  set  nets 
in  the  harbors,  and  otherwise  violated  the  treaty.  Thus  things 
continued,  and  in  1837  the  Assembly  voted  five  hundred  pounds 
for  arming  small  vessels  for  the  protection  of  the  coast. 

2.  lu  1837  an  efibrt  was  made  to  incorporate  the  town  of 
Halifax,  but  was  unsuccessful,  the  house  refusing  to  (^rant  the 
petition.  The  rebellion  in  Upper  and  Lower  Conada  Avas  not 
sympathized  in  by  the  reformers  of  Nova  Scotia.  At  the  ses- 
sion of  the  house  in  1838,  the  address  from  Sir  Colin  Camp- 
bell, the  governor,  infonned  the  Assembly  of  the  suppressing 
of  the  rebellion  in  Lower  Canada,  and  thanked  the  people, 
through  their  rcpresntatives,  for  the  loyal  and  patriotic  manner 
in  which  they  had  acted  during  the  troubles  in  the  sister  prov- 
inces. Messages  were  sent  down  during  the  session  eml)odying 
despatches  from  the  home  govcrp.ment,  in  Avhich  almost  all  the 
reforms  petitioned  for  at  the  last  session  were  granted.  It  was 
ordered  that  neither  the  chief-justif  e  nor  any  of  his  colleagues 
should  sit  in  the  council,  so  that  the  administrators  of  justice 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


319 


may  be  entirely  removed  from  all  participation  in  political 
affairs ;  the  right  of  the  representatives  of  the  people  to  control 
the  whole  revenue  of  the  province  was  admitted  ;  the  rents  and 
royalties  of  the  mines  were  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  house, 
and  the  change  in  the  constitution  of  the  council  demanded  by 
the  house  in  its  petition  granted.  By  this  change  two  councils 
were  created,  one  purely  executive,  consisting  of  nine  members, 
and  the  other  legit  lative,  consisting  of  nineteen  members.  The 
governor  was  instructed  to  send  a  list  of  names  of  the  persons 
he  would  suggest  for  appointment  to  the  two  councils,  and  pro- 
posed th.at  all  the  members  of  the  old  council  should  be  reap- 
pointed to  one  of  the  new  councils  ;  but  Lord  Glenelg  declined 
to  accede  to  this,  expressing  the  desire  of  her  majesty,  however, 
that  all  the  present  councillors  who  were  not  reappointed  should 
retain  their  rank  and  title  on  retiring  into  private  life,  as  there 
was  no  intention  to  sulyect  them  to  reproach  or  discredit.  In 
the  formation  of  the  executive  council  not  more  than  one  fourth 
were  to  be  public  officers,  and  the  other  members  were  to  be 
appointed  from  different  parts  of  the  province  and  different 
religious  denominations,  in  such  manner  that  it  should  be  made 
evident  that  no  invidious  selections  were  ^iiadc  on  religious 
grounds.  Sir  Colin  Campbell,  however,  entirely  ignored  the 
latter  part  of  his  instructions,  and  out  of  nine  executive  coun- 
cillors seven  were  members  of  the  Church  of  England  ;  and  out 
of  the  nineteen  members  of  the  legislative  council  ten  belonged 
to  the  same  communion.  This  action  was  highly  distasteful  to 
the  Assembly,  and  a  resolution  was  adopted  that  a  committee 
be  appointed  to  wait  on  the  lieutenant-governor  and  express 
the  dissatisfaction  of  the  house  at  his  not  having  carried  out  the 
liberal  instructions  of  the  home  government,  licfoi'e  anything 
more  was  done,  however,  a  despatch  w-as  received  requiring 
the  reconstruction  of  the  council,  which  was  accordingly  dis- 
solved, and  the  house  prorogued. 

3.  The  enthusiasm  of  the  Assembly  on  the  receipt  of  infor- 
mation that  American  troops  had  occupied  part  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, on  account  of  difficulties  growing  out  of  the  frontier 
question,  characterized  the  session  of  ISoi).  The  house  at  once 
put  eiglit  thousand  men  at  the  disposal  of  the  governor  and  voted 
one  hundred  thousand  pounds  to  defray  expenses.  Fortunately 
war  was  avoided,  as  will  be  seen  in  our  history  of  New  Bruns- 
wick. During  this  session  Messrs.  Herbert  Huntington  and 
William  Young  were  appointed  by  the  Assembly  to  proceed  to 
England  and  urge  on  the  government  the  justice  of  granting 


^IM::| 


Ss  'I  ' " 


1  »fi  "^ 

ilil 

1 

1 

320 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


responsible  government ;  while  the  legislative  eonncil  appointed 
Hon.  Alex.  Stewart  and  Hon.  Louis  M.  Wilkins  to  oppose  uny 
change  in  the  existing  style  of  government.  The  delegates  of 
the  Assembly  had  several  interviews  with  Lord  Normandy,  and 
gained  eertain  concessions.  Cumberland,  Pansboro',  Windsor, 
Shelburne,  and  Lunenburg  were  made  free  ports  of  entry;  the 
customs  and  excise  departments  were  combined,  thus  saving 
about  one  thousand  live  hundred  pounds  a  year  to  the  province, 
and  some  reforms  were  effected  in  the  management  of  the  postal 
department.  A  bill  was  also  sanctioned  by  government  allow- 
ing actual  settlers  to  acquire  land  as  low  as  one  shilling  an  acre. 
The  publication  of  the  Earl  of  Durham's  report  on  the  British 
American  colonies,  in  which  he  urged  a  imion  of  all  the  prov- 
inces, caused  much  excitement  in  Nova  Scotia,  and  popular 
feeling  was  altogether  opposed  to  the  projected  union.  The 
Assembiy  massed  a  series  of  resolutions  against  the  project,  the 
strongest  ol  w  hich  was  as  follows  :  "  That  a  federal  union  of  the 
British  AnK>riean  colonies  would  prove  an  extremely  difficult  if 
not  an  impracticable  measure  ;  that  the  experiment,  if  prac- 
tical>le,  would  be  eminently  dangerous  to  the  interests  of  the 
mother  country  as  well  as  those  of  the  colonies ;  that  its  ten- 
dency M'ould  be  to 'separate  the  colonies  from  the  parent  State, 
by  imbuing  the  rising  generation  Avith  a  fondness  of  elective 
institutions  to  an  extent  inconsistent  with  the  British  constitu- 
tion ;  that  it  would  involve  the  lower  colonies,  which  are  now 
contented  and  peaceable,  in  the  political  discussions  of  Lower 
Canada,  and  add  greatly  to  their  local  and  general  expenditures, 
without  producing  any  adequate  benefit  to  them,  to  the  Canadas, 
or  to  the  empire  at  large." 

4.  But  there  are  some  other  things  aside  from  politics, 
events  of  which  mention  should  be  made.  The  province  was 
steadily  growing,   emigrants  flowed   in,  trade  and  commerce 


Avas  beginning  to 
Judge  Hali- 


flourished,  and  the  necessity  for  the  greater  use  of  that  great 
civilizer  of  the  nineteenth  century  —  steam 
be  felt.  As  early  as  1838  eflbrts  Avere  made  by 
burton  and  others  to  establish  steam  commuiiication  betAVcen 
Halifax  and  Liverpool,  and  in  the  spring  of  that  year  he  had 
an  intcrvicAV  Avitli  Captain  Claxton,  secretary  of  the  Bristol 
Steam  Packet  Company,  on  the  subject,  and  afterAA^ards  at- 
tended a  meeting  of  the  owners  of  the  "  Great  Western,"  who 
expressed  their  Avillingness  to  put  vessels  on  the  line,  proA'ided 
the  government  would  grant  a  subsidy  for  carrying  the  mails. 
Application  Avas  also  made  in  the  summer  of  lfc38  to  Lord 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


321 


Clcnclg,  Ijy  Mr.  Howe  and  Mr.  Win.  Crane,  of  New  Bnins- 
wiek,  and  his  lordship  promised  to  give  the  matter  his  atten- 
tion. During  the  following  year  the  matter  was  put  into 
definite  shape  by  the  government  entering  into  a  contract  with 
Mr.  Samuel  Cunard  (afterwards  knighted),  a  native  of  Halifax, 
for  the  carrying  of  a  Avcekly  mail  between  Liverpool  and  Hali- 
fax and  Boston,  the  annual  subsidy  being  fifty-tivc  thousand 
jDOunds.  This  project  was  snccessfully  carried  out,  and  the  line 
thus  established  now  ranks  among  the  largest  steamship  com- 
panies in  the  world,  numbering  over  fifty  vessels.  The  year 
previous  the  first  railway  in  Nova  Scotia  was  opened,  running 
between  Albion  coal  mines  and  New  Glasgow.  The  event  was 
celebrated  by  a  grand  banquet,  at  wliich  over  two  thousand 
persons  sat  down  to  an  abundance.  But,  while  these  internal 
improvements  were  going  on,  the  fight  for  responsible  govern- 
ment waged  with  greater  intensity.  Mr.  Howe  led  the  I'eform- 
crs,  and  they  pushed  the  cause  with  great  enthusiasm.  Sir 
Colin  Campbell  was  a  stanch  old  tor}^  and,  although  the 
homo  government  had  instructed  him  to  administer  the  affairs 
of  the  province  in  accordance  WMth  the  wishes  of  the  people, 
he  was  not  to  be  persuaded.  He  had  resolutely  set  his  face 
against  responsible  government,  and  he  fought  it  as  coura- 
geously and  as  persistently  as  he,  fourteen  jears  afterwards, 
fought  the  Russian  army  at  Balaklava  with  his  "noble  six 
hundred."  He  replied  to  the  house,  that  to  comply  with  its 
request  "svould  be  to  introduce  a  change  in  the  fundamental  law 
of  the  province,  and  he  could  not  interpret  the  secretary's 
letter  as  bearing  so  liberal  a  construction  as  that ;  he  therefore 
declined  to  make  any  changes  in  the  executive  council.  The 
house  and  the  governor  were  now  at  direct  variance ;  and  the 
only  course  left  for  the  former  to  resort  to  Avas  to  petition  the 
home  government  to  remove  Sir  Colin,  which  was  done  in  a 
very  moderate-toned  address,  calmly  but  forcibly  setting  forth 
the  reasons  for  the  desired  change,  and  couched  in  such  respect- 
ful but  irresistible  language  that  the  homo  government  could 
not  fail  to  see,  that,  if  the  governor  would  not  exercise  the 
power  placed  in  his  hands,  some  one  must  succeed  him,  who 
would.  The  concludinjr  paragraph  states  the  case  very  clearly  : 
"  That  your  majesty  will  join  with  this  house  in  obviating  the 
nccessit}'-  for  such  appeals"  (referring  to  appeals  to  the  public 
opinion  of  the  other  colonies,  and  not  to  arms,  as  may  be  in- 
ferred) ;  "  that  you  will  repress  these  absurd  attempts  to 
govern  provinces  by  the  aid,  and  for  the  exclusive  benefit,  of 


•if  "4 


I'^^i-' 


322 


niSTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


minorities,  this  Assembly  confidently  believe  ;  and,  in  asking 
yonr  majesty  to  remove  Sir  Colin  Campbell,  and  send  to  Nova 
Scotia  a  governor  who  Avill  not  only  represent  the  crown,  l)ut 
carry  out  its  policy  with  firmness  and  good  faith,  the  repre- 
sentatives of  Nova  Scotia  perform  a  painful  duty  to  their 
sovereign,  and  to  their  constituents,  but  recommend  the  only 
remedy  which  they  fear  can  now  be  applied  to  establish 
harmony  between  the  executive  and  the  legislature  of  this 
province." 

5.  The  fight  for  responsible  government  was  now  fairly 
inaugurated,  and  Joseph  Howe  Avas  its  champion  and  leader. 
On  the  80th  of  March,  1840,  a  public  meeting  was  held  in  Ma- 
sonic Hall,  Ht'.lifax,  at  which  the  action  of  the  Assembly  in  re- 
questing the  recall  of  Sir  Colin  Campbell  was  freely  discussed  by 
both  the  Iriends  and  opponents  of  the  Assembly ;  but,  after  a 
debate  of  about  seven  hours,  it  broke  up  in  some  confusion, 
and  both  parties  claimed  to  have  had  the  support  of  a  majority 
of  those  present.  All  doubt,  however,  as  to  the  intention  of 
the  colonial  secretary  was  soon  after  set  at  rest  by  the  arrival 
of  the  report  of  a  speech  made  l)y  him  in  the  Imperial  Parlia- 
ment on  presenting  some  Canadian  correspondence,  on  the  23d 
of  March  (a  week  before  the  Halifax  meeting  was  held).  Ho 
said,  "  The  practice  had  unfortunately  prevailed  that  there  had 
been  one  set  of  men  enjoying  the  confidence  of  the  governor, 
forming  very  often  a  small  party  in  the  colony,  distributing  the 
revenues  of  the  country  according  to  their  own  notions ;  and, 
on  the  other  hand,  there  had  been  men,  ambitious  perhaps, 
stirring  perhaps,  but  at  the  same  time  of  great  public 
talents,  and  that  these  should  be  excluded  from  their  share  in 
the  administration  seemed  an  unfortunate  and  vicious  system ; 
and  they  thought  that,  by  the  rule  of  the  administration,  a  better 
practice  ought  to  be  introduced.  In  conformity  with  this 
opinion  his  predecessor  in  otiice,  the- Marquis  of  Normandy, 
informed  the  governor  of  Nova  Scotia  that,  whenever  a  va- 
cancy occurred  in  the  council,  he  was  to  till  it  up  by  those  per- 
sons selected  from  the  majority  of  the  Assembly  whom  he  thought 
most  qualified  for  such  a  trust.  The  occasion  of  making  appoint- 
ments arose  soon  after  ho  had  succeeded  his  noble  friend,  and 
the  Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  requested  to  know  whether  he  was 
to  act  on  the  directions  which  he  had  received  from  his  prede- 
cessor. Ho  told  him  he  was ;  and  ho  knew  no  bettec  Avay  of 
giving  confidence  to  the  provinces,  and  at  the  same  time 
making  the  leaders  of  the  Assembly  practised  men  of  business, 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


323 


than  by  appointing  them  to  situations  of  official  trust  and 
responsibility,  llo  could  by  no  means  lay  down  an  in<lexible 
rule  on  the  subject,  l)ut  he  maintained  a  f^eneral  stylo  should 
be  adopted  by  whicii  the  leaders  among  the  majority  of  the 
Asseml)ly  should  bo  included  in  tlic  executive  government." 

6.  The  marriage  of  Queen  Victoria,  in  1840,  was  the  cause 
of  groat  rejoicings  in  Nova  Scotia  ;  also,  the  arrival  of  the 
pioneer  Cunard  steamer  "IJiitannia,"  on  the  17tli  July,  after  a 
very  successful  passage  of  twelve  days  and  a  half, — a  happy 
omen  of  the  good  fortune  which  has  attended  that  lucky  line  to 


the  present  day.  Her  arrival  was  made  quite  an.  event  in  both 
Halifax  and  Boston,  especially  at  the  latter  place,  where  she 
was  most  enthusiasticall}^  received,  and  Mr.  Cunard  was  pre- 
sented by  the  citizens  with  a  service  of  plate  in  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  services.  During  the  summer  Halifax  was  visited 
by  Mr.  C.  Poulet  Thompson,  Governor-General  of  the  British 
Provinces  in  North  America,  who  carefully  consulted  with  the 
leaders  of  both  parties  on  the  subject  of  the  proposed  reforms 
in  the  constitution  of  the  province.  In  particular  he  had  a 
long  interview  Avith  Mr.  Howe,  Avho  read  and  exp'  'ned  to  him 
his  (Mr.  Howe's)  pamphlet  on  responsible  government,  in 
which  he  argued  that  it  could  be  just  as  safely  and  prolitably 
applied  to  Nova  Scotia  as  to  England.  The  governor  asked 
many  questions  and  explanations,  and  when  he  left  the  i)rov- 
ince  the  reformers  felt  perfectly  assured  that  his  report  would 
be  in  favor  of  granting  their  reasonable  demands.  It  Avas  now 
generally  known  that  Sir  Colin  Campbell  was  to  be  recalled 
and  Viscount  Falkland  was  to  succeed  him.  His  lordship  ar- 
rived at  Halifax  in  September,  1840,  and  Sir  Colin  Campbell 
retired  Avith  the  respect  of  nearly  all  classes,  notwithstanding 
his  ])itter  opposition  to  the  advocates  of  responsible  govern- 
ment. 

7.  Lord  Falkland  Avas  no  sooner  installed  in  the  govern- 
ment than  he  caused  the  retirement  of  several  of  the  executive 
council,  and  summoned  Messrs.  Howe  and  M'Nab  to  that  body. 
This  Avas  the  beginning  of  responsible  government.  The  house 
Avas  dissoh'cd  in  1840,  and  a  new  election  ordered,  AAdiich, 
however,  did  not  materially  change  the  complexion  of  that 
body,  as  the  reformers  were  still  in  a  respectalde  majority. 
On  the  meeting  of  the  new  house,  in  1841,  Joseph  HoAve  AA'as 
elected  speaker.  The  principal  acts  of  the  sci-sioa  Avere  those 
granting  aid  to  general  educational  purposes,  and  incorporating 
the  town  of  Halifax.     In  1843  the  Assembly  became  entangled 


324 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


over  the  question  of  donominational  colleges,  {ind  the  governor 
dissolved  the  house,  and  at  the  next  election  the  refonners  were 
beaten  by  a  light  majority.  The  act  of  dissolution  created  a 
Avider  breach  between  the  governor  and  the  reform  party. 
Messrs.  Howe  and  Annand  were  the  leaders  of  the  latter,  and 
Mr.  Johnson  was  the  champion  of  the  Tories.  The  difficulty 
between  the  two  parties  was  increased  when  M.  ~  i^l.  Alisoa, 
a  gentleman  who  was  a  relative  of  Mr.  Johnson's,  fc  had  net 
a  seat  in  either  branch  of  the  Legislature,  was  called  to  the 
executive  council  by  Lord  Falkland,  who  maintained  that  the 
right  of  appointing  to  office  rested  entirely  in  his  own  hands. 
On  the  appointment  being  made  known,  Messrs.  Howe,  IJni- 
ache,  and  M'Xab,  tendered  the  resignation  of  their  seats  in 
the  executive  council. 

8.  The  governor,  in  his  speech  from  the  throne,  in  1844, 
laid  down  as  his  policy,  that  he  did  not  think  that  the  executive 
council  should  be  composed  entirely  of  one  party,  and  that  it 
would  be  most  conducive  to  the  interests  of  the  province  to 
have  all  parties  represented ;  and  that  while  he  would  use  the 
royal  prerogative  mikll}'  and  justly,  for  the  benefit  of  all  classes 
of  her  majest3''s  subjects,  he  M'ould  strongly  oppose  any  attempt 
to  infringe  on  it.  The  debate  on  the  address  lasted  two  weeks, 
and  Avas  finally  cariied  by  a  narrow  majority  of  two,  the  vote  be- 
ing twenty-six  to  twenty-four.  Towards  the  end  of  the  session 
Mr.  IIowc  moved  a  vote  of  want  of  confidence  in  the  executive 
council,  but  was  defeated  by  three  votes.  Overtures  were 
made  to  Messrs.  Howe,  Uniaclie,  and  M'Nab  to  resume  their 
seats  in  the  council,  but  they  declined,  and  soon  afterwards 
Mr.  Howe  resumed  his  connection  with  the  "Nova  Scotian  " 
and  "Morning  Chronicle,"  and  began  a  fierce  newspaper  war 
on  the  governor,  who  Mas  constantly  lampooned  in  the  columns 
of  those  journals.  The  governor  still  c(mtinued  his  efforts  to 
get  some  of  the  reform  party  into  the  council,  and  tendered 
seats  to  five  gentlemen,  two  of  whom  were  Catholics,  but  ex- 
cluded Mr.  Ilowe,  for  the  reason  —  as  stated  in  a  despatch  to 
Lord  Stanlc}',  colonial  secretary  —  that  the  main  fact  of  his 
being  reinstated  in  the  council,  after  the  bitter  attacks  made  by 
him  through  his  newspaper  on  the  representative  of  her  majesty, 
would  be  a  degradation  of  his  (the  governor's  )  position,  and 
make  Mr.  Howe  de  facto  governor  of  Nova  Scotia.  The  colo- 
nial secretary  entirely  approved  of  Lord  Falkland's  conduct  in 
asserting  his  right  to  call  whom  he  pleased  to  assist  him  in  his 
deliberations  with  regard  to  the  government  of  the  province. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


325 


9.  The  session  of  the  Asscn)l)ly  in  1845  was  u  stormy  one, 
but  the  government  had  a  majority  strong  enough  to  facilitate 
the  business,  and  the  reformers  could  do  nothing  but  continue 
their  scurrilous  abuse  of  the  governor  in  the  columns  of  the 
"  Chronicle"  and  "  Nova  Scotian," — a  class  of  journalism  at  which 
Mr.  Howe  was  an  expert.  One  doggerel  composition  in  par- 
ticular, entitled  "The  Lord  of  the  Bedchamber, "  caused  much 
indignation,  and  was  made  the  subject  of  discussion  in  the 
house.  During  the  sunnner  Lord  Falkland  made  a  journey 
through  the  province,  but  was  coldly  received  in  several  places, 
and  in  some  almost  openly  insulted.  During  the  year  1845 
the  question  of  a  railway  from  Ilalifnx  to  Quebec  was  very 
freely  discussed  in  the  press,  and  a  provincial  committee  Avas 
appointed,  who  collected  a  deal  of  valuable  information  as  to 
the  rout.e,  etc.,  and  strongly  urged  the  great  advantage  such  a 
line  would  l)e  to  the  province  in  dcvelo2)ing  its  resources,  and 
increasing  its  trade  and  connncrce.  During  this  year  the  ad- 
visability of  a  railway  between  Halifax  and  Windsor  was  also 
discussed  at  a  public  meeting  in  Halifax,  and  resolutions 
adopted  in  favor  of  its  construction.  The  ill-feeling  between 
the  governor  and  the  reform  party  still  continued,  and  Mr. 
Howe  kept  up  his  newspaper  attacks ;  in  184G  he  published  a 
long  and  bitter  article  against  the  governor,  because  some  of  his 
friends  had  called  Mr.  Howe  a  mendicant,  on  account  of  his 
having  accepted  a  sum  of  money  from  his  admirers  to  compen- 
sate him  for  the  loss  he  sustained  in  resigning  his  office  under  the 
government.  It  haA^ng  become  manifest  that  Lord  Falkland's 
influence  for  good  Avas  gone,  he  Avas  recalled  in  August,  184{>, 
and  Sir  John  Harvey,  Avho  had  been  governor  of  Prince  Ed- 
Avard  Island,  Xcav  Brunswick,  and  NeAvfoundland,  Avas  appointed 
to  succeed  him. 

10.  Sir  John  Harvey  undertook  to  smooth  over  party 
differences,  but  he  found  the  reformers  more  inclined  to  trust  the 
polls  at  the  coming  election  than  to  listen  to  any  compromises  he 
had  to  offer.  They  Avere  not  disappointed;  for,  in  1847,  the 
reformers  again  came  into  power,  and  voted  no  confidence  in 
the  council,  Avhieh  caused  the  resignation  of  the  members  of  that 
body,  Avhen  a  ncAv  council  or  cabinet  Avas  formed  from  the 
leading  reformers  in  the  house,  by  AA'hich  the  much-coveted 
responsible  government  Avas  fully  inaugurated.  The  great 
political  tide  now  began  to  ebb,  and  the  government  and  people 
turned  their  attention  to  the  development  of  the  resources 
of  the  country.     The  coal  mines  Avere  operned,  telegraph  lines 


a,J! 


320 


IIISTOUY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


were  complptod,  mail  routes  est abli shed,  education  supported, 
and  the  population  increased  and  improved.  In  IHM)  iIk;  laws 
were  consolidated.  The  report  of  tlio  connnitt(;o  liavinif  tho 
work  in  charffo  thus  concluded  :  "In  the  execution  of  the  im- 
portant and  onerous  trust  eonnnitted  to  our  charge,  though  wo 
have  heen  couiixdled  to  l>eslow  an  amount  of  labor  and  u  degree 
of  attention  which  none  of  us  in  the  lirst  instance  anticipated, 
there  may  ho  aoiuo  imperfections  or  defects  to  l)o  hereafter 
remedied.  Tho  main  advantage  to  bo  derived  from  tho  work 
will  be  that  the  laws  which  regulate  social  life,  protect  and 
transmit  property,  determine  political  rights;  and  deline  tho 
punishment  of  olfences,  have  been  reduced  to  system,  and 
clothed  in  simple  and  persj)icuous  language,  so  as  to  bo  in- 
telligible to  all  who  may  have  occasion  to  consult  them.  And 
as  the  presetit  is  tliejirst  atterujit  of  the  kind  in  a  British  colony, 
wo  must  bespeak  tho  indulgence  of  your  excollcney,  and  of  tlio 
public,  for  tho  imperfections  it  may  contain,  and  which  arc 
perhaps  inseparable  from  so  extensive  an. undertaking."        ♦ 

11.  Tho  subject  of  railways  came  up  for  attention  under 
Lord  Falkland,  in  1850,  and  Mas  ably  discussed,  and  wo  may  as 
AVcU  briefly  sketch  what  had  been  proposed  in  Nova  Scotia  in 
tho  way  of  railway  comnumication  with  Canada  and  tho  United 
States.  "Lord  Durham,  in  his  excellent  report,  strongly  ad- 
vocated railways  as  tho  most  effectual  means  of  binding  the 
l)rovinccs  together,  and  tho  subject  Avas  several  times  agitated  ; 
but  no  ono  province  was  able  to  undertake  tlio  scheme,  and 
tho  piovinco  of  Canada  Avas  too  l)usy  trying  to  build  tho  Grand 
Trunk,  to  connect  the  upper  and  lower  parts  of  tho  province,  to 
enter  very  warmly  into  the  scheme  for  connecting  tho  maritime 
provinces  with  Canada.  After  tho  settlement  of  the  boundary 
question,  in  1842  (to  which  avo  shall  more  fully  refer  in  our 
history  of  New  Brunswick),  tho  imperial  government  contem- 
plated making  a  great  military  macadmized  road  through  Noav 
Brunswick,  from  the  bend  of  tho  Peticodiae  to  Quebec.  A 
London  company  oll'ered  to  substitute  a  railway,  on  condition 
that  i)art  of  the  money  necessary  to  make  the  road  should  bo 
granted  to  it.  This  scheme  excited  attention  in  Nova  Scotia 
and  NoAV  BrunsAviek,  but  awakened  very  little  interest  in  the 
Canadas.  Nova  Scotia  gave  an  impetus  to  tho  project.  Tho 
governnicnt  of  Lord  Falkland  considered  it  idle  and  visionary 
to  expect  that  a  vast  undertaking,  Avhich  held  out  no  inducement 
of  immediate  profit,  coidd  l)e  carried  through  by  a  company. 
It  could  only  be  constructed  by  tho  imperial  government,  Avith 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


327 


combined  and  spirited  coiiperation  of  the  three  prf)vinee8. 
The  lower  provinecs  undertook  to  bear  the  expenses  of  an  ex- 
ploratory survey  of  the  country  throuj^h  which  the  railway  nuist 
pass.  Canada,  for  the  sake  of  the  great  national  part}',  aijreed  to 
join  with  them.  The  Uritish  government,  in  response  to  tlieir 
united  request,  sent  out  Major  AVJlliam  Robinson  and  ('ai)t. 
Henderson,  of  the  royal  engineers,  with  a  staff,  to  undertake 
the  work.  The  report  of  Major  Kobinson  was  submitted  to  the 
Legislatures  of  the  three  provinces  in  1849.  It  gave  an  enthu- 
siastic estimate  of  the  resources  of  the  country,  and  of  the  im- 
portance of  the  railway  for  their  development.  Out  of  the 
several  routes  explored  the  preference  was  given  to  that  by  the 
coast  of  the  gulf, — the  north  shore,  — as  the  best  for  purposes 
of  military  defence.  The  cost  was  calculated  at  live  million 
pounds  sterling.  In  anticipation  of  the  immediate  action  of 
the  imperial  government,  Canada,  Nova  Scotia,  and  Ncav  IJruns- 
wick  voted  aid  to  the  extent  of  six  thousand  pounds  a  year, 
and  ten  miles  of  ungranted  lands  on  each  side  of  the  railway." 

12.  But,  to  continue  the  subject  of  railways,  we  lind  that  a 
new  impetus  was  given  to  railway  enterprises  by  a  convention 
held  at  Portland,  Me.,  on  July  31,  1850,  where  delegates 
from  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick  met  delegates  from  the 
New  England  States  toconsider  the  means  of  connecting  Halifax 
with  Bangor,  Portland,  and  the  United  States  railways  hy  a  lino 
passing  through  St.  John,  N.B.,  the  railway  to  be  known  as  the 
European  and  North  American  liailway,  and  a  great  deal  of 
enthusiasm  was  shown  at  the  meeting,  which  was  held  in  a 
hall  profusely  decorated  Avith  English  and  American  flags,  the 
"  Union  Jack  "  and  the  "  Stars  and  Stripes  "  being  closely  inter- 
woven in  token  of  amity.  Towards  the  close  of  the  year  Mr. 
Joseph  Howe  entered  the  railway  field.  He  was  opposed  to  hav- 
ing a  railway  running  through  British  territory  controlled  by  an 
American  company,  and  proposed  building  the  road  on  provincial 
credit,  under  imperial  guaranty.  For  this  purpose  he  went  to 
England,  armed  with  a  letter  of  introduction  from  Sir  John 
Harvey  to  Earl  Grey,  to  endeavor  to  induce  the  British  gov- 
ernment to  guarantee  a  loan  of  eight  hundred  thousand  pounds 
to  build  a  road  from  Halifax  to  Windsor.  Mr.  Howe  set  himself 
rigorously  to  work  at  his  task,  and  by  his  letter  to  Earl  Grey, 
and  his  speeches  in  England,  created  so  favorable  an  impression* 
of  tlie  resources  of  Nova  Scotia,  that  Mr.  Hawes,  imder-sec- 
rctary  of  state,  wrote  him,  under  date  10th  March,  1851,  that 
the  imperial  government  would  guarantee  the  road,  proAided 


328 


IlISTOUY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


the  throe  provinces  could  agree  iitnong  themselves  on  u  road  to 
extend  from  Halifax  to  (Quebec  or  Montreal,  and  no  objection 
would  be  made  to  this  road  eonnectiuf^  with  the  European  and 
North  American  so  as  to  iu'wM  access  to  the  American  railway 
system.  A  meetin<]f  of  dcle<^ates  from  the  three  provinces  was 
proposed  by  Earl  Grey,  mul  took  place  at  Toronto,  in  June, 
1851.  An  agreement  was  arrived  at,  and  for  a  while  it  looked 
as  if  the  Intercolonial  and  the  North  American  railways  would 
bo  commenced  at  onco  ;  but  misunderstandings  followed,  which 
delayed  the  work,  which,  however,  was  finally  accomplished, 
but  not  until,  in  the  case  of  the  Intercolonial,  confederation 
secured  its  completion. 

13.  Sir  John  Harvey  died  at  the  government  house,  at 
Halifax.  He  had  administered  the  aflairs  of  the  province  for 
six  years,  with  great  fidelity.  He  was  succeeded  by  Sir  John 
Gaspard  Les  Merchant ;  the  aflairs  of  the  province  during  the 
short  interval  that  occurred  being  administered  by  Col.  Bazal- 
getto. 


♦  ♦» 


P'« 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

NOVA  SCOTIA  FROM    1852  TO   18G7. 


COSFEDERATION   ACCOMPLISHED  —  HOWE    AND    TUPPER. 


'I  i 


mr 


m 


?!    I 


m 


1.  The  administration  of  Sir  John  G.  Les  Marchant  was  one 
under  which  the  province  continued  its  march  of  prosperity. 
Mr.  Howe  having  resigned  his  position  as  provincial  secretary, 
in  order  to  accept  the  chairmanship  of  the  railway  load,  a  re- 
construction of  the  cabinet  took  place,  Mr.  William  Young  being 
charged  with  the  task.  Mr.  Young,  in  a  letter  to  his  constit- 
uents of  Inverness,  laid  down  the  railway  policy  of  the  new 
firovcrnment  to  be,  a  triuik  line  from  Halifax  to  Pictou,  one 
westward  to  Windsor,  and  through  the  eastern  comities  to 
Digby,  connecting  Halifax  with  the  basin  of  Minas,  and  a  line 
from  Truro  to  the  New  Brunswick  frontier,  to  connect  with  any 
intercolonial  line  which  might  afterwards  be  built.  The  money 
'for  the  construction  of  these  roads  Avas  to  be  raised  on  jirovincial 
debentures,  the  whole  revenues  of  the  province  being  pledged 
for  payment  of  principal  and  interest.  For  some  time  past  the 
government  of  Canada  had  been  endeavoring  to  effect  a  reci- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


329 


proclty  treaty  Avitli  tho  United  Stiite.s,  and  the  oflbrt  was  suc- 
cessful on  the  5th  .ruii(>,  lHr)4,  when  such  a  treaty  was  si<ijnecl, 
at  AVashnigton,  hy  Lord  Elgin,  (iovernor-Cieneral  of  Canada,  on 
tho  one  part,  and  lion.  AV.  L.  Marey,  American  Secretary  of 
State  on  tho  other.  This  treaty  was  to  continue  in  force  ten 
years,  after  which  it  could  ho  terminated  by  cither  party  on 
giving  ono  year's  notice.  Under  its  })rovisi()ns  tho  produce  of 
the  sea,  tlio  soil,  and  tho  forest  could  ho  cxcrhangcd  hotween  tho 
United  States  and  tho  British  possessions  duty  free  ;  the  Amer- 
icans were  allowed  to  lish  in  the  waters  of  Nova  Scotia  and 
New  Brunswick,  and  to  use  tho  Canadian  canals,  on  the  same 
terms  as  Canadian  vessels.  Tho  treaty  was  very  acceptable  to 
Upper  Canada,  but  caused  considerablo  excitement  in  Nova 
Scotia,  where  it  was  d(^nounced  as  unjust  to  that  province, 
tho  Imperial  l*arliament  having  given  away  her  right  in 
tho  fisheries  without  either  consuliing  tho  Avishes  of  tho  people 
or  securing  them  any  adequate  e(|uivalcnt.  Tho  excitement 
was,  however,  of  but  momentary  duration,  the  attention  of 
the  people  being  .si  rtly  afterwards  occupied  by  the  Crimean 
war. 

2.  In  1854  a  grand  industrial  exhibition  was  opened  in 
Halifax.  ^Ir.  J.  W.  Johnson 
introduced  a  prohibitory  liouor 
law  in  1855.  Tho  bill  was, 
however,  not  only  opposed,  but 
ridiculed,  by  Mr.  llowc,  and 
was  defeated.  A  general  elec- 
tion took  place  in  1855,  and  the 
strength  of  the  reform  party 
was  greatly  shaken  by  tho  de- 
feat, in  Cumberland,  of  Messrs. 
Joseph  Ilowe  and  Stephen  Ful- 
ton, by  the  c(mservativo  candi- 
dates. Dr.  Tapper  and  Mr.  A. 
McFarlane.  Nothing  more  of 
apolitical  nature  occurred  dur- 
ing tho  year,  or  until  tho  27th 
December,  when  a  very  intem- 
perate letter  from  Mr.  Ilowe, 
entitled  "  Railway  Riots   and 

Catholic  Commentators,"  appeared  in  the  "  Chronicle,"  and 
proved  the  death-knell  of  the  reform  administration.  A  riot  had 
occurred  between  some  Catholic  and  Protestant  workmen,  on  ac- 


Wi 


•'>*'i 


m 


330 


IIISTOKY   OF  DO:.IINIO:^T  OP   CANADA, 


count  cf  tho  Litter  interfering  Avith  tho  former  v.l^ilo  cele- 
brating tho  feast  of  Corpus  Chrlstl.  Tho  lliilifix  "  Catho- 
lic" i)ul)li.shed  a  very  mild  nrticlo  on  the  sul)jcct,  not 
defending  tho  Catholics,  who  were  the  aggressors,  but  depre- 
catir.g  tiio  provocation  which  caused  thoni  to  commit  a  breach 
of  th;  peace  ;  the  v-ditor  only  said,  "that,  knoAving  how  sensi- 
tive tho  Irish  i^eoplo  are  to  everything  which  afl'ects  theh* 
religion  or  the  charictcr  of  their  dei-gy,  Protestants  cf  any 
nation,  who  are  brong'at  into  contact  with  tlum,,  would  show 
better  their  respect  for  tho  precepts  of  tho  Bil,»lo  if  they  abstained 
from  those  taunts  and  provocations,  and  from  actions  in  which 
they  were  too  prone  to  indulge."  ISfr.  Howe,  on  tho  other  hand, 
was  very  violent  and  ungracious  in  his  attack,  saying,  coarsely, 
that  "  every  Protestant  in  every  free  country  had  a  right  to 
laugh  at  the  Peal  Presence,  as  every  Catholic  had  to  ridicule 
that  in  which  ho  disbelieved,  or  to  laugh  at  the  simple  ceremo- 
nies Avhich  tho  Protestants  deemed  sufficient."  This  letter  raised 
a  great  deal  of  ill-feeling  —  not  amongst  Catholics  alone,  but 
amongst  Protestants,  who  believed  in  the  right  of  every  one  to 

the  full  exercise  of  his  relig- 
ious faith  without  interference 
b}'^  Avord  or  deed  —  against  Mr. 
HoAvc  ;  and  it  reacted  so  much 
on  tho  party  he  represented, 
that  when  Parliament  met,  in 
1<S57,  the  conservatives  Avere 
able  to  carry  a  vote  of  AA-ant 
of  contidence  by  a  majority  of 
seven,  and  Mr.  J.  W.  Johnson 
Avas  called  upon,  to  form  a 
ministry,  A\hich  AA-as  gazetted 
on  tho  24th  February,  1850,  tho 
V^S^^?^S^1^  \    \  ^BT        membersboing,  J.  W.  Johnson, 

attorney-general ;  Dr.  Charles 
Tupper,  provincial  secretary ; 
John  J.  ]\rarsball,  tinancial 
secretary  ;  Staley  BroAA'n,  receiver-general ;  Martin  I.  Wilkius, 
solicitor-general. 

3.  Tho  ncAV  government  tirst  engaged  its  attention  in  the 
settlement  of  the  mining  diffi>?ulty,  AA^hich  it  Avisely  accom- 
plished. In  185(S  Sir  Les  Merchant  retii'cd  from  the  govern- 
ment, and  Avas  succeeded  by  tho  Earl  of  Mulgrave.  A  new 
election,  in  1859,  resulted  in  giving  the  reformers  a  majority 


HON.    DR.    CIIAS.   TtTPER. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


331 


L'les 


t'ity 


of  two,  jvnd  jiltliough  it  Avas  prottj'  p:cncrally  belioved  that  at 
least  that  munbcr  of  refonncrs  held  their  seats  il!e<^ally,  the 
majority  protected  its  own  honor,  possibly  at  the  expense  of 
the  honor  of  the  honse,  and  succeeded  in  votinij  a  want  of  confi- 
deneo  in  the  minority,  ^vilich  resigned.  Mr.  Yotnig,  a  popnlar 
leader,  ■was  called  on  to  form  a  ministry.  The  visit  of  His 
lioyal  IlighncBS  the  Prince  of  Wales,  to  Ilaiiiax,  in  1800,  Avas 
an  event  that  will  never  be  erased  from  history.  Ho  was 
received  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  true,  loyal  hearts,  and  for 
some  time  the  capital  jiut  on  her  best  appearance.  In  18G3 
the  liberals  or  reformers  were  again  tlefeated,  and  Avere 
compelled  to  resign.  Mv.  Johnson  was  again  called  upon  to 
form  a  ministry. 

4.  The  new  house  met  in  February,  1804,  and  was  opened 
by  Sir  Hastings  Doyle,  the  acting  administrator,  the  Earl  of 
Muigrave  having  retired,  and  his  successor,  tSir  Ivichard  Graves 
Macbonnell,  not  having  arrived.  The  speech  from  the  throne 
referred  to  the  then  proposed  federal  union  of  the  maritime 
provinces,  and  the  subject  •  of  education.  Improvement  in 
educational  matters  v,as  needed.  In  18()1,  out  of  eighty-three 
thousand  children  in  the  province,  between  the  ages  of  five  and 
fifteen,  only  thirty-one  thousand  attended  school,  and  oue- 
quarter  of  the  Avhole  population 
could  neither  read  nor  Avrite. 
The  provisions  of  the  l)ill  pro- 
posed Avere  ample,  and  Avero 
thus  stated  by  Dr.  Tupper  in 
his  sjieech  introducing  it:  "The 
first  thing  proposed  in  the  bill 
Avhich  ho  now  submitted  Avas  the 
establishment  of  a  council  of 
public  instruction.  Difficulty 
Avas  experienj[.'ed  in  detennining 
Avho  should  be  the  council,  but, 
after  anxious  deliberation,  it  Avas 
thouirht  that  the  executive  conn- 
cil,  at  all  times  responsible  to  the 
people,  could  perform  the  important  functions  of  the  position 
more  efticiently  than  any  other  body  that  could  be  selected. 
It  Avould  be  acknoAvledged  that,  in  order  to  secure  cificiency  in 
the  department  of  public  instruction,  the  services  of  a  quali- 
fied superintendent,  Avho  should  discharge  the  important  duties 
of  examining  and  reporting  on  the  educational  state  of  every 


S'.n   niCHAHD   G.    MACDONNELL. 


U'^M 


i     a 


4i 


w 


332 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


locality  in  the  province,  Vtcrc  indispensable.  It  was  therefore 
proposed  to  appoint  such,  an  officer,  under  "svhosc  direction 
there  would  bo  a  staff  of  paid  inspectors,  whoso  duty  would 
consist  in  periodically  inspecting  all  the  schools  Avithin  their 
respective  districts.  It  was  also  proposed  to  appoint  a  board, 
Avith  the  view  of  surveying  and  arranging  all  the  school  dis- 
tricts, adapting  the  subdivision  of  them  to  the  present  condi- 
tion of  the  country.  Examiners  were  also  to  be  provided  for 
each  district,  one  of  Avhom  should  l)c  the  inspector;  their  duty 
being  to  ascertain  the  qualifications  of  applicants  for  license  to 
teach.  By  this  means  it  was  hoped  the  status  of  the  teachers 
would  be  materially  raised.  It  was  also  intended  that  one  of 
the  trustees,  Avho  should  bo  charged  Avith  the  special  business 
of  management,  should  receive,  as  remuneration  for  his  ser- 
vices, a  moderate  conmiission  on  the  money  collected.  The 
bill  also  provided  greater  facilities  for  the  carrying  out  of  the 
principle  of  assessment,  and  a  premium  of  twenty-five  per 
cent.  Avas  to  bo  ofiered  to  every  school  founded  on  the  assess- 
ment principle  and  declared  free.  In  order  to  meet  the  neces- 
sities of  the  poorer  districts  the  bill  proA'idcd  that  one-fifth  of 
the  entire  amount  placed  at  the  disposal  of  each  Board  of  Com- 
missioners should  be  set  apart  for  the  purpose  of  supporting 
schools  in  the  sparsely  settled  districts,  in  addition  to  the 
amount  to  Avliich  they  Avcre  entitled  inider  the  law.  It  Avas 
proposed  to  classify  the  teachers,  according  to  their  proficiency, 
and  to  pay  them  without  reference  to  the  wealth  and  population 
of  the  district  in  Avhicli  they  might  be  located."  The  elevation 
of  the  Hon.  Attorney-General  Johnson  to  the  judgeship  of  the 
Supreme  Court  caused  a  vacancy  in  the  ministry,  which  Avas 
filled  by  Mr.  Kitchic,  Avho  Avas  appointed  solicitor-general,  and 
called  to  a  seat  at  the  courcil  board. 

5.  During  the  session  of  18G1  Hon.  Dr.  Tuppcr  introduced 
a  scries  of  resolutions  Avith  a  vicAV  to  the  union  of  the  maritime 
provinces,  and  this  led,  not  to  a  union  of  those  provinces  alone, 
fbut  the  federation  of  all  the  provinces,  and  the  formation  of 
the  present  Dominion.  As  early  as  1808  Mr.  II.  J.  Uniacko 
introduced  the  sul)ject  of  a  confederation  of  the  British  prov- 
inces into  the  Assembly  of  Xova  Scotia,  but  the  matter  Avas  not 
acted  on.  During  the  attempts  to  impeach  Judge  Scwcll,  of 
Quebec,  that  gentleman  urged  on  Lord  Bathurst  a  union  of  all 
the  provinces  as  the  best  cure  for  the  troubles  then  openly  ex- 


isting iu  Qu'jbec,  and  threatened  in  the  other  provinces.  When 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


sin   JOHN   BEVERLEY   ROBINSON. 


the  question  of  a  reunion  of  the  provinces  of  Upper  and  Lower 
Canada  was  proposed  in  1822,  Sir  John  Bevcrk>y  Robinson,  at 
the  request  of  the  colonial  secretary,  drew  up  a  report  on  the 
feasibility  of  a  confederation  of 
all  the  provinces,  and  proposed 
what  ho  would  consider  an  equi- 
table basis  for  such  an  union. 
Again,  in  1831),  Lord  Durham, 
in  his  report  on  the  condition  of 
the  diflcrcnt  provinces,  strongly 
urged  confederation  as  the  best 
remedy  to  bo  applied  to  the 
troubles  affecting  all  of  them, 
and,  in  fact,  at  every  period  when 
one  or  more  of  the  provinces 
was  sutfering  from  internal  com- 
motion, contederation  was  rec- 
ommended as  a  sort  of  univer- 
sal panacea,  warranted  to  cure  every  known  or  unknown  ill. 
The  next  positive  effort  in  favor  of  confederation  was  made  in 
the  Nova  Scotia  Legislature  by  INIr.  Johnson,  in  1854,  when 
the  subject  was  introduced  and  discussed,  Mr.  .Johnson  warmly 
advocating  it,  but  Mr.  Howe  opposing  it  and  favoring  colonial 
representation  in  the  Imperial  Parliament.  In  1857  the  mat- 
ter was  put  into  more  tangible  form  by  the  Nova  Scotia  Legis- 
lature appointing  a  committc  to  proceed  to  England  and 
confer  with  the  colonial  secretary  on  the  subject.  The  Cana- 
dian government  now  took  up  the  matter,  and,  as  we  have  seen, 
by  the  joint  efforts  of  the  leading  statesmen  in  each  of  the 
provinces  the  grand  scheme  of  confederation  was  consum- 
mated. Hon.  Dr.  Tupper  must  bo  written  in  history  as  the 
champion  of  confederation  in  Nova  Scotia.  The  scheme  wf.s 
bitterly  opposed  by  Mr.  Howe,  and  most  of  the  leading  re- 
formers, and  was  finally  carried  in  the  face  of  a  deadly  opposi- 
tion, to  which  Avo  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  hereafter.  Nova 
Scotia,  in  1807,  became  a  meml)er  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  governors  of  Nova  Scotia,  from 
1719  to  the  confederation  of  1867  :  — 


ijf _____ 


Hon.  Edward  CornAvallis  .  1740 

Perocrrine  T.  Hobson,  Esq.  .  17 M 

Charle.s  I^awrence,  Pisq.  .  .  1754 

Hon.  Robert  Monckton    .  .  17")G 

Joiiatliuu  Belcher,  Esq.  .  .  17C0 


]\Ioiitao:uc  Wilmot,  Esq.  .  .  1763 
Michael  Francklin,  Esq.,  1722 

and       .         .  .        .  17C6 

Lord  William  Campbell,  17G6 

and 1772 


■■>''  rjili 


334                    IIISTORY  OF 

DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 

Francis  Logjre,  Esq, 

1773 

Gen.  Smyth     . 

1816 

Mariot  Arbiithnot,  Esq.  . 

177(5 

Earl  of  Daliiousic    . 

1819 

Richard  lluglies,  Es<|.     . 

1778 

Sir  John  Kempt 

1820 

Sir  Andrew  6.  Hammond 

1781 

M.  Wallace,  Esq. 

182G 

John  Parr,  Esq. 

1782 

Sir  Peregrine  Maitland 

1828 

Edward  Fanning,  Esq.    . 

1783 

Sir  Colin  Campbell 

18.34 

R.  Bulklcy,  Es(i.      ... 

1791 

Eord  Falkland 

1840 

John  Wentwortn,  Esq.    . 

1792 

Sir  John  Harvey      . 

1846 

Sir  Cleorgo  rrevot^t 

1808 

Sir  J.  G.  LeMarchant 

1852 

Sir  John  Coape  Slierbrooke     . 

1811 

The  Earl  of  Mulgravo 

1858 

Gen.  Darroch  .        .        .        . 

1811 

Sir  Richard  Graves  Macdonell 

18G4 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

NEW  BRUNSWICK  FROM   1734  TO   1832. 


rUOGRESS    OF   THE   mOVlNCE  • 


•THE   I.UMHER   TIIADE  • 
MIUAMACIII. 


■  snir-nuiLDiKG  ■ 


•FinE     AT 


1.  Tins  history  of  New  Brunswick  dates  from  its  erection 
into  a  separate  province,  in  1784,  previous  to  which  it  formed 
a  part  of  Nova  Scotia.  The  first  governor  of  the  new  province 
was  Colonel  Thomas  Carleton,  a  brother  of  Lord  Dorchester. 
He  arrived  at  St.  John  hi  November,  1784,  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  he  issued  a  proclamation  declaring  the  existence  o^ 
the  new  province  Avhich  he  had  come  to  govern.  The  govern- 
ment consisted  of  a  Council,  which  was  both  executive  and  legis- 
lative, of  twelve  members,  and  a  House  of  Assembly,  of  twenty- 
six  members.  This  first  council  was  composed  almost  entirely 
of  united  empire  loyalists,  who  had  occupied  prominent  posi- 
tions in  their  native  States,  and  w'ho  had  lost  their  fortunes  by 
their  loyalty  to  the  British  cause  during  the  Revolution.  The 
following  short  sketches,  taken  from  Archer's  "History  of 
Canada,"  will  prove  interesting,  as  relating  to  the  twelve  most 
renarkablc  men  in  the  early  history  of  the  province  :  "  Chief- 
Justice  Ludh)W  had  been  a  judge  in  the  Supremo  Court  of  New 
York  ;  James  Putnam  was  considered  one  of  the  ablest  lawyers 
in  all  America ;  the  Reverend  and  Honorable  Jonathan  Odell, 
first  provincial  secretary,  had  acted  as  chaplain  in  the  royal 
arm}',  practised  physic,  and  written  political  poetry ;  Judge 
Joshua  Upham,  a  graduate  of  Harvard,  abandoned  the  bar 
during  the  war  and  became  a  colonel  of  dragoons  ;  Judge  Isaac 
Allen  had  been  colonel  of  the  second  1)attalion  of  New  Jersey 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


335 


volunteers,  and  lost  an  estate  in  Pennsylvania  through  his  devo- 
tion to  the  loyalist  eausc ;  Judge  Edward  Winslow,  nephew 
of  Colonel  Jolni  AVinslow,  who  executed  the  decree  that  ex- 
pelled the  Aeadians  from  Nova  Scotia,  had  attained  the  rank  of 
colonel  in  the  royal  army ;  Beverley  Kobinson  had  raised  and 
connnanded  the  L()3al  American  Eegiment,  and  had  h^st  great 
estates' on  the  Hudson  river  ;  Gabriel  G.  Ludlow  had  commanded 
a  battalion  of  jNIaryland  volunteers  ;  Daniel  Bliss  had  been  a  com- 
missary in  the  royal  army  ;  Abijali  WiDard  had  taken  no  active 
part  in  the  war.  He  was  one  of  lifty-fivc  gentlemen  who 
petitioned  Sir  Guy  Carleton  to  grant  them  each  a  field-marshal's 
allowance  of  land  (five  thousand  acres),  on  account  of  the  great 
respectability  of  the  position  that  they  had  held.  AVilliam 
Hazen  and  Gilfred  Studhomc  were  settled  in  the  province 
before  the  landing  of  the  loyalists."  This  council  conducted 
the  allairs  of  the  young  province  for  many  3'ears  with  only  one 
change,  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Judge  Putnam 
being  tilled  by  Judge  John  Saunders,  who  was  descended  from 
an  old  cavalier  faniily  that  settled  in  Virginia  at  the  time  of  the 
Commonwealth.  He  served  with  distinction  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary War. 

2.  Governor  Carleton,  in  opening  the  first  Assembly,  spoko 
of  the  prosperity  of  the  young  ])rovince,  and  thanked  the 
jjcoplc  for  their  loyalty.  The  capital  was  removed  from  St. 
John  to  St.  Annes  Point,  in  1788.  The  place  was  named 
Fredericton,  and  has  remained  the  capital  of  the  province  ever 
since.  The  removal  of  the  capital  to  Fredericton  was  an  im- 
provement in  point  of  location  in  a  geographical  point,  but,  of 
course,  had  no  particular  effect  over  the  politics  of  that  day  ;  for 
the  government  had  scarcely  been  settled  in  the  new  quarters 
when  disputes  grew  up*  between  the  Council  and  the  Assembly 
concerning  the  control  of  the  revenues  of  the  province.  Fol- 
lowing this  came  the  struggle  for  responsible  government,  sim- 
ilar to  that  in  Nova  Scotia,  which  Ave  have  already  noticed. 
The  first  general  dead-lock  between  the  two  branches  of  the 
government  came  up  on  a  question  of  the  pay  of  the  members 
of  the  house.  They  voted  themselves  a  dollar  and  a  half  a  day, 
and  the  council  threw  out  the  bill.  The  house  then  referred 
the  matter  to  the  colonial  secretary  in  London,  the  Duke  of 
Portland,  who  remonstrated  with  the  assemblymen.  Before 
this,  however,  the  house  had  shown  its  knowledge  of  parlia- 
mentary intrigue,  by  refusing  to  pass  any  of  the  appropriations, 
except  with  the  passage  of  the  appropriation  for  their  own  pay. 


336 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


The  contest  was  continued  three   years,  when  the  Assembly 
finally  won  the  battle,  and  harmony  was  restored. 

3.  As  early  as  1788  an  ctFort  was  put  forth  l)y  AVilliam 
Davidson  to  settle  on  the  Miramiehi,  to  utilize  the  luxuriant 
growth  of  timber  in  that  section.  This  gentleman  brought  out 
quite  a  number  of  settlers  from  the  mother  country,  *.imongst 
whom  were  some  ship-carpenters  ;  and,  three  years  after,  Jona- 
than Leavitt  launched  at  St.  John  i\w  tirst  vessel  in  Xew 
Brunswick.  Davidson  launched  soon  after  the  first  one  on  the 
Miramiehi.  This  was  the  beginning,  and  the  lumber  trade 
sprang  into  great  importance  at  once.  The  British  navy  was 
now  sweeping  the  seas,  at  the  expense  of  hundreds  of  masts, 
and  New  Brunswick  forests  afiorded  a  most  satisfactory  supply. 
The  vessels  cai'ricd  over  spars,  and  brought  back  immigrants, 
and  thus  population  and  prosperity  increased  hand  in  hand. 
The  administration  of  Governor  Carlcton  continued  for  twenty 
years,  and  was  an  able  and  prosperous  term.  He  saw  the 
province  reclaimed  from  a  state  of  nature,  and  rendered  fruitful 
and  productive,  while  the  people  enjoyed  the  blessings  of  peace, 
which  at  the  same  period  were  denied  the  mother  country. 
Governor  Carlcton  returned  to  England  in  1803,  with  the 
respect  of  all  whom  he  had  so  wisely  governed. 

4.  For  some  time  no  successor  Avas  appointed,  and  the 
affairs  of  the  province  Avere  admini^stered  by  presidents.  In 
1809,  when  it  became  evident  that  there  would  be  a  war  with 
the  United  States,  military  men  were  api)ointed  to  the  govern- 
ment of  all  the  provinces,  a  id  Major-General  Hunter  was  sent 
to  Xew  Brunswick.  He  only  remiiined  u  short  time,  however, 
and  was  followed  by  six  other  military  presidents,  very  much 
to  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  people.  In  1809  a  heavy  duty  was 
imposed  on  timber  coming  from  the  Baltic,  while  timber  from 
the  colonies  was  admitted  free.  This  gave  a  great  impetus  to 
trade  with  New  Brunswick,  and  was  of  material  advantage  to 
the  province.  The  declaration  of  war  by  the  United  States 
called  forth  the  loyal  sentiment  of  the  New  Brunswickers,  and 
this  was  shown  in  a  i)ractical  way  by  the  "King's  llegiment  of 
New  Brunswick,"  which  had  been  first  formed  out  of  the  united 
empire  loyalists  of  1784  enlisting  in  the  regular  army  for  ser- 
vice in  the  upper  provinces.  It  was  mustered  in  as  the  104th, 
and  served  with  great  gallantry  during  the  war.  The  local 
Legislature  passed  very  complimentary  resolutions  at  the  time 
of  the  nuister-in,  and  presented  the  regiment  with  a  handsome 
silver  trumpet.     As  the  winter  was  closing  in,  only  a  part  of 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


:]3^ 


the  men  could  ])e  convcycMl  from  St.  John  to  Quoboc  1)y  boat, 
and  tho  iTuiiiindor  niado  u  loii«^  and  toilsomo  march  over  laud 
oil  snow-shoes.  Although  tho  province  was  greatly  excited 
over  the  war,  and  tho  merchants  were  kept  in  constant  fear  for 
their  vessels  by  tho  privateers  hovering  about  tho  coast,  yet  tho 
people  sufl'erod  none  of  its  actual  horrors,  and  were  rather 
benefited  than  otherwise  by  the  great  demand  caused  for 
timber  for  building  and  repairing  the  largo  number  of  new 
vessels  needed  on  the  ocean  and  on  tho  lakes. 

5.  The  Assembly  had  long  since  become  heartily  sick  of  the 
practice  of  appointing  military  preside  its,  who  had  no  interest 
in  the  province,  and  petitioned  the  home  government  to  ap- 
point a  regular  lieutenant-governor.  At  last  attention  was 
paid  to  their  request,  and  Major-General  Tracy  Sinytho  was 
appointed  lieutenant-governor  in  1818.  Meanwhile,  the  disputes 
between  the  two  houses  with  regard  to  the  disposal  of  the 
revenues  increased,  and  legislation  was  again  brought  to  a  dead- 
lock. Governor  Smythe  sided  with  tho  council  and  dissolved 
Parliament,  which  had  the  eifect  of  making  the  new  house 
elected  more  tractable  ;  but,  another  dissolution  taking  place 
in  the  following  year,  1820,  caused  by  the  death  of  George  III., 
a  new  house  Avas  elected,  which  soon  roconnnenced  the  ob- 
structionist policy.  During  tho  session  of  1823  Governor 
Smythe  died,  and  the  house  had  new  matters  to  engage  its 
attention  for  a  while,  a  series  of  curious  events  following  efosely 
on  each  other.  The  house  was  immediately  pror(jgued  by  tho 
chief  justice,  on  the  death  of  tho  governor,  and  Judge  Chipmaii 
was  sworn  in  as  president  of  the  council,  and  administrator  ad 
interim.  But  his  claim  was  disputed  by  tho  Hon.  Christopher 
Billop,  who  was  in  his  eighty-sixtii  year,  and  who  issued  a  proc- 
lamation in  St.  John  as  administrator,  by  virtue  of  being  senior 
councillor.  He  was  too  old,  however,  to  attend  to  the  duties 
of  the  office  ;  and  the  home  office  confirmed  Judge  Chipmaii 
in  the  position.  The  judge  opened  Parliament  in  January, 
1824,  and  died  suddenly,  on  the  0th  of  February,  while  the 
house  was  considering  a  bill  providing  for  tho  interment  of 
Governor  Smythe  in  the  i)arish  church  at  Fredericton.  The 
Hon.  James  Murray  Bliss  became  president  until  the  arrival, 
in  August  of  the  same  year,  of  Sir  Howard  Douglas,  who  had 
been  appointed  lieutenant-governor.  During  tho  administration 
of  General  Smythe  the  province  continued  to  fiourish,  and  new 
settlements  were  formed ;  at  the  close  of  the  war  there  was  an 
intlux  of  military  settlers,  who  laid  out  the  town  of  Woodstock, 


338 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


the  French  s(|uattcrs  in  that  ncighborliooil  moving  np  the  river 
as  far  as  Madawa.ska.  About  thi.s  time  a  settlement  was  also 
formed  at  Lock  Lomond,  near  St.  Joini,  by  a  party  of  negro(!s, 
and  tlie  tirst  settlemejits  were  also  made  at  Dalhousie  aiid 
Bathurst.  Steam  also  began  to  make  its  way  into  the  province, 
and  a  steamer  plied  between  St.  John  and  Fredericton.  But 
the  people  devoted  themselves  almost  entirely  to  lumbering  and 
ship-building ;  agriculture  was  negli'cted ;  no  pains  was  taken 
to  utilize  the  'and  from  which  the  timl)er  was  cut,  and  the  people 
were  almost  wholly  dependent  on  the  United  States  for  their 
su|)ply  of  provisions.  The  lumber  trade  had  greatly  i.icreased, 
and  no.w  gave  employment  to  about  one  hundred  vessels  at  St. 
John,  and  probably  half  as  many  at  Miramichi. 

G.  In  182;j  Lieutenant-Goviirnor  Douglas  met  Parhament, 
and  urged  tlui  necessity  for  ^rroater  attention  to  agriculture, 
Avhich  was  gieatly  neglected  as  were  also  the  roads  of  the  prov- 
ince, which  wore  allowed  to  run  almost  any  way,  without  any 
delinitc  plan  ;  and,  as  they  were  all  paid  for  out  of  the  general 
fund,  and  there  was  no  such  thing  as  a  toll-gate  in  the  whole 
province,  the  roads,  as  a  rule,  were  badly  built,  badly  kei)t  in 
order,  and  very  expensive.  During  tlio  year  1824  the  lirst 
census  was  taken,  and  the  population  of  the  province  found  to 
be  seventy-four  thousand.  The  summer  of  1825  was  one  of 
the  hottest  and  driest  that  had  ever  been  experienced  on  the 
continent;  for  over  two  months  not  a  drop  of  rain  fell  in  New 
Brunswick ;  the  earth  was  parched,  the  rivers  were  nearly''  dry, 
and  the  forests  were  scorched.  But  it  was  not  by  the  sun's 
rays  alone  that  the  forest  kings  were  shrunken  and  shrivelled, 
the  lire-demon  was  abroad,  and  all  through  the  latter  part  of 
September  lires  were  raging  in  the  l)ush,  and  gradually  drawing 
nearer  the  settlements.  The  growth  of  the  timber  trade  in  the 
]\Iiramichi  district  had  caused  nourishing  villages  to  spj'ing  np 
along  its  banks  ;  foremost  amongst  these  was  Newcastle,  the 
capital  of  Noi-thumberland  County,  which  had  a  court-house, 
jail,  Presbyterian  kirk,  and  about  one  thousand  inhabitants. 
About  five  miles  down  the  river  was  the  hewly  started  settle- 
ment of  Douglastown,  and  across  the  river  was  Chatham,  the 
timber  de[)ot  of  Cunard  &  Company. 

7.  On  the  21)th  of  September  the  court-house  at  Fredericton 
was  burned,  and  several  small  fires  Avere  reported  in  the  bush 
during  the  early  days  of  October,  while  the  dense  masses  of 
smoke  hanging  like  a  pall  over  the  country,  and  pouring  down 
in  blinding  rolls  of  darkness  on  the  villages,  told  of  coming 


' 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


339 


•a, 

of 


ton 

usli 

of 

)\vn 

ting 


(lisjistcT.  Still  there  was  no  droad  of  any  ^rrcat  ealainity  until 
the  oveninijj  of  the  fatal  7tli  of  October,  wiiicli  was  to  witness 
so  dirc!  Ji  catastrophe.  All  tho  day  black,  dense  smoke  hud 
been  pilini!^  up  about  Newcastle,  until,  before  sundown,  tho  air 
was  so  filled  with  smoke  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  see. 
Then,  as  night  approached,  tlu;  lurid  Hashes  of  the  ai)[)roaching 
conflagration  began  to  break  through  the  deepening  gloom  in 
fitful  l)nrsts  of  brilliancy,  Avhilo  the  short,  sharp  snaiJ.s  of  the 
crackling  brushwood  were  from  time  to  time  varied  by  the  loud 
reports  of  the  gigantic  pines  as  they  became  a  prey  to  tho  de- 
vouring element.  Swiftly,  steadily,  with  sullen  roar  and  angry 
flash,  on  came  that  moving,  rolling  wall  of  living  fire,  swee[)ing 
all  before  it  in  its  onward  rush  on  tlu;  devoted  village  of  New- 
castle. Kcsistance  was  in  vain,  and  flight  almost  useless  ;  the 
only  chaneo  for  safety  was  in  the  river  and  swampy  ground, 
whither  the  wretched  inhabitants  fled,  and  cowered  down  in  the 
water  and  soft  ooze,  while  the  fierce  flames  swejjt  in  a  terrible 
tornado  over  them,  carrying  death  and  destruction  in  their  path. 
All  through  that  terrible  night  tho  wild  work  of  devastation 
went  on,  and  when  morning  came  again,  only  twelve  houses, 
and  the  charred  and  blackened  ruins  of  upwards  of  two  hundred 
more,  wero  left  to  tell  Avhero  the  flourishing  village  of  New- 
castle had  stood  the  night  before  ;  whih^  of  the  thousand  hap[)y 
inhabitants  of  the  previous  evening,  one  hundred  and  sixty  had 
lost  their  lives  either  by  tho  flames  or  in  the  cold  embrace  of 
the  river  in  their  efforts  to  escape,  and  of  the  remainder  nearl}' 
all  were  burnt,  and  many  severely  injured.  Douglastown  suf- 
fered cv^n  *vorse,  for  only  one  house  Avas  loft  standing,  and 
that,  singular  to  say,  contained  tho  corpse  of  ono  who  had  died 
on  tho  previous  day.  Tho  destruction  done  by  this  tremendous 
fire  was  incalculable;  the  loss  to  settlements,  mills,  etc.,  was 
about  one  million  dollars  ;  but  tho  extent  burned  over  was  more 
than  five  thousand  s(iunro  m.iles,  and  the  loss  of  timl)er  was  past 
calculation.  Tho  ntmost  sympathy  was  felt  for  the  unfortunato 
sufferers,  and  largo  subscriptions  were  immediately  raised  in 
the  sister  provinces.  Great  Britain,  and  tho  IJjiited  States  ;  but 
it  was  many  long  days  before  tho  IMiramichi  district  recovered 
from  tho  efi'ccts  of ':hat  terrible  scourging  with  tiro. 

8.  Tho  Elaine  boundary  question  had  been  a  troublesome 
one  over  since  tho  Independence  of  tho  United  States.  Com- 
missions had  boon  appointed,  but  had  failed  to  agree  as  to  the 
b()unda'*io9  intended  to  be  given  by  the  treaty ;  th  >  Americans 
interpreting  the  terms  used  to  mean  one  thing,  antl  tho  British 


• 


.  .5 ' 


:---*-n 


340 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


another.  The  quiuitity  of  land  IhiiH  cluinKHl  by  both  was  about 
twelve  thousand  .s(juare  miles,  and  »^enerally  <^ot  to  be  known 
us  "the  dis^juted  territory,"  —  neither  party  oeeupying  it. 
Every  now  and  then  little  el)ullitions  of  feeling  would  bo  shown 
by  the  Anierieans,  who  had  always  displayed  a  disposition  to 
tuko  foreiblo  possession  of  this  de])ated  land  ;  an(l,  in  1827, 
Governor  ]jineoln,  of  JNIaine,  made  ti  hostile  demonstration, 
whereui)on  a  lilibustering  party,  under  eonnnand  of  a  man 
named  leaker,  made  a  dash  into  the  ]VIadawaska  district  and 
stuck  up  a  pole  with  the  "  stars  and  stripes  "  attached  to  it,  in 
token  that  he  had  "taken  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name 
of  the  United  States."  lie;  did  not  remain  long  in  })ossession, 
however,  for  the  old  French  inhabitants,  having  informed  Gov- 
ernor Douglas  of  the  intrusion,  he  moved  a  body  of  troops  up 
to  tho  frontier  and  sent  the  sheritf  to  arrest  Baker,  which  was 
done  XQi'Y  quietly ;  Baker  was  put  in  a  cab,  the  flag  was  put  in 
the  sheriJi''s  pocket,  the  stalF  was  put  in  the  lire,  and  the  "in- 
vasion" was  at  an  end.  Baker  was  taken  to  jail,  and  was 
afterwards  tried  before  the  Supreme  Court  at  Fredericton,  and 
lined.  Meanwhile,  Governor  Lincoln  got  up  a  good  deal  of 
excitement,  blustered  to  his  heart's  content,  called  out  tho 
militia,  and  threatened  a  general  invasion ;  Ijut  as  he  found  Sir 
Howard  Douglas  waiting  for  him  on  the  British  side  of  the 
frontier,  with  a  small  force  of  regulars,  he  decided  not  to  do 
anything  more  than  talk  ;  and  shortly  afterwards  all  excitement 
on  the  sul)ject  of  the  disputed  territory  was  allayed  by  the  sub- 
mission of  tho  matter  by  both  govcrmnents  to  the  King  of  tho 
Netherlands  for  a  settlement  of  the  boundary  in  dispute. 

9.  A  great  change  was  now  coming  over  the  connnereial 
jjolicy  of  Great  Britain.  Hitherto  the  most  jealously  protected 
country  in  regard  to  manufactures  and  productions  of  all  kinds, 
both  at  homo  and  in  the  colonies,  the  long  unsuccessful  efl'orts 
of  tho  free  traders  began  to  be  heard ;  the  cry  of  "  Buy  in  the 
cheapest  markets,  sell  in  the  dearest,"  was  raised,  and  one  by 
one  the  barriers  to  a  free  interchange  of  commercial  articles 
were  beinjr  thrown  down.  Hitherto  the  colonial  commerce  had 
been  exceedingly  limited  in  its  scope,  being  confined  to  England 
and  the  English  colonies ;  and  even  on  the  English  trade  there 
were  restrictions,  and  colonial  vessels  were  not  allowed  the 
advantage  of  the  English  coasting  trade,  — that  is,  going  from 
one  English  port  to  another  in  search  of  a  market,  —  but  were 
obliged  to  unload  and  load  again  at  the  port  for  which  they 
cleared  when  leaving  the  colonv.     This  was  all  changed  in  1825, 


ENGLAND,    AND   TIIP:   UNITED   STATES. 


341 


under  the  Canning  iidniinistnition,  when  the  principles  of  frro 
tnidc  first  hognn  to  gain  the  a.sccndcncy.  All  English  ports 
"wcro  thrown  op(Mi  to  colonial  trade,  and  all  colonial  ports  were 
open  to  Great  liritain  and  all  her  allies.  This  was  u  great  im- 
petus to  the  trade  of  New  lirnnswick  ;  nunihers  of  vessels  visited 
her  shore  in  search  of  lurnbcu' ;  ship-l)uilding  tlonrished,  and  the 
j)eople  saw  gigantic  fortunes  rapitlly  aceunmlating  before  them. 
But  there  were  reverses  to  come  ;  tirst  was  the  MiramiclM  tire, 
and  next  the  extra  competition  in  trade  which  the  breaking 
down  of  the  protection  barriers  gave  rise  to.  Under  \\w  cohjnial 
protection  arrangement  the  Americans  were  excluded  from  the 
West  Indies ;  and  a  largo  and  profitable  trade  had  sprung  iip 
between  those  islands  and  the  maritime  ])rovinces,  the  islands 
taking  fish  and  lumber  in  large  quantities  in  exchange  for  sugar, 
rum,  and  molasses.  But  in  1830  the  West  India  market  was 
thrown  open  to  the  Americans,  who  could  not  only  supply  fish 
and  lumber,  but  breadstufl's  and  provisions,  of  which  the  islands 
import  large  quantities,  and  the  trade  of  New  Brunswick  was 
very  seriously  injured. 

10.  At  this  time  colonial  timber  was  still  very  heavily  pro- 
tected, there  being  u  duty  of  about  fifteen  dollars  a  ton  on 
timber  imported  into  England  from  the  Baltic ;  this  was,  of 
course,  an  immense  advantage  to  New  Brunswick  ;  and,  although 
the  people  grumbled  u  great  deal  at  the  opening  of  the  West 
India  ports,  and  the  consequent  competition  against  which  they 
had  to  contend,  still  they  felt  moderately  well  satisfied  as  long 
as  they  had  a  monopoly  of  the  timber  trade  in  the  English 
market.  But  free  trade  was  now  advancing  Avith  giant  strides  ; 
monopoly  after  monopoly  Avas  moving  down  before  it,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  a  repeal  of  the  duty  on  timber  from 
the  Baltic  was  agitated,  so  that  England  might  get  her  timber 
as  cheap  as  she  could,  no  matter  Avhether  it  came  from  the 
colonies  or  from  a  foreign  country.  IMie  proposal  called  forth 
the  most  strenuous  opposition  in  the  provinces.  Suffering 
severely  already  from  American  competition  in  the  West  India 
trade;  nearly  ruined  by  the  terrible  fire  at  Miramichi,  and 
thoroughly  disheartened  and  discouraged,  the  people  saw  nothing 
but  utter  ruin  before  them  if  the  Baltic  timber  was  admitted  free 
into  England ;  and  their  dissatisfaction  was  so  great  that  it 
almost  took  the  form  of  open  disaftection.  The  Legislature  for- 
warded earnest  petitions  against  the  proposed  measure,  setting 
forth  the  immense  damage  it  would  do  to  the  province,  and  the 
l)ress  and  the  people  unanimously  condemned  it.     It  happened 


342 


IIISTOUY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


that  Sir  Ilowanl  l)()ii<;las  had  hcon  calletl  to  Kiij^laiid  to  givo 
evidence  with  regard  to  the  disputed  territory,  and  he  warmly 
espoused  the  cause  of  the  proviner,  jxihlishiiig  a  very  chner 
little  pamphlet,  in  which  h((  ( learly  showed  the  had  policy  of 
repealiiij^  the  timher  duties,  and  throwiug  the  colony  into  utter 
ruin  at  u  time  when  it  was  only  slowly  recoveiin<j;  from  a  most 
terrible  visitation  by  Uod.  The  pamphlet  did  its  work ;  the 
hill  was  defeated,  and<^i'eat  was  the  joy  of  the  N(!W  Urunswickers 
thereat  ;  hut  the  victory  cost  them  a  populiir  <i:overnor,  who,  for 
fourteen  years,  ha<l  lahoied  conscientiously  for  the  «^oo(l  of  the 
l)rovince.  Jn  opposin<j^  the  repeal  of  tin*  timlier  tax  Sir  Howard 
had  opi)osed  the  <i^overnmeiit  whi<h  had  appointed  him  ;  and, 
as  he  had  virtually  deteatcd  his  own  party,  he  could  no  lon<;er 
hold  otlice  uniler  it,  antl  therefore  resigned.  The  people  were 
extremely  sorry  to  lose  him,  and  the  Assembly  showed  its  ap- 
preciation of  his  services  by  voting  him  a  handsouK^  service  of 
plate,  lion.  William  IJIack  temporarily  administered  the  all'airs 
of  the  i)rovincc  until  tlu;  ai)pointment  of  Sir  Alexander  Camp- 
bell, who  arrived  in  the  fall  of  I80I. 


I  SI 


-♦♦♦- 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

NEW  BRUNSWICK  FROM    1832   TO  1807. 

THE   FIGHT    AND   CONQUEST     OF     RESPONSIBLE     GOVEHNMENT  —  DEVELOPMENT    OP 
THE    PnoVINCE CONFEDEHATION. 


1 .  The  struggle  for  responsible  government  was  character- 
ized much  the  same  in  New  Brunswick  as  in  Nova  Scotia.  The 
reformers  fought  in  a  constitutional  wa}'.  The  province  sulfered 
from  the  ijovernment  of  a  "familv  comijact "  much  the  same  as 
that  which  died  so  hard  in  Canada  and  in  Nova  Scotia  ;  but  that 
in  New  Brunswick  was  the  Ipast  objectionable  of  them  all,  and 
more  fairly  represented  the  interests  of  the  people.  Lenmel 
A.  Yv'ilmot  became  the  leader  of  the  reform  party  in  New 
Brunswick,  and  in  that  respect  was  not  nnlike  Howe  in  Nova 
Scotia.  A  singular  fact  was,  that  the  governors  in  both 
provinces.  Now  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia,  were  named  Camp- 
bell, and,  although  they  were  not  relatives,  they  appeared  nuich 
alike  in  disposition.  Both  were  strong  Tories,  stern,  determined 
soldiers,  and  both  watched  with  jealousy  any  and  all  innovations 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


343 


on  llj(^  royal  i)iX'n)«;ativo.  Now  IJrnnswick  took  the  U'lid  in 
politii-al  rctorin.  Jii  IH.'L  ilw  l('<;i.slaliv(!  coiiiicil,  mIucIi  liad 
LitluTto  IxMMi  also  Iho  ('xccutiv*^  coiincil,  was  iiiado  a  separate 
body;  tho  «;rit'vancos  of  Now  Unniswit-k  at  this  tiino  Avcro  of  a 
substantial  kiml.  Tlio  crown  land  dopartniont  was  badly  niiis- 
inana<;od,  in  tho  interests  t)f  linnber  s[)oeulat()rH.  Tho  "casual 
and  territorial "  revenues  also  became  a  sul)joct  of  dispute, 
cither  braiujli  of  the  govornnient  strivin<^  to  control  them.  In 
1832  a  resolution  Avas  pas.Hcd,  askinjr  tlu^  <rovornor  to  furnish  tho 
house  with  an  account  of  tho  I'oceipts  and  expenditures  of  this 
fund;  but  tho  request  was  curtly  refused  by  tho  governor. 
Foiled  in  ono  quarter  the  Assembly  determined  to  try  in 
another,  and  appointed  Messrs.  K.  Ji.  Chandler  and  (Jharles 
Simonds  as  dologates  to  treat  with  tho  imperial  authorities  for 
tho  surrender  of  the  casual  and  territorial  revenues.  1'he  dele- 
gates succeeded  in  arranging  terms  with  JNIr.  Stanley,  then 
colonial  secretary,  in  18JJ3  ;  but  the  arrangement  was  not  carried 
out,  owing  either  to  a  misunderstanding,  or  to  some  secret  in- 
fluence being  at  Avork  against  tho  Assembly. 

2.  About  this  time  there  was  some  dissatisfaction  with 
regard  to  the  New  Brimswick  and  Nova  Scotia  Land  Compan}', 
•which  had  been  formed  in  London  in  18.']1,  and  was  incor[)orated 
in  1834.  This  foreign  company  w^as  sold  a  tract  of  land  between 
the  St.  John  and  Miramichi  rivers,  covering  about  five  hundred 
thousand  acres,  for  a  sum  of  tifty-six  thousand  pounds,  of  which 
twenty-one  thousand  pounds  were  paid  doAvn.  The  object  of  tho 
company  was  to  relievo  some  of  tho  overcrowded  labor  districts 
of  England  by  removing  tho  labor  to  a  place  Avhere  it  could 
have  a  chance  of  being  nsefully  and  rennnieratively  employed 
in  clearing  the  land,  making  roads,  building  houses,  etc.  ;  great 
inducements  Avcre  also  held  out  to  naval  and  military  officers  to 
settle,  and  to  good,  practical  farmers  to  make  their  homes  there. 
The  company  was  calculated  to  do  good  to  the  province  ;  1)uttho 
Assembly  did  not  like  the  idea  of  so  large  a  portion  of  tho 
public  lands  being  given  to  a  private  company  Avithout  the  con- 
sent of  the  representatives  of  the  people  being  asked;  and  at 
the  session  of  1836  the  question  of  the  right  of  the  Assembly 
A\as  again  brought  up  by  Mr.  L.  A.  AVilmot  moAdng  an  address 
to  tho  governor  for  a  return  of  all  tho  sales  of  land  made  during 
the  past  year.  The  governor  only  fm'nishod  a  general  state- 
ment, AA'bich  increased  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  house,  as  it 
knew  he  had  received  instructions  from  the  home  office  to  yield 
considerably  to  the  demands  of  tho  Assembly. 


.^h 


-J 

1 

ii 

344 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


3.  The  house  now  moved  a  formal  address  to  the  k'rufr, 
setting  forth  its  grievances  in  full  in  the  matters  of  cvo'  'u  lands, 
revenue,  and  the  control  of  the  public  funds,  and  Me  Crane 
and  Wihnot  were  appointed  delegates  to  present  the  .  dress  in 
Enghuid.  The  delegates  *werc  most  kindly  received  by  the 
colonial  secretary,  Lurd  Glenelg,  and  due  consideration  given 
to  their  complaints.  After  several  interviews  everything  that 
they  demanded  was  granted,  with  some  sKght  moditications, 
and  the  draft  of  a  bill  for  the  support  of  the  civil  government 
of  the  province  was  prepared.  The  cosual  territorial  revenue 
was  given  up  in  considriation  of  the  Assembly  voting  a  por- 
imanent  civil  Yiat  of  fourteen  thousand  live  hundred  pouncls  a 
year.  The  salaries  were  left  as  they  wei'c,  but  M'ith  the  under- 
standing that  some  of  them  would  be  reduced  when  new  appoint- 
ments were  made.  The  management  of  the  crown  lands  was 
vested  in  the  governor  and  council ;  but  they  were  made  par- 
tially responsible  to  the  house,  by  having  to  furnish  a  detailed 
account  of  the  department  within  fourteen  days  after  the  opening 
-^f  Parliament.  Two  principles  which  the  Assembly  had  been 
contending  for  were  allowed,  but  not  positively  ordered  :  these 
were  representative  goveinment,  by  having  members  of  the 
majority  of  the  Ask^^embly  called  to  the  executive  council ;  and 
the  members  of  all  [)ailies  should  be  called  to  tlie  legislative 
council.  Another  reform  granted  was  that  all  grants  and  leases 
of  lands  wcic  declared  void,  unless  sold  by  public  auction,  after 
due  notice,  to  the  highest  bidder. 

4.  The  delegates  and  their  friends  were  jubilant,  and  thought 
that  all  difficulty  had  been  overcome  ;  but  they  were  mistaken ; 
such  sweeping  changes  cruld  not  becffected  without  opposition, 
and  although  it  did  not  .ast  very  long  it  was  strong  for  a  while. 
Sir  Archibald  Campl)ell  and  the  executive  council  had  no  in- 
tention of  allowing  the  control  of  the  revenue  to  be  taken  out 
of  their  hands,  without  an  etfort  to  retain  it,  and,  accordingly, 
representations  were  made  to  the  colonial  secretary  that  the 
amount  of  fourteen  thousand  five  hundred  pounds  was  not  suf- 
ficient to  cover  the  expense  of  the  civil  list ;  the  "salaries  of  the 
judges  of  circuit  courts  and  contingent  expenses  having  been 
omitted.  Strong  exception  was  also  taken  to  the  clause  referring 
to  the  sale  of  land  by  pul)lic  auction,  it  being  urged  that  its 
enforcement  would  do  great  injustice  to  a  largo  class  of  bona 
fide  settlers,  Avho  had  only  squalters'  rights,  and  Avould  rot  be 
able  to  show  a  clear  title  to  the  lands  they  had  reclaimed  from 
the  wilderness  and  settled  on,  if  this  clause  was  insisted  on. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


345 


The  governor  bad  even  stronger  views  on  the  sul)ject,  and  did 
not  hesitate  to  express  them  freely.  The  easual  and  territorial 
revenue  had  for  some  years  been  exceeding  the  civil  list,  and  the 
consequence  was  that  a  fund  of  about  eight  hundred  thousand 
dollars  had  accumulated,  the  expenditure  of  which  Sir  Archibald 
thought  it  would  be  umvise  to  trust  in  the  hands  of  the  Assem- 
h\y,  who,  he  felt  assured,  would  rapidly  squander  it.  His  own 
pet  scheme  was  to  foster  this  surplus  and  add  to  it,  so  that  in 
a  few  years  the  interest  on  it  would  supply  the  civil  list,  and 
the  casual  and  territorial  revenues  could  be  used  for  general 
imi)rovements  without  other  taxation,  lie  therefore,  in  answer 
to  Lord  Glenelg's  despatch  containing  a  draft  of  tiio  proposed 
civil-list  bill,  took  exception  to  the  bill,  and  suggested  a  number 
of  amendments,  which  virtually  nullitied  it. 

5.  The  Legislature  met  in  January,  1«87,  and  Sir  Archibald, 
who  had  not  yet  heard  of  the  fate  of  his  amendments,  was  anxious 
to  give  time.  Ho  submitted  the  civil-list  bill,  but  intimated 
that  in  the  event  of  its  being  passed  ho  would  not  assent  to  it 
unless  a  "  suspending  clause  "  was  added,  which  would  render 
the  bill  inoperative  until  the  king's  pleasure  was  known  with 
regard  to  the  amendments  proposed  by  iho  governor.  This 
aroused  the  suspicions  of  the  Assemljly,  the  members  fearing 
that  if  the  colonial  secretary  approved  of  the  governor's  amend- 
ments the  bill  might  be  so  altered  that  the  law  ofiicers  of  his 
majesty  might  recommend  him  to  withold  his  assent  to  it.  The 
bill  was  passed  in  both  houses  b}'  large  majorities,  and  a  depu- 
tation of  the  house  waited  on  the  governor  to  urge  him  to  give 
his  assent  to  it,  which  he  flatly  refused  to  do  unless  the  suspend- 
ing clause  was  added.  On  the  seventh  it  was  discovered  that 
the  Hon.  Georg(;  F.  Street  had  gone  to  London  on  a  secret 
mission,  which  the  Assembly  at  once  interpreted  as  meaning  a 
mission  inimical  to  its  interests,  and  hastily  passed  a  series 
of  indignant  resolutions,  strongly  condenming  the  council  and 
the  governor,  and  demanding  the  hitter's  recall.  An  address  to 
the  king  was  prepared  and  presented  to  the  governoi",  Avho 
received  the  censure  of  the  house  with  the  utmost  indillerence, 
and  did  not  gratify  the  deputation  by  informing  them  that  he 
had  placed  his  resignation  in  the  hands  of  Lord  Glenelg,  sooner 
than  carry  out  that  nobleman's  instructions.  The  house  at  once 
appointed  Messrs.  Crane  and  Vv'^ilmot  to  present  the  address  to 
the  king,  and  they  left  Fredericton  on  the  Dth  of  February  amid 
a  most  enthusiastic  demonstration  of  the  ])cople. 

6.  The  home  government  was  now  fully  determiiUMl  to  grant 


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Hi  h 


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340 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


the  reforms  deinauded,  and  to  fully  admit  the  principle  of  rop- 
roscutativo  government ;  and,  as  iSir  Areliil)ald  Campbell  would 
not  obey  the  instructions  of  the  colonial  minister,  his  resignation 
Avas  accepted,  and  Sir  John  Harvey  ai)})ointed  in  his  place. 
The  mission  of  lion  G.  F.  Street  utterly  failed  in  getting  any 
modilic-ation  of  the  civil-list  bill,  and  it  became  law  on  the  17th 
of  July.  Thus  was' responsible  government  fairly  introduced, 
and  great  was  the  rejoicing  of  the  reformers  thereat;  the  dele- 
gates Avere  received  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm,  and  Mr, 
Crane  Mas  called  to  the  executive  council,  Avhilc  Mr.  Wilmot 
"was  made  king's  council ;  indeed,  so  enthusiastic  did  the  As- 
sembly become  that  it  requested  Lord  Glenelg  to  allow  a  full- 
length  i)ortrait  of  himself  to  be  painted,  which  Avas  done,  and 
the  picture  now  hangs  at  the  back  of  the  speaker's  chair  in  the 
House  of  Assembly,  Fredericton.  The  passing  of  the  civil-lifj 
bill  quelled  all  political  excitement  in  Js'ew  Brunswick,  and  that 
province  was  hai)i)ily  spared  any  of  the  sad  scenes  Avhich  niarred 
the  years  1837-8  in  Upper  and  Lower  Canada. 

7.  The  government  of  Sir  John  Harvey  Avas  a  most  pacific 
one,  and  everything  Avent  smoothly  Avithin  the  province  until 
January,  1830,  Avhen  another  dithculty  Avith  the  United  States 
occurred  on  the  old  subject  of  dispute,  —  the  Maine  boundary. 
The  King  of  the  Netherlands,  to  Avhom  the  matter  had  been 
referred,  gave  a  decision,  in  1831,  Avhich  gave  the  Americans 
the  lion's  share  of  the  territory  ;  but,  as  it  did  not  give  them  the 
Avhole  of  it,  they  refused  to  be  bound  by  the  awai'd,  and  the 
matter  Avas  as  far  from  settlement  as  possible.  Early  in  the 
month  of  January,  1830,  some  lawless  persons  from  New  Bruns- 
Avick  Avent  into  the  disi)uted  territory  to  cut  tim))er,  Avhen 
Governor  Fairheld,  of  Maine,  sent  a  large  party  of  constables, 
under  command  of  the  sheriff,  to  expel  the  intruders  and  seize 
their  lumber.  A  fight  ensued,  Avhich  resulted  in  a  mutual 
ca[)ture ;  the  Americans  captured  McLaughlan,  the  ]5ritish 
Avarden,  and  carried  him  off  to  Augusta  ;  Avhile  the  British  made 
the  American  land-agent,  Mclntyre,  a  })risoner,  and  locked  him 
up  in  Fredericton  jail.  Both  provinces  at  once  went  ablaze  Avith 
excitement,  and  intemperate  words  threatened  to  be  soon  fol- 
lowed by  still  more  intemperate  acts.  Governor  Faii'field  sent 
two  thousand  men,  under  Colonel  Jarvis,  to  support  the  sheriff. 
Sir  John  Harvey  issued  a  proclamation  claiming  the  disputed 
territory  as  British  property,  and  calling  on  the  Governor  of 
Maine  to  withdraw  his  troops  ;  to  which  that  functionary  re- 
sponded by  a  counter-proclamation,  claiming  the  territory  as 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


U7 


part  of  the  State  of  Maine,  and  calling  out  ten  thousand  State 
militia  to  support  the  claim. 

8.  Sir  John  now  took  decided  steps,  and  despatched  Col. 
Maxwell,  with  the  oOth  and  (JOth  rej^iments  and  a  train  of  artil- 
lery, to  the  Upper  St.  John,  to  watch  the  movements  of  the 
Anierican  mihlia.  The  people  of  the  province  were  most  en- 
thusiastic ;  vohmtcers  from  St.  John,  Fredericton,  and  other 
points  turned  out  in  jrroat  numberts  and  joined  the  army  of  the 
Madawaska,  as  Maxwell's  force  was  called,  and  o[)encd  coumiu- 
nication  with  Sir  John  Colborne,  at  C^'"^"'*'-'^'  '^'^'l  '^'i"  John 
Harvey,  at  Fredericton,  while  the  Nova  Scotia  Legislature, 
Avhich  was  in  session  at  the  time,  became  so  excited  that  the 
members  of  the  Assembly  not  oidy  voted  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  and  eight  thousand  men  to  assist  the  province,  but  so  far 
forrot  their  lejjislative  dijjfnitv  as  to  ijive  three  cheers  for  the 
king,  which  were  caught  up  and  reechoed  by  the  crowd  in  the 
gallery.  The  excitement  was  also  very  great  in  tlu;  United 
States ;  but  the  democratic  party  did  not  want  to  needlessly 
risk  another  Avar  with  Great  Britain,  and  President  Van  Jiuren 
adopted  a  peaceful  policy ;  conciliatory  notes  passed  between 
the  English  minister  at  Washingtcfti  and  the  Secretary  of  State, 
and  Gen.  Winlield  Scott  Avas  despatched  to  the  frontier  with 
lull  poAvers  to  settle  the  difficulties  Avith  Sir  John  Harvey. 
The  Avar  party  in  the  United  States,  of  course,  made  a  good 
deal  of  noise,  and  Daniel  Webster  made  a  little  temporary 
political  <'ai)ital  by  calling  Van  Buren  a  coward,  and  declaring 
that  if  Great  liritain  Avould  not  conform  to  the  treaty  of  178.'> 
the  United  States  Avould  take  forcible  possessiriu  of  the  disjjutcid 
territory  on  the  next  4th  of  July ;  but  the  bulk  of  the  people 
Avere  in  favor  of  i.  it  disturbing  the  peace  between  the  two 
count  lies,  and  Webster  found  out,  three  years  later,  that  ho 
could  g 'in  more  by  negotiation  than  he  could  ever. accomplish 
'l)y  force 

1).  Sc  H's  first  step,  on  reaching  Augusta,  Avas  to  order  the 
ten  thous;  id  militia,  (iovei'nor  Fairfield  had  ordered  out,  to 
remain  at  home,  and  this  had  the  immediate  etl'ect  of  (pjieting 
excitement.  He  then  entered  into  friendly  negotiations  Avith 
Sit  flohn  HarA'cy,  and  they  speedily  arrived  at  a  [)eaceful  solu- 
tion of  the  ditHcnIty.  It  AA-as  agreed  that  the  Maine  miliiia 
should  bo  withdrawn,  and  Great  Britain  undertook  to  j)revent 
any  inciu'sions  into  the  disi)uted  territory  until  the  (pu'stion  of 
the  boundary  Avas  settled.  This  agreement  Avas  afterwards  i-afi- 
iied  by  the  British  and  American  ministers ;    but  it  i;>ft   tho 


i- 


4 


m 


348 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


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question  (tf  tho  boundaiy  jis  unsettled  as  ever.  Wo  may  as 
well  continue  the  histoiy  of  this  boundary  question  to  its  close. 
Both  governments  ordered  fresh  surveys,  and  each  lot  of  engi- 
neers made  out  a  very  clear  case  in  favor  of  the  pretensions  of 
their  own  country ;  but  finally,  to  avoid  farther  trouble,  and 
the  possibility  of  war,  two  commissioners  yvevc  appointed  to 
settle  tho  matter,  the  award  to  be  tinal. 

10.  The  American  government  appointed  Daniel  Webster, 
and  the  Uritish  government  sent  out  Lord  Ashburton,  a  very 
amiable  old  gentleman,  who  let  AVcbster  have  almost  entirely 
his  own  way,  and  who  consented  to  giving  np  seven  thousand 
square  miles  of  tho  best  timbered  and  agricultural  land  out  of 
tho  twelve  thousand  in  dispute.  Tho  people  of  New  Brunswick 
w^ere  not  very  well  pleased  at  tho  decision  arrived  at,  but  they 
were  fain  to  bo  content  with  tho  linal  settlement,  on  some 
terms,  of  a  question  which  Avas  a  perpetual  menace  of  the  peace 
of  the  whole  nation. 

11.  Sir  John  Harvey  administered  the  affairs  of  the  prov- 
ince until  1841,  when  he  was  recalled  on  account  of  a  slight 
difference  between  him  and  Lord  Sydenham,  then  governor- 
genei-al.  lie  had  the  happy  knack  of  making  himself  popular, 
and  although  ho  was  subjected  to  bitter  attacks  from  a  small 
portion  of  tho  press  published  in  tho  interest  of  the  party 
which  opposed  the  surrender  of  the  casual  and  territory  rev- 
enues, still  he  gained  the  good-will  of  tho  people,  and  the 
Legislature  voted  him  a  service  of  plate  on  his  recall,  in  evi- 
dence of  tho  peace  and  harmony  which  had  existed  between  it 
and  the  executive  dtu'ing  his  administration.  Sir  John  showed 
a  decided  tendency  in  favor  of  popular  government,  and  that 
the  acknowledged  principle  of  responsible  government  was  not 
carried  into  more  active  effect  was  through  no  fault  of  his.^ 
Political  parties  were  more  evenl}'  balanced  in  New  Brunswick 
than  in  Canada  and  Nova  Scotia ;  a  spirit  of  greater  modera- 
tion actuated  its  people.  Some  of  tho  leaders,  who  had  been 
instrumental  in  obtaining  tho  concession  granted  by  tho  civil- 
list  bill,  now  rested  content.  AVhen  a  resolution  to  give  effect 
to  the  principle  laid  down  in  Lord  John  Russell's  despatch  on 
the  tenure  of  ofKce  was  introduced  into  tho  Legislature,  it  was 
defeated  by  the  casting  vote  of  the  speaker,  Charles  Simonds.' 
Sir  John  Harvey  was  suLx.eeded  by  Sir  William  Colebrooke, 
who  did  not  find  the  province  in  a  very  flourishing  condition. 


•^iP'- 


*  Archer's  History  of  Canada. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


349 


The  fears  of  Sir  Archibald  Campbell  had  been  justified ;  the 
Assembly  had  no  sooner  got  possession  of  the  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  pounds  surplus  to  the  credit  of  casual  and  territorial 
revenue,  than  they  had  begun  to  spend  it  lavishly  and  extrav- 
agantly, and  Jjy  1842  it  was  not  only  all  gone,  but  the  prov- 
ince was  in  de)>t  and  wanted  to  raise  a  loan.  This  was  rather 
"a  feather  in  the  cap  "  of  the  opponents  of  the  surrender  of  the 
casual  and  territorial  revenue,  and  their  satisfaction  Avas  in- 
creased when  the  colonial  secretary  informed  the  Legislature 
that  their  reckless  manner  of  voting  away  the  public  funds  had 
injured  the  credit  of  the  province. 

12.  The  first  year  of  Sir  AV^illiam  Colebrooke's  administra- 
tion was  not  a  fortunate  one  for  the  province ;  St.  John  was 
visited  by  a  severe  fire,  and  the  province  was  subjected  to  one 
of  those  periodical  depressions  in  the  luml)er  trade  which  will 
occur  once  in  a  while  in  every  trade  as  a  wholesome  check  on 
over-production  and  over-trading ;  the  revenues  fell  oft'  con- 
siderably, and  the  prosperity  of  the  province  was  momentarily 
checked,  but  soon  began  to  flow  on  again.  A  determined 
stand  for  responsible  government  de  facto  was  made  by  the 
reform  party  at  the  general  election  of  1842,  but  the  people 
generally  took  no  interest  in  the  matter  ;  they  were  thoroughly 


conservative,  and  quite  content  to  let  things  rc^main  as  they 
were  ;  so  the  reformers  were  gencrall}'  defeated  at  the  polls. 
The  Legislature  showed  its  conservatism  by  voting  a  congratu- 
latory address  to  the  governor-general,  Sir  Charles  Metcalfe, 
for  a  despatch  he  forwarded  to  Sir  AVilliam  Colebrookc  in  1842, 
in  which  he  claimed  the  right  of  the  crown  to  make  appoint- 
ments, and  recommended  a  reconstruction  of  the  legislative 
council  so  that  all  political  parties  as  well  as  all  religious  de- 
nominations should  be  represented  in  it.  This  was  contrary  to 
the  spirit  of  Lord  John  llusscH's  despatch  with  regard  to 
appointments  ;  l)ut  the  Assembly  applauded  it,  and  had  an 
opportunity  the  very  next  year  to  show  its  inconsistency  ])y 
objecting  to  the  first  appointment  made  b}^  Sir  William  Cole- 
brookc, of  which  we  shall  speak  by  and  by.  Some  very  serious 
riots  occurred  in  Northumberland  County  during  the  election  of 
1842.  The  elections  then  —  as  until  quite  recently  —  spread 
over  many  days,  and  parties  were  thereby  enabled  to  visit  a 
variety  of  polling-i)laces.  A  pai'ty  of  disorderly  persons,  who 
were  opposed  to  the  return  of  Mr.  Ambrose  Scelt,  the  reform 
candidate,  organized  for  a  tour  from  parish  to  parish,  and 
destroyed  so  much  property  and  created  so  much  disorder  that 


i  'M(' 


1^^-^ 
iia 


350 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


a  party  of  soldiers  had  to  be  sent  from  Frederictou  to  disperse 
them.  Mr.  Harper,  in  his  "History  of  New  IJrunswiek,"  draws 
the  following  nntlattering  pictnrc  of  St.  John  in  1842  :  "De- 
strnctive  tires  among  the  buildings  of  St.  John,  and  the  pros- 
peet  of  a  depressing  change  in  British  duties  on  lumber,  with 
an  overstocked  market,  gave  an  unhappy  look  to  that  com- 
mercial centre.  More  than  four  thousand  of  its  people  were 
dependent  upon  public  charity,  while  over  three  hundred  were 
«on  the  limits  for  debt.  Yet  the  unruly  had  spirit  enough  left 
to  quarrel  over  the  silly  emblem  of  an  Irish  party,  which  had 
been  placed  on  a  flag-pole.  The  rumor  of  coming  strife  had 
been  abroad  ail  day,  and  at  night  a  crowd  from  the  olfended 
faction  paraded  the  streets,  insulting  other  citizens  and  howling 
like  maniacs.  Affairs  api)eared  in  an  unsettled  state,  but  the 
cnerg}^  of  the  mayor  and  the  arrests  he  made  quelled  the  dis- 
turbance. The  same  feeling,  however,  flamed  out  again  on  the 
subsequent  12th  of  July.  In  the  procession  of  that  occasion, 
and  out  of  it,  men  were  prepared  for  deadly  combat.  At  the 
foot  of  the  principal  street,  on  the  spot  where  the  loyalists  had 
quoted  their  motto  from  Virgil,  0  fortunatl  quorum  jam  mce- 
nla  surgunt,  the  disgraceful  scene  of  citizen  striving  against 
citizen,  with  knife  and  bludgeon  and  pistol,  was  "witnessed. 
JNIany  persons  were  killed,  hundreds  were  wounded  ;  all  unlucky 
victims  of  the  storm  which  cleared  the  way  for  future  peace  and 
good-will  among  the  people  of  St.  John." 

13.  The  (question  as  to  the  right  of  appointment  which  the 
Assembly  had  endorsed  as  belonging  to  the  governor  was  soon 
tested.  On  Christmas  day,  1844,  the  Hon.  William  Odell, 
provincial  secretary,  died,  after  having  filled  the  office  since 
1818,  in  which  year  he  succeeded  to  it  on  the  death  of  his 
father,  the  Hon.  and  the  llev.  Jonathan  Odell,  who  was  the 
first  provincial  secretary  of  the  province.  Sir  William  Cole- 
brooke,  considering  that  the  right  of  appointment  was  entirely 
in  his  own  hand,  appointed  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  Reade,  pro- 
visionally ;  but  the  action  called  forth  opposition  from  both 
parties,  reformers  and  conservatives,  and  four  members  of  the 
executive  council  resigned  their  seats.  Some  of  the  members 
took  rather  roundabout  grounds  for  objecting  to  the  appoint- 
ment; thus  Messrs.  Johnson,  Chandler,  and  Pazen  acknowl- 
edged the  right  of  the  crown  to  appoint  whoever  it  pleased, 
but  objected  to  this  particular  appointment,  because  Lord 
Glcnclg,  in  1835,  had  laid  down  a  rule  that  onlv  natives  of  the 
province,  or  settled  inhabitants,  should  be  endowed  with  public 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


351 


appointments  ;  and  they  could  not  regard  Mr.  Ileadc  as  a  settled 
inhabitant  of  the  i)r()vinee,  although  he  might  beeomesuch  if  ho 
was  continued  in  his  appointment ;  but  they  objected  to  paying 
so  high  a  price  for  that  honor.  The  lloli.  Mr.  Wihnot  took  far 
more  advanced  views,  and  urged  this  as  a  favorable  opportunity 
for  introducing  the  practice  of  responsible  government ;  ho 
argued  that  the  provincial  secretaryship  should  be  made  into  a 
department  of  the  government,  and  a  meml)er  of  the  executive 
council  appointed  to  it,  Avho  should  bo  responsible  to  the  As- 
sembly, and  hold  olKce  only  so  long  as  ho  retained  the  confi- 
dence of  the  house,  instead  of  being  a  crown  appointmcMit  for 
life.  Mr.  Wihnot  was  only  a  little  in  advance  of  his  time,  but 
lived  to  sec  this  principle  carried  out.  Neither  the  house  nor 
tho  people  were  ready  for  so  radical  a  change  at  this  time, 
however,  and  it  was  some  years  before  it  was  accomplished. 
Finding  the  appointment  of  ^Ir.  lieade  so  distasteful  the  colo- 
nial secretary  did  not  eontirm  it,  and  the  Hon.  J.  Simcoo 
Saunders  was  appointed  provincial  secretary. 

14.  The  period  from  1(S45  to  1848  was  not  a  very  eventful 
one  in  the  province,  which  Uourished  moderatehs  and  there 
was  nothing  of  a  very  exciting  nature  in  politics  mitil  the  latter 
year.  There  were  some  uneasiness  and  dissatisfaction,  for  tho 
crown  lands  were  mismanaged,  the  revenue  carelessly  ex[)ended, 
and  tho  appropriation  of  a  surplus  of  the  civil-list  fund  for  the 
purpose  of  surveying  lauds  in  Madawaska  Avas  considered  a 
stretch  of  the  "oyiil  prerogative  by  the  governor ;  but  no  serious 
cft'ort  to  materially  change  the  order  of  things  was  made  nntil 
1848.  hi  tho  previous  year  Earl  Ciray,  the  colonial  secretar}^ 
had  sent  a  despatch  to  Sir  John  Harvey,  Governor  of  Xova 
Scotia,  in  which  ho  clearly  detined  the  principles  of  responsible 
government  as  applicable  to  the  provinces.  lie  held  that  mem- 
bers of  the  executive  council,  who  directed  the  policy  of  tho 
country,  should  hold  office  only  so  long  as  they  had  the  support 
of  a  majority  of  the  house,  and  that  all  heads  of  departments 
should  only  hold  office  on  i)leasure  ;  that  all  otiicers  under  gov- 
ernment were  to  bo  excluded  from  sitting  in  either  branch  of 
the  Legislature,  and  that  while  holding  office  only  during  good 
behavior  they  were  not  to  bo*  subject  to  removal  simply  on  a 
change  of  ffovornment.  At  the  session  of  1848  Mr.  Charles 
Fisher,  member  for  York,  holding  that  this  despatch  was  as  appli- 
cable to  New  Brunswick  as  to  Xova  Scotia,  introduced  a  reso- 
lution fully  approving  of  it,  and  accepting  it  as  tho  rule  for  tho 
province.     Tho  debate  was  opened  on  the  24th  February,  and 


Ml 


ft*  s 


'n^: 


352 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


the  rcscilutiou  Avas  carried  by  a  large  majority  on  a  coalition 
vote,  both  conservatives  and  liberals  voting  for  it. 

15.     Thus  was  re'sponsible  goverinnent  linally  recognized  as 
the  rule  of  the  province.     This  was  the  last  important  act  in 
the  administration  of  Sir  "William  Colebrooke,  who  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  governorship  of  Hritish  Guiana  iu  1848,  and  was 
succeeded  in  A'ew  Brunswick  by  Sir  Edmund  Walker  Head, 
grandson  of  a  baronet  of  tlu,  same  name  who  had  been  forced 
to  Hee  from  the  States  with  the  loyalists  of  1783.     Sir  Ednumd 
had  the  lumor  of  being  the  lirst  civilian  regularly  appointed  to 
the  lieutenant-governorship  of   the  province.     The  career  of 
New  lirunswick,  from  the  establishment  of  responsible  govern- 
ment in   1848,   to  confederation  in   1807,   Avas  comparatively 
uneventful,  with  the  exception  of  the  agitations  on  the  ques- 
tions of  the  Intercolonial  Kailway  and  Confederation,  both  of 
which  subjects  we  have  freely  treated  in  a  i)revious  chapter,  and 
it  is  useless  to  go  over  the  same  ground  here.     There  was  no 
party  s[)irit  in  the  province,  to  speak  of,  until  1855,  the  principal 
agitation   being  on  the   sul)ject  of  retrenchment ;    the   cry  for 
reform  in  this  direction  being  led  by  \\'ilmot,  and  his  principal 
points  of  attack  being  the  salaries  of  the  judges.     The  judges 
protested  vigorously  against  any  reductiou,  and  claimed  that 
Avhen  the  civil  list  was  placed  at  fourteen  thousand  live  hundred 
pounds  it  included  their  salaries  at  certain  tixed  rates,  and  that 
to  make  any  reduction  would  be  a  breach  of  faith.     On  this 
ground  they  appealed  to  England,  and  were  supported  by  Eail 
Grey,  Avhich  caused  some  dissatisfaction  in  the  houses,  and  the 
subject  formed  "  a  bone  of  contention  "  for  some  time.    "Another 
source  of  political  strife  arose  from  free-trade  discussions.    The 
high  imperial  duty  on  flour  had  led  to  the  erection  of  several 
flour-mills  near  St.  John.      Afterwards,  when  this  duty  was 
Avithdrawn   by  England,  the  owners  of  the   mills  souglit  the 
Legislature  to  protect  their  trade  by  a  provincial  duty  on  all 
imported  flour.     The  sul)ject  gave  scope  to  the  orators  of  the 
house,  and  the  tax  was  legalized.     Next  session  the  protec- 
tionists again  appeared  with  petitions.     They  asked  for  pro- 
tective duties  on  all  i^rovincial  industries,  and  a  fisherman's 
bounty ;  but  while  the  Assembly  considered  the  whole  subject, 
a  despatch  from  Lord  Grey  was  presented,  in  which  dissent 
was   recorded   against  the    bill   granting   a   bounty  to  Jiemp- 
growers.     This,  viewed  as  an  unnecessary  interference,  (piick- 
ened  into  rage  the  feeling  against  the  despatch  system,  and  the 
rule  of  Downing  street.     The  repeal  of  the  navigation  laws 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


353 


added  to  tho  vexation.  jVIr.  AVurk,  by  hh  resolutions  in  the 
Assembly,  tried  to  show  that  responsil)lo  government  in  New 
Bnmswic-k  was  yet  only  a  name.  In  face  of  tho  earl's  decree, 
another  member  introdnced  a  l)ill  to  provide  for  iishery  bounties  ; 
while,  during  tho  debate,  tho  despotism  of  tho  colonial  otKce 
was  in  everyl)ody's  mouth.  Tho  houso  cheered  the  bill  in  its 
third  reading,  and  voted  three  thousand  })()unds  as  a  bounty- 
fund.  But  the  defiance  was  a  mere  shadow,  for  the  legislative 
council  rejected  the  bill,  and  thus  brought  about  the  reaction  of 
quiet. 

10.  The  visit  of  tho  Prince  of  AYales,  in  1800,  was  made 
tho  occasion  of  great  and  general  rejoicing  in  St.  John,  and 
never  did  tho  city  of  tho  loyalists  show  itself  more  loyal  than  in 
welcoming  our  heir-apparent.  The  "Trent"  affair,  in  1801, 
threw  St.  John,  in  common  with  other  Canadian  cities,  into  a 
momentary  state  of  excitement.  Forts  were  repaired,  and 
great  activity  evinced  ''or  a  while  ;  but  tho  danger  soon  passed, 
and  the  city  fell  back  mto  its  normal  condition.  The  session 
of  1806  Avas  the  most  exciting  known  in  New  lirunswick  for  many 
3'ears.  Tho  province  hiid  pronounced,  in  what  would  appear  to 
have  been  most  unmistakable 
terms,  against  confederation, 
and  lion.  A.  J.  Smith  Avas  at  the 
head,  of  a  strona^  anti-coufeder- 
ate  ministr}' ;  still  it  was  ru- 
mored that  a  decisive  step 
would  bo  taken  to  force  con- 
federation, and  an  exciting  time 
was  expected.  Governor  Gor- 
don opened  the  session  by  in- 
formingtho  house,  in  veryi)lain 
and  strong  language,  that  the 
imperial  government  earnestly 
desired  a  union  of  all  the 
British  North  American  prov- 
inces ;  and  this  was  followed 
up  by  a  motion  of  want  of  confi- 
dence in  the  government  on  the 
general  administration  of  the 
aft'airs  of  the  province.  While  the  debate  was  progressing,  u 
highly  dramatic  effect  was  thrown  in  by  the  attempt  of  the 
Fenians  to  invade  the  province.  A  number  of  these  misguided 
fanatics,  who  proposed  to  "  liberate  "  Ireland  by  putting  Canadians 


!!      ifa»! 

h       '   A 

i*<i«^' 

■11 ' 

l,lji 

■Ki 

Mi  i- 


h'4 


354  IIISTOllV   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 

ill  l)()iula;^o,  ussenibh-'d  iit  I'ortliuul,  und  embarked  for  Eustport, 
Mail'",  with  tlio  inteiitioii  of  crossinj^  the  St.  Croix  river  and 
nuiki  a  descent  ui)on  St.  Andrews  and  St.  Stejjhens.  Tiio 
li5tli  re<;iinent,  nnder  Colonel  Cole,  Avas  pronjptl)'  despatched 
to  the  frontier,  with  a  number  of  volunteers,  and  occupied 
Canipobi'llo,  St.  Andrews,  and  St.  Stephens;  but  the  Fenians, 
lindinj^  n  Avarm  reception  prepared  for  them,  A\isely  postponed 
their  visit,  and  all  was  soon  (juiet  on  the  frontier  again,  liut  the 
demonstration  had  had  an  effect  the  Fenians  little  calculated  on  ; 
it  had  strengthened  the  bonds  between  the  provinces  and  the 
mother  country,  showed  the  necessity  for  a  closer  union  of  the 
provinces  for  defence,  and  made  confederation,  virtually,  an 
accomplished  fact.  The  legislative  council  passed  an  address 
expressing  a  desire  that  the  imperial  government  would  unite  the 
provinces  upon  the  (Quebec  scheme.  The  governor  promptly 
endorsed  the  action  of  the  council,  and  the  Smith  ministry  in 
the  house  suddenly  found  itself  Avithout  any  supporters,  and 
Avas  forced  to  resign.  Mr.  Tilley  Avas  called  on  to  form  a 
ministry.  A  general  (  '  lion  sent  a  huge  majority  of  confed- 
erates to  the  house.  The  union  resolutions  \v'ero  triumphantly 
passed,  and  on  the  1st  of  July,  18G7,  the  Dominion  of  Canada 
came  into  existence  as  the  youngest  of  nations. 

17.     The  folloAving  is  a  list  of  the  governors  from  the  forma- 
tion of  the  province  to  confederation  :  — 

Gen.  Thomas  Carleton,  Governor 1784 

Hon.  G.  G.  Ludlow,  President        .         .        ...        .        .  1786 

Hon.  E.  Winslow,  President 1803 

Col.  G.  Johnston,  President 1808 

Gen.  W.  lliinter,  Governor 1809 

Gen.  W.  Balfour,  President 1811 

Gen.  G.  S.  femythe.  President 1812 

Gen.  Sir  J.  Haumarez,  President 1813 

Col.  II.  W.  Hailes,  President 1816 

Gen.  G.  S.  Smythe,  Governor 1817 

Hon.  Ward  Chipman,  President 1823 

Hon.  J.  M.  Bliss,  President 1824 

Gen.  Sir  H.  Douglas,  Governor       .......  1825 

Hon.  W.  Black,  President .  1829 

Gen.  Sir  A.  Campbell,  Governor 1832 

Gen.  Sir  John  Harvey,  Governor 1837 

Sir  W.  M.  G.  Colebrooke,  Governor 1841 

Sir  E.  W.  Head,  Governor 1848 

Hon.  J.  H.  T.  M.  Sutton,  Governor 1854 

Hon.  A..  Gordon,  Governor 1862 

Sir  C.  Hastings  Dovle,  Lieut. -Governor .  ....  1866 


ENGLAND,   AND   TIIK   UNITED   STATES. 


355 


CPIAPTER    XXX. 

PRINCE  EDWAUD   ISLAND,    1CC3  TO    1787. 


! 


EARLY   SETTLEMENTS- 


AUMINISTUATION    OF     GOVKRNOU   PATTERSON  —  THE    LAND 
QUESTION. 


1.  Prince  Edward  Island,  iit  first  called  St.  John,  as  wo 
have  seen  in  the  early  part  of  this  work,  was  not  settled  until 
1()()|},  when  France  thought  to  establish  on  the  island  an  exten- 
sion of  her  colonial  empire.  In  that  year  the  island,  together 
with  tlu^  Magdalen  Islands,  were  granted  to  Sieur  Doublet,  by 
the  French  king,  for  purposes  of  trade  ;  but  ho  did  nothing 
beyond  establishing  a  few  small  fishing-stations  on  the  island. 
The  first  settlements  of  any  considerable  importance  Avere  made 
by  the  French  who  removed  from  Acadia  after  the  treaty  of 
1713,  the  island  still  remaining  under  French  rule,  while 
Acadia  was  transferred  to  the  English.  This  movement  was 
followed  by  the  establishment  of  a  post  and  garrison  at  Port  La 
Joie  (Charlottetown),  under  the  protection  of  the  Fren(;h  fort 
at  Capo  Breton,  which  al  u)  remained  in  the  possession  of  the 
French  after  the  treaty  of  Utrecht.  But  even  in  1752  the  entire 
inhabitants  of  the  island  numbered  but  one  thousand  three 
hundred  and  fifty-four,  notwithstanding  the  favorable  accounts 
of  the  soil  and  climate  Avhich  had  been  Avidely  circulated.  From 
this  period  to  the  conquest  by  the  English,  tho  progress  of 
the  population  and  wealth  on  the  island  was  not  rsipid,  yet  these 
were  gradually  increased  and  expanded  until  1758,  when  the 
total  number  of  inhabitants,  from  the  best  accounts  that  can  be 
authenticated,  was  about  five  thousand,  and  pro))ably  this  in- 
crease was  to  a  greater  extent  indebted  to  the  expulsion  of  the 
Acadians  in  Nova  Scotia,  in  1755,  than  anything  else.  We  can 
record  little  or  nothing  of  French  rule  in  the  island  of  St.  John  ; 
there  were  no  events  connected  with  it  bej'ond  those  mentioned, 
which  aro  worthy  of  particular  remark  here.  The  treaty  of 
joeace  betwCsin  Franco  and  England,  in  1763,  by  which  all  the 
possessions  of  tho  former  in  North  America  were  ceded  to  the 
latter,  caused  a  great  change  in  tho  destiny  of  Prince  Edward 
Island.  That  island,  together  with  Capo  Breton  and  what  is 
now  the  province  of  New  Brunswick  and  part  of  tho  State  of 


^Hd' 


m(y 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


Miilnc,  was  iiicliulcd  in  the  govcnnmMit  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  ho 
continued  until  1770. 

2.  Jn  17(!1  th(^  liritislj  f?ov(M'nniont  ordered  a  survey  of  tho 
coast  of  its  newly  ac<juircd  American  possessions,  n.id  Captain 
Holland  was  instructed  to  superinten<l  tho  northern  portion  of 
the  survey,  and  to  connniMico  at  the  island  of  St.  John.  IIo 
arrived  at  tlu?  island  in  October,  17(!4,  and  found  very  poor 
aeeonnnodation  at  Fort  Aniherst,  ■which  he  described  as  a  poor 
stockade,  with  scarcely  barracks  enou<j^h  to  aceoniinodatc!  th(! 
f^arrison,  and  ho  was  obli/j^od  to  provide  Avinter-(inart(>rs  for 
himself.  As  to  the  inha])itants  he  says,  "  There  arc  about  thirty 
Acadian  families  on  th(^  island,  who  arc  regarded  as  prisoners, 
and  kejjt  on  tho  same  footing  as  those  at  Halifax.  They  aro 
extremely  poor,  and  maintain  themselves  by  their  industry  in 
gardening,  tishing,  fowling,  etc.  TIh?  few  remaining  houses  in 
the  dillerent  parts  of  the  island  are  very  bad,  and  the  quantity  of 
cattle  is  but  very  inconsiderable."  Tho  cai)tain  evidently  spared 
no  time  or  pains  in  c(mipleting  his  survey,  for  in  October,  17G5, 
he  sent  home  Mr.  Kobinson  with  plans  of  tho  island,  as  W(dl  as 
of  the  Magdalen  Islands,  and  an  account  of  the  soil,  climate, 
etc.,  in  Avhich  he  speaks  in  even  more  glowing  terms  of  both 
than  had  the  French  explorers  Avho  had  previously  reported  on 
the  capabilities  of  the  island.  Previous  to  tho  reception  of  this 
report,  in  December,  17(515,  the  Earl  of  Egmont,  then  first 
lord  of  tho  admiralty,  had  presented  a  petition  praying  for  a 
grant  of  tho  whole  island,  which  he  intended  to  turn  into  a  sort 
of  feudal  barony,  with  himself  as  lord  paramount,  having  forty 
hundreds,  or  baronies,  with  eight  hundred  manors  and  forty 
townships,  each  of  one  hundred  lots  containing  live  acres.  This 
plan  was  vigorously  pushed  for  some  time,  but  the  lords  of 
trade  and  plantations  opposed  the  scheme,  and  finally,  on  the 
third  application  for  a  grant  of  tho  island,  flatly  refused  to  en- 
tertain it.  By  the  survey  of  Captain  Holland  the  island  was 
found  to  contain  three  hundred  and  thirty-five  thousand  four 
hundred  acres,  only  about  ten  thousand  of  which  were  estimated 
as  unfit  for  cultivation.  Although  tho  lords  of  trade  and  planta- 
tions refused  to  entertain  Lord  Egmont's  scheme,  yet  they 
agreed  to  distribute  tho  island  among  persons  who  had  —  or 
were  supposed  to  have  —  claims  upon  the  government;  and,  in 
accordance  with  this  plan,  nearly  the  whole  island  was  dis- 
tributed by  a  lotteiy,  which  was  drawn  in  the  presence  of  the 
Board  of  Trade,  on  the  23d  July,  17G7  ;  the  claims  of  all  peti- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


357 


tionors  for  ullotmonts  Imviiig  been  jireviously  udjudinited  on 
by  tli(>  board. 

^5.  The  conditions  nnder  which  the  distribution  was  made 
was  us  foUow.s  :  "On  twenty-six  speeitied  lots  or  townsiiips  u 
quit-rent  of  six  shillin«^s  on  every  hundred  acres  was  reserved, 
on  twenty-nine  h)ts  four  shilliu*;s,  and  on  eh'ven  Ujts  two 
sliillinj^s,  payable  ainundly  on  one  half  of  the  f^raut  at  the  expira- 
tion of  tive  years,  and  on  the  whole  at  the  expiration  of  ten 
years  after  the  date  of  the  grants.  A  reservation  of  such  parts 
of  each  lot  as  ini<:fht  afterwards  be  found  necessary  for  fortifica- 
tions or  public  i)urposes,  aud  of  'i  hundred  acres  for  a  church 
and  <j^lel)e,  and  of  fifty  acres  for  a  school-master,  Avas  made,  five 
hundred  feet  from  hij^h-water  mark  being  reserved  for  the  pur- 
pose of  a  free  tishery.  Deposits  of  gold,  silver,  or  coal,  were 
reserved  for  the  crown.  It  was  stipulated  that  the  grantee  of 
each  townshii)  should  settle  the  same  within  ten  years  from  the 
date  of  the  grant,  in  the  proportion  of  one  person  for  every  two 
hundred  acres  ;  that  such  settlers  should  bo  Euroi)eans,  foreign 
Protestants,  or  such  persons  as  had  resided  in  British  North 
America  for  two  years  previous  to  the  date  of  the  grant ;  and, 
finally,  that  if  one-third  of  the  land  was  not  so  settled  within 
four  J  ears  from  the  date  of  the  grant,  the  whole  shall  be  for- 
feited."' About  six  thousand  acres  were  reserved  for  the 
king,  and  lots  forty  and  tifty-nino  were  reserved  for  jNIcssrs. 
Mill,  Cathcart,  and  Iliggins,  and  Messrs.  Spencer,  Muir,  and 
Cathcart,  in  consideration  of  their  having  established  fisheries, 
and  otherwise  improved  the  island  ;  and  all  the  remainder  of  the 
island  was  distributed.  A  cry  few  of  the  grantees  had  any  in- 
tention of  settling  on  the  island,  and  either  sold  out  or  alienated 
their  property ;  so  that  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  the  bulk  of 
it  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  few  absentee  proprietors.  The 
grantees,  however,  were  clamorous  for  their  political  rights, 
and  in  1786  petitioned  for  a  separation  fi'om  Nova  Scotia  and 
government  of  their  own,  wiiich  petition  was  granted  in  1770, 
when  there  were  only  five  resident  proprietors  on  the  island  and 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  families. 

4.  Captain  AVilliam  I'atterson,  one  of  the  grantees,  was  ap- 
pointed governor,  and  arrived  in  1770,  and  three  years  after- 
wards a  complete  constitution  was  granted  it,  and  the  first  Par- 
liament met  at  Charlottetown  in  1773.  The  government  con- 
sisted of  a  lieutenant-governor,  aided  by  a  combined  executive 


'  Campbell's  History  of  Prince  Edward  Island. 


j-v  ,,»  ,»,„>t^ 


i]r,s 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


M 


and  Ici^islaliv^n  council,  and  a  house  of  assembly  of  ciij^htcen 
iUeuibci-s.  Of  the  cxcculive  council,  Ihrco  were  nienihers  of 
the  legislative  council  and  one  of  the  house  of  assembly.  The 
tirst  trouble  in  tho  new  jjroviiico  arose  from  money  (lillicuUies. 
In  askiui;'  for  a  constitution  the  proj)i'ietors  had  olUircd  to  make 
the  quit-rents  due  in  1772  payable  at  once  ;  but  they  failed  to 
pay  up,  and  the  governor  was  soon  put  to  great  straits  to  raise 
sutKcient  money  to  meet  the  civil  list,  which  was  very  moderate, 
comprisingsalaryof  the  governor,  iivehnndred pounds  ;  secretary 
and  registrar,  one  hiuulred  and  tifty  poun<ls  ;  chief-Justice,  two 
hundred  poinids  ;  attorney-general,  one  hundred  pounds  ;  clerk 
of  uic  crown  and  co'-oner,  eighiy  pounds ;  provost  mar.jhal, 
fifiy  ])ounds  ;  and  the  minister  of  the  Church  of  England,  one 
hundred  i)ounds  ;  but  oven  this  small  amount  was  not  received 
from  the  (piit-rents,  and  the  governor  was  forced  to  use  three 
thousand  pounds,  raised  by  the  house  for  the  erection  of  public 
buildings,  to  pay  the  employes  of  tlu?  government. 

r>.  The  progress  of  the  colony  was  very  slow  ;  there  was 
little  or  no  emigration  after  the  tirst  excitement  had  worn  olf ; 
and  in  1779,  out,  of  sixty-nine  townships  into  which  the  island 
had  b(>en  divlued,  ellbrts  towards  settlement  had  only  been 
made  in  about  a  dozen,  and  even  in  these  the  colonization  was  only 
partial.  One  reasoii  for  the  lack  of  emigration  was  the  bigotry 
of  tho  Church  of  England',  and  the  exclusion  of  lloman  Catholics 
from  seJtlement  on  the  ishuid.  In  1775  Governor  Patterson 
went  to  ICngland  ;  and  the  ])r(>prielors  presented  a  memorial  to 
the  colonial  secretary  praymg  that  the  civil  establishment  of 
the  islarid  should  l)e  provided  for  by  an  annual  grant  hy  Parlia- 
ment, as  was  done  in  other  colonies.  By  a  minute  of  council, 
passed  on  7th  August,  177(5,  it  Avas  ordered  that  legal  proceed- 
ings should  be  taken  to  recover  the  arrears  of  quit-rents ;  but 
no  immediate  action  was  taken  by  the  governor,  who  was  anx- 
ious to  propitiate  the  proprietors. 

(>.  The  island  of  St.  John  was  made  to  feel  the  horrors  of 
war  shortly  after  the  outbreak  of  the  American  Revolution.  h\ 
November,  1775,  two  American  vessels,  cruising  in  the  Gulf 
of  tho  St.  Lawrence  for  the  purpose  of  trying  to  intercept 
English  steamships  on  their  way  to  Quebec,  suddenly  appeared 
in  the  harbor  of  Charlottetown,  which  was  quite  defenceless, 
and,  landing  a  body  of  sailors  and  nuirines,  pillaged  the  place 
of  all  that  was  valuable,  and  carried  olf  Hon.  Atr.  Callbeck, 
who  was  :idministering  the  government  in  the  absence  of 
Governor  Patterhou,  and   other   otHeers,  prisoners.     General 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


359 


Washiiif^toii  Hum  luul  his  licad-quurtors  iit  Canibridf^o,  mid  as 
soon  as  lie  heard  of  the  outrai^o  lie  rek'asod  the  prisoners,  rc- 
stoHMl  the  booty,  and  had  the  otficers  who  coniman(Uid  the 
expedition  dismissed  the  serviee.  The  ishmd  sidleicid  no  more 
dnrin.<jf  the  war,  except  that  the  privateers  hovering  about  the 
gulf  sonu'times  re[)lenished  their  scanty  ])rovisions  at  the  ex- 
pens(M)f  the:  I'armers' Hocks  and  barn-yards;  but  the  loss  Avas 
more  than  comixMisated  by  the  occasional  visits  of  IJritish  men- 
of-war,  one  of  which,  the  "  Hunter,"  bising  ])la('ed  on  the  station, 
otfectually  ])rotected  the  island.  In  1778  four  (M)nii)anies  of 
militia,  under  Major  Ilierliky,  Avero  sent  from  New  York  to 
protect  the  island  ;  and  in  October,  177il,  the  ship  "  Camilla," 
with  a  regiment  of  J'ossians  on  board,  Avas  ff-rd,  by  stress  of 
Avealher,  to  |)ut  into  Charlottetown,  and  ren  iin  liiere  nntil  the 
following  flune.  The  town  had  not  enoui;'  })rovisions  to 
support  tlKMU,  but  tli(^  deliciency  Avas  inad(>  n[)  l)y  the  farmers. 
Tlio  visit  Avas  productive  of  good  in  the  future,  for  many  of  the 
soldiers,  pleased  a\  ith  the  country,  returned  at  the  close  of  the 
Avar  and  settled  ther(\ 

7.  In  177.')  ihe  Assembly  had  passed  an  act  providing  for 
the  sale  of  allotments  in  the  event  of  the  q.uit-rents  not  being 
paid ;  but  the  hiAV  had  never  been  enforced.  On  Ids  return 
from  England,  in  1780,  hoAvcA'cr,  (iovernor  Patterson  decided 
to  enforce  the  law,  and,  accordingly,  legal  prcjceedings  Avere 
taken  and  a  number  of  estates  sold  for  little  more  than  the  taxes 
due.  This  h'd  to  great  comi^laints  against  P:;tterson,  Avho 
l)ouglit  large  quantities  of  laivl  hims(df,  and  ultimately  led  to 
his  removal.  The  projuietors  AvLose  estates  had  been  sold 
petitioned  against  the  action  of  the  governor,  claiming  thrt  ho 
had  cliosen  an  i.iopportiine  time,  Avhile  the  country  Avas  at  Avar, 
and  few  English  capitalists  could  be  found  to  invest  in  colonial 
property,  in  an  island  Avhich  migiit  be  alienated  from  tin;  IJritish 
croAvn  by  the  next  treaty  of  peace  ;  that  he  had  not  followed 
due  form  of  law,  nor  given  sufficient  notice  in  England  of  the 
intended  sale  :  and  that  he  had  used  his  power  and  position  for 
his  personal  advantage,  and  ac(]uired  large  tracts  of  the  land  for 
himself  and  his  friends.  1'his  latter  charge  Patterson  did  not 
attempt  to  deny,  for,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Stuart  —  the  agent  of  the 
province  in  England — he  says,  "That  the  otfic<>rs  of  the 
goA'crnment  have  made  purchaser  is  certain,  and  that  J  h.>\o 
made  some  myself  is  also  as  certain  ;  but  I  should  be  glad  to 
knoAV  Avho  would  be  an  officer  of  government  if,  by  being  such, 
ho  Avas  deprived  of  his  privilege  as  a  citizen."     lie  denied  the 


'^M: 


i  ,;«»'!.<   1 


IP 


m 


t_i2 


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■  t«  ..I 
If     » 


■il 


ilp^r'^ 


iii 


3G0 


IIISTOllY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


first  (•Iiar<j:c  of  illegal  procotlnrc,  however,  unrl  tried  hard  to 
defend  his  aetiou,  whieli  appears  to  be  just  iind  legal ;  the  pro- 
prietors would  not  eoinply  Avith  the  eouditioii^   on  which  their 
grunts  had  been  made  them,  and  either  refused  or  neglceted  to 
ymy  the    quit-rents  which  Ave  re    absolutely  necessary  for    the 
maintenance  of  the  civil  government.     The   law  provided    a 
remedy  by  the  sale  of  the  lands,  and  Governor  Patterson  merely 
applied  the  law,  that  was  all,  and  he  was  quite  right  in  doing 
so;  but  his  sr/    .'(jucnt  conduct  is  not  so  easily  justified.     On 
the  close  of  th.  .var  a  great  change  took  place  in  the  value  of 
land  in  the  island,  and  those   i)roprietorti  Avhosc   estates   had 
been  sold  for  taxes  began  to  bo  clauKn'ous  to  have  the  sale  set 
aside,   and  the   lauds    returned   to   them   on  payment  of  the 
arrears  of  taxes   and    expenses    of  sale.      Patterson   strongly 
oppostid  this,  and  puts  the  ease  very  clearly  in  a  letter  to   Mr. 
Stuart,  dated  the  12th  of  Ma^^  1783  ;  he  says,  "There  is  some 
idea,  I  find,  of  rescinding  the  purchases,  and  tliat  government 
will  order  it ;    whoever  has  formed   such  an  idea  must   have 
strange  notions  of  government.     Government  ma}"  order  me, 
and,  if  1  have  a  mind  to  be  laughed  at,  I  may  issue  my  orders 
to  the  purchasers ;  but  can  any  one   believe   that  they  will  bo 
obej-ed?     Surely  not;  nor  Avould  I  bo  an  inhabitant  of  any 
country  where  such  a  power  existed.     My  money  may,  with  as 
nmch  justice,  be  ordered  out  of  my  pocket,  or  the  bread  out  of 
my  mouth.    A  governor  has  just  as  nmch  poAvcr  to  do  the  one  as 
the  other.     1  should  like  to  know  Avhat  opinion  you  would  have 
of  a  country  where  the  validity  of  public  contracts  depended  on 
the  will  of  the  governor.    The  purchases  were  made  in  me  \  ery 
Avorst  period  of  the  Avar,  Avhen  the  property  Avas  very  precarious 
indeed,  and  Avhen  no  man  in  England  Avould  have  given  hardly 
a  guinea  for  the  a\  hole  island.  It  is  now  at  peace,  and  fortunately 
Ave  still  remain  a  part  of  the   British  empire.     The   lands  are 
consequently  esteemed  more  vulual)le,  and  the  proprietors  have 
become  clamorous  for  their  h)ss.     Had  the  reverse  taken  place, 
—  had  the  island  been  ceded  to  France,  —  let  me  ask  Avhat 
Avould  have  been  the  consequence?    ^Vhy,  the  purchasers  Avould 
have  lost  their  money,  and  the  proprietors  would  have  been 
quiet,    hugging   themselves    on   their    own    better    judgment. 
There  can  bo  no  restoring  of  the  lots  which  Averc  sold.     There 
has  not  been  a  lot  sold  on  which  a  slnyle  shilllmj  has  been  ex- 
pended  by  way  of  settlement,  nor  upon  tvhich  there  has  been  a 
settler  placed;  so  that  those   proprietors  Avho   have   ex[>endcd 
money  in  making  settlements  have  no  cause  of  complaint." 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


361 


8.  The  influence  of  proprietors  at  coui't  Avas,  however,  too 
strong  for  the  governor,  and  a  rcsohition  in  council  was  passed 
on  the  1st  of  May,  1784,  voiding  the  sales  made  in  1781,  and 
allowing  the  original  proprietors  to  repossess  themselves  of 
their  proi)erty  on  payment  of  the  purchase  money,  interest,  and 
charges  incurred  by  the  present  proprietors,  as  well  as  the  cost 
of  any  improvement  which  had  been  made.  A  bill  based  on  this 
order  in  council  was  framed  and  sent  out,  in  1781,  to  Governor 
Patterson,  to  bo  sulmiitted  to  tiie  Asseml)ly  ;  but  he  had  no 
idea  of  giving  up  the  property  he  had  purchased  so  easily,  and 
neglected  to  present  the  bill  to  the  house,  which  he  knew  was 
unfriendly  to  Ixim  and  Avould  immediately  pass  the  bill.  Under 
the  pretence  that  the  home  government  was  not  full}' acquainted 
with  the  facts  regarding  the  land  sale,  the  governor  suppressed 
the  bill  sent  out,  only  submitting  it  to  the  council,  who  were 
pledged  to  secrecy.  His  object  was  to  get  the  Assembly  to 
pass  an  act  approving  the  sale  of  1781,  before  he  was  forced  by 
the  home  government  to  submit  the  rescinding  act  sent  out ; 
and  for  this  purpose  he  dissolved  the  house,  which  he  knew 
was  inimical  to  his  interests,  and  ordered  a  new  election  ;  but 
he  was  unfortunate  in  its  result,  for  on  the  meeting  of  the  new 
house  one  of  its  iirst  acts  was  to  consider  the  conduct  of  the 
governor  Avith  regard  to  the  sales  of  land,  and  an  address  to  the 
king,  disapproving  of  his  conduct,  was  being  framed,  when  the 
governor  hastily  interfered  and  dissolved  Parliament  again. 
The  governor  was  favored  at  this  second  election  l)y  the  support 
of  the  newly  arrived  united  empire  loyalists,  many  of  whom  had 
settled  on  (he  island  at  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and 
Avhoso  wants  had  been  assiduously  attended  to  by  the  governor, 
in  the  hope  of  future  political  support ;  nor  was  he  mistaken. 
In  March,  179a,  he  ordered  another  general  election,  and  the 
result  WIS  the  return  of  a  house  entirely  subservient  to  his 
wishes,  although  Mr.  Stewart  assures  us  that  this  "  'vas  not 
accomplish(!d  without  a  severe  struggle,  much  illegal  conduct, 
and  at  an  expense  to  the  governor  and  his  friends  of  nearly  two 
thousand  pounds  sterling."  Nothing  was  said  at  the  session  of 
1785  about  the  sales  of  1781,  l)ut  at  the  next  session  a  bill  was 
introduced,  and  passed,  entitled,  "An  act  to  render  good  and 
valid  in  law  all  and  every  of  the  proceedings  in  the  years  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty,  and  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  eighty-one,  which  ii.  every  res[)e(;t  related  to  or 
concerned  the  suing,  seizing,  condemniug,  or  selling  of  the  lots 
or  townships  hereinafter  mentioned,  or  any  part  thereof." 


j 


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i 


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4i 


mh 


It 

**  Is 


It^il 


If' 


362 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINIO:?   OF  CANADA, 


9.  This  loiifisliitioii  was  disullowecl  by  his  luiijosty,  and  the 
propriotors  in  England  urging  on  tlic  colonial  socrt'tary  that 
Governor  Patterson  did  not  intend  to  obey  tlic  orders  of  the 
homo  otHec,  that  oliieer  superseded  Patterson,  and  ()rd(;red 
him  to  return  to  Enghmd  to  answer  to  certain  charges  made 
against  him,  Colonel  Fanning  being  instructed  to  tidco  his  i^lace. 
The  letter  from  the  colonial  secretary  reached  him  in  October, 
178G.  and  at  the  same  time  he  was  peremptorily  ordered  to 
suljmit  to  the  Assemblj"  the  bill  sent  out  in  1784,  rescinding  the 
sales  of  1781,  another  copy  of  which  was  forwarded.  Patterson 
now  saw  the  folly  of  longer  withholding  the  bill,  and  submitted 
it  to  the  Assembl}^  \v'hen  it  was  read  for  the  fust  time  on  tho 
1st  of  November  ;  bnt,  in  accordance  M^ith  the  desire  of  the  gover- 
nor, the  bill  was  shelved  and  a  private  bill  passed  in  its  place, 
which  provided  for  the  restoration  of  tho  escheated  lands,  but 
on  such  onerous  terms  that  no  advantage  could  be  derived  by 
the  original  proprietors  by  taking  advantage  of  it.  Of  course 
the  proprietors  would  not  submit  to  this,  and,  on  the  matter 
being  represented  to  the  committee  of  the  privy  council,  several 
members  of  the  council  were  dismissed.  Lieutenant-Governor 
Fanning  arrived  at  Nova  Scotia  early  in  November,  1786,  to 
assume  the  reins  of  government,  but,  to  his  surprise,  found 
Patterson  refused  to  give  them  up,  pretending  that  the  appoint- 
ment was  made  only  to  fill  the  vacancy  to  bo  caused  by  his 
(Patterson's)  temporary  absence  in  England  ;  and  that,  as  it  was 
then  too  late  for  him  to  ]n*oceed  to  England  thivt  year,  there  was 
no  vacancy,  and  would  bo  none  I'.itil  tho  spring.  The  claims 
of  the  rival  governors  caused  considerable  excitement  on  the 
island  during  the  winter,  as  each  had  his  partisans,  but  no  breach 
of  the  j)eace  occurred,  and  Patterson  Avas  allowed  by  Fanning 
to  j-emain  in  almost  undisputed  possession  of  the  government 
until  the  si)ring,  when,  early  in  April,  the  latter  issued  a  procla- 
mation, embod^'ing  his  appointment,  and  calling  on  all  loyal 
citi/AMis  to  recogni/e  his  title  as  lieutenant-governor  of  the 
island.  Patterson  at  once  issued  a  counter-proclamation,  to  the 
cfl'ect  that  he  was  the  only  duly  authorized  representative  of  his 
majesty,  and  calling  on  all  to  pay  no  attention  to  the  claims  of 
tho  usurper.  So  matters  remained  at  a  dead- lock  until  the 
next  month,  when  des|)atches  from  Lord  Sydney  settled  the 
matter  by  curtly  informing  Patterson  "his  majesty  has  no 
farther  occasion  ibr  your  services  as  Lieutenant-Governor  of 
St.  John,"  and  instructing  Faiming  to  assume  the  government 
of  the  island.    Patterson  never  returned  to  the  island.    Deserted 


'l\--    ■-^: 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


363 


by  his  friends  in  England  ho  had  no  chance  of  reinstateniont ; 
and,  being  in  straitened  circumstances,  his  large  and  valuable 
possessions  on  the  island  were  sold  at  a  mere  nominal  value 
under  the  hard  laws  Avhich  he  had  himself  caused  to  bo  passed. 
"  But  the  qucbl  ion  occurs,"  sa3's  INlr.  Campbell,  "what  became 
of  the  escheated  lands  ■\vhich  Avere  ordered  to  be  restored  to  the 
original  proprietors?  After  the  proceeding  already  mentioned 
no  determined  cft'ort  to  regj'.'n  the  property  was  made  by  the 
original  holders,  with  regard  to  whose  claims  to  restitution  no 
doubt  could  now  exist.  The  Assembly  did,  indeed,  pass  an 
act  in  1792,  by  which  the  old  proprietors  wore  permitted  to 
take  possession  of  their  property  ;  but  eleven  ycrrs  having 
elapsed  since  the  sales  took  place,  and  complications  of  an 
almost  insuperable  nature  having  in  consequence  ensued,  the 
government  deemed  it  inexpedient  to  disturb  the  present 
holders,  more  particularly  as  not  a  few  of  them  had  efl'ected  a 
compromise  with  the  original  grantees,  which  entitled  thcra  to 
permanent  possession.  IIouco  the  act  referred  to  Avas  dis- 
alloAved,  and  thus  a  subject  Avhich  had  for  j^ears  agitated  the 
comnnniity  Avas  permitted  to  remain  in  continued  abeyance." 


^  if 


'■  i^a 


r  'i.  'vi 


■  »♦  * 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


PKINCE  EDAVARD   ISLAND,    1787   TO   1847. 


1.  Colonel  Fanning  administered  the  affairs  of  the  island 
for  eighteen  years,  during  Avhich  but  little  progress  Avas  made. 
The  original  proprietors  still  continued  to  hold  their  lands,  and 
not  pay  the  quit-rents.  A  census  Avas  taken  in  17'J8,  Avliich 
shoAved  a  population  of  four  thousand  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
tAvo.  There  Avere  soA'on  hundred  and  forty-eight  heads  of 
families,  and  amongst  these  only  twenty-five  are  returned  as 
single  men.  Fifty  families  consisted  of  only  tAvo  persons  each, 
five  of  Avhich  were  widoAVS,  Avith  one  son  each  ;  siivty-tAvo  families 
consisted  of  ten  or  more  persons,  the  remaining  six  hundred 
and  eleven  fannlies  containing  from  three  to  nine  persons  each. 
The  largest  family  on  the  island  Avas  that  of  Lieutenant-Gov- 
ernor Fanning,  consisting  of  eighteen  persons,  eight  of  Avhom 
AA'ore  males  and  ten  females.  The  names  of  these  early  settlers 
are  a  curious  study,  there  being  four  hundred  and  eighty-seven 
different  cognomens  divided  amongst  the  seven  hundred  and 


•  >4t>'i 


.  t.«b  ^«  A^l4' 


i  -11 ' 


m 


3G4 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


forty-eight  families,  Scotch  names  great!  prt'ponderating ; 
indeed  oiic-thircl  of  the  population  were  "Macs,"  for  no  less 
than  two  hundred  and  thirly-ouo  familios,  consisting  of  seven 
hundred  and  one  males  and  six  hundred  and  thirty-six  females, 
liad  the  prefix  "Me"  to  their  names,  the  McDonakls  alone  muster- 
ing sixty-nine  families,  numl)ering  two  hundred  and  eight  males 
and  one  hundred  ninety-eight  females  ;  nor  do  the  McDonalds 
seem  to  have  been  all  settled  in  one  locality,  but  to  have  been 
pretty  well  spread  over  the  island,  as  out  of  forty-nine  districts 
from  which  returns  are  made  the  name  McDonald  appears  in 
twent^^-one,  and  in  only  one  instance  —  a  widow  and  her  daughter 
—  does  the  family  consist  of  less  than  three.  English  names 
are  scarcer,  and  the  Smith,  Brown,  Jones,  and  Rohinson  fam- 
ilies arc  very  scantily  represented ;  the  former  having  only  three 
families,  of  nine  males  and  ten  females  ;  the  Browns  four  fam- 
ilies, of  eiixht  males  and  eiijhtcen  females ;  the  Ilobinsons  two 
families,  of  seven  males  and  seven  females  ;  while  only  one 
Jones  —  John  Jones — is  returned  in  the  whole  province,  and 
his  famil}^  consisted  of  two  males  and  three  females. 

2.  It  was  during  the  administration  of  Colonel  Fanning  that 
the  name  of  the  island  Avas  changed  from  St.  John  to  Prince 
Edward.  The  inconvenience  of  the  former  name  was  felt  at  an 
early  date,  on  account  of  there  being  the  to-w^n  and  other  places 
of  the  same  name,  and  an  effort  Avas  made  in  1780  to  change  it 
to  New  Ireland,  and  a  l)ill  was  introduced  and  passed  in  the 
House  of  Assembly  adopting  that  name  as  the  future  one  of  the 
island  ;  but  the  action  was  taken  Avithout  the  knoAvledge  or  con- 
sent of  the  imperial  government,  and  the  bill  Avas  disallowed, 
after  which  no  farther  efl'ort  AA'^as  made  to  change  the  name  for 
nearly  twinity  years.  During  his  residence  at  Halifax  as  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  forces  in  North  America,  the  Duke  of 
Kent  ordered  new  barracks  to  be  built  at  CharlottetoAvn,  and 
also  had  the  harbor  fortified  ;  and  the  inhabitants  felt  so  grate- 
ful to  him  for  his  care  and  consideration  of  them,  that,  althnugh 
he  never  visited  the  island,  the  house,  at  its  session  of  17il8, 
passed  an  act  chariging  the  name  of  the  island  to  Prince  Edward, 
in  compliment  to  him  :  and  the  act  having  received  the  royal 
assent  on  the  1st  of  February,  ITOt),  the  province  Avas  thence- 
forward knoAvn  as  that  of  Piiiice  Edward  Island.  Tlu^  settling 
of  the  island  went  on  very  slowly  under  the  propric^tar}'  system, 
and,  in  17!»7,  Avhcn  the  House  of  Assembly  took  the  matter  in 
hand,  and  made  a  careful  examination  into  the  state  of  the  prov- 
iucCj  very  little  had  been  doao.     In  this  year  the  Assembly 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


3G5 


presented  a  petition  to  the  king,  praying  that  the  proprietors 
should  be  eon)pelled  to  fulfil  the  conditions  on  which  the  lands 
had  been  granted,  or  the  lands  themselves  escheated  to  the 
crown  and  redistributed.  This  petition  was  based  on  a  careful 
examination  of  the  condition  of  the  sixty-nine  townships  into 
which  the  island  had  been  divided;  by  Avhich  examination  it 
was  shown  that  in  twenty-three  townships,  which  Mere  named, 
and  which  contained  over  four  hundred  and  tifty  thousand  acres, 
there  was  not  a  single  resident  settler ;  that  in  twelve  other 
townships  there  were  only  thirty-six  families,  numl)ering  about 
two  hundred  persons,  who  thus  constituted  the  entire;  population 
of  nearly  one-half  the  area  of  the  whole  island.  The  opinion 
of  the  house  was  that  these  lands  were  only  held  on  speculation, 
that  the  proprietors  were  taking  advantage  of  the  leniency  of 
the  government,  and  that  the  lands  should  be  given  to  actual 
settlers.  The  petition  was  favorably  received  by  the  Duke  of 
Portland,  then  colonial  secretary,  and  Governor  Fanning  in- 
structed that  the  evils  complained  of  should  be  removed.  In 
opening  the  session  of  1802  Governor  Famiing  stated  that  the 
imperial  government  had  favoral)ly  considered  the  petition,  and 
advised  the  house  to  be  ready  to  adopt,  when  necessary,  the 
legal  means  to  reinvest  his  majesty  with  the  lands  which  could 
be  escheated.  The  house  inquired  for  farther  information,  and, 
not  receiving  it,  passed  "An  act  for  effectually  reinvesting  in 
his  majesty,  his  heirs  and  successors,  all  such  lands  as  are,  or 
may  be,  liable  to  forfeiture  Avithin  this  island,"  Avhich,  greatly 
to  the  astonishment  of  the  house,  was  disallowed  by  the  homo 
government. 

3.  The  cause  of  this  disallowance  is  not  hard  to  find.  It 
must  1)0  remembered  that  in  the  time  of  which  mc  are  writing 
the  provinces  Avere  all  really  governed  by  orders  from  the 
colonial  oflice,  and  the  party  most  powerful  in  Downing  street 
controlled  the  allairs  of  the  provinces,  no  matter  what  the  local 
government  might  desire  ;  now,  the  proprietary  party  was  still 
very  strong  with  the  homo  otfice,  and,  of  course,  used  its  influ- 
ence asrainst  a  redistril)ution  of  the  land,  for  both  the  resident 
and  non-resident  i)roprietors  were  opposed  to  any  change.  The 
non-resident  pro[)rietors  only  held  their  lands  on  speculation  ; 
it  had  cost  them  nothing,  and  they  did  not  intend  that  it  should, 
for  they  paid  no  (luit-rent,  made  no  improvement,  promoted  no 
Immigration,  and  were  only  waiting  until  their  island  was  suffi- 
ciently settled  by  others  to  make  their  land  valuable,  when  they 
proposed  turning  it  into  money,  and  closing  their  conuectlf)n 


I 


366 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


^^M  ■■ 


with  the  ishiiid.  Those  proprietors  who  had  improved  their 
^, property  were  also  opposed  to  any  change  ;  for  they  argued  — 
'  with  considerable  judgment  —  that  it'tlie  lands  now  unoccupied 
were  escheated  to  the  crown  and  redistributed,  a  number  ot'the 
settlers,  who  were  now  their  tenants,  would  desire  to  become 
proprietors,  and  so  leave  their  lands  nnoccupied.  Both  parties, 
therefore,  brought  their  influence  to  bear  on  the  home  office, 
and  the  result  was  the  disallowance  of  the  bill.  The  Assembly 
was  justly  incensed  at  such  disregard  for  the  best  interests  of 
the  island,  and  drew  up  a  strong  remonstrance,  which  was  sent 
to  the  agents  of  the  colony  in  London  for  i)resentation ;  ad- 
dresses were  also  forwarded,  through  Governor  Fanning,  to  the 
colonial  secretary  and  the  president  of  the  committee  of  the 
privy  council  for  trade  and  plantations ;  but  the  influence  of 
the  proprietors  Avas  so  great  thiit  not  only  was  no  att(Hition  paid 
to  the  complaints  of  tiie  Assembly  l)y  Lord  Casthn-eagh,  then 
colonial  secretary,  but  a  composition  was  also  made  with  regard 
to  the  overdue  quit-rents,  which  now  amounted  to  about  sixty 
thousand  pounds  sterling,  the  amount  due  on  some  townships 
being  more  than  it  was  calculated  they  would  sell  for.  The 
commutation  was  divided  into  four  classes,  and  the  agreement 
was,  that  the  payment  of  quit-rents  for  a  certain  number  of  years 
should  be  taken  in  lieu  of  the  thirty-two  years  now  due.  Those 
proprietors  who  had  on  their  lands  the  required  number  of  set- 
tlers, as  agreed  for  under  the  original  grant,  were  released  from 
all  the  past  quit-rents  by  paying  for  five  years,  and  a  propor- 
tionate deduction  Avas  made  for  the  other  classes,  who  had  made 
partial  settlements,  and  who  had  made  none. 

4.  This  commutation  had  a  good  effect,  for,  although  a  large 
number  of  the  projirietors  still  refused  to  pay  even  the  small 
amount  deniauded,  still  a  great  many  thought  this  a  good  time 
to  sell  and  realize  what  they  could  on  the  land,  and  for  the  next 
four  years  a  brisk  business  was  done  in  sales,  al>out  one-third 
of  the  whole  island  changing  proprietors  in  that  time,  many  of 
the  purchasers  being  determined  to  actually  colonize  and 
develop  the  resources  of  the  country.  F(n'omost  amongst 
these  new  proprietors  svas  the  Earl  of  Selkirk,  who  had  large 
})osses3ions  on  the  north  and  south  of  Point  Prim.  This  had 
been  the  site  of  an  old  French  settlement,  which  had  been 
abandoned  on  the  cession  of  the  island  to  Great  Britiiiu,  and 
had  become  partially  grown  over  with  young  timber.  In  1803 
the  enrl  began  to  remove  a  number  of  Highlanders  to  his  island 
property,  about  eight  hundred  coming  that  year,  and  the  luun- 


ENGLAND,   AND   THE  UNITED   STATES 


bcr  being  increased  fioni  time  to  time  until  about  four  thousand 
iu  all  settled  on  the  fertile  soil,  which,  under  this  good  manage- 
ment, soon  began  to  yield  plentiful  harvests.  The  same  Karl  of 
Selkirk  afterwards  formed  a  settlement  at  the  Ked  river,  of 
■which  Avc  shall  speak  more  fully  in  our  connnents  on  the  North- 
west Territory.  Colonel  Fanning  resigned  the  lieutenant- 
governorship  in  1804,  and  was  succeeded  by  Desbarres,  who 
arrived  in  July,  IHOa.  Colonel  Desbarres  Avas  an  old  man, 
who  had  been  the  first  governor  of  Cape  IJreton  when  it  was 
made  a  separate  colony,  in  17(S4,  and  his  administration  was  not 
marked  by  any  remarkable  events,  beyond  the  growing  dissatis- 
faction of  the  Asseml)ly  at  the  conduct  of  the  home  government, 
in  again  disallowing  the  act  passed  for  the  escheating  of  lands 
which  the  proprietors  had  neglected  to  settle  and  improve  as 
required  of  them  by  the  original  grant.  "War  with  the  United 
States  was  declared  during  his  administration,  but  the  tide  of 
conflict  did  not  turn  towards  the  island. 

5.  Colonel  Desbarres  was  succeeded,  in  1813,  by  Mr. 
Charles  Douglas  Smith,  a  brother  of  Sir  Sydney  Smith,  who 
soon  changed  the  character  of  the  government  of  the  island  by 
turning  it  into  a  despotism,  of  Avhich  he  Avas  the  autocrat,  and 
very  nearly  drove  the  islanders  into  open  rebellion  by  his  illegal 
and  tyrannical  conduct.  The  Assembly  met  in  NoA'cmI)er, 
1813,  and  AA'as  rather  cavalierly  treated  by  the  governor,  Avho 
seemed  to  think  such  a  legislative  body  unnecessary,  and,  after 
prorogation  in  January,  1814,  did  not  summon  the  house  to 
meet  again  until  1817,  Avhen  the  house,  proceeding  to  inquire  into 
the  state  of  the  province,  Avas  promptly  dissolved  by  the  dic- 
tatorial governor,  Avho  ordered  a  general  election  in  1818.  The 
ncAV  house  also  endeavored  to  inquire  into  tlic  state  of  the  prov- 
ince, and  Avas  at  once  dissoh'cd,  another  being  elected  in  18*20, 
but  Avas  not  called  together ;  and  so,  Avith  the  exception  of  the 
session  of  1813,  the  island  AA'as  virtually  left  Avithout  a  Parlia- 
ment, and  in  the  absolute  power  of  one  tyrant  for  eleven  years. 
The  governor's  tyranny  commenced  on  the  A'^exed  subject  of 
quit-rents,  —  "  the  root  of  all  evil,"  avc  might  almost  say,  at  that 
time  in  the  island.  A  proclamation  Avas  issued  in  October, 
1816,  setting  forth  that  the  king  had  resolved  to  make  certain 
concessions  to  the  proprietors,  to  remit  a  portion  of  the  quit- 
rents,  and  to  fix  a  reduced  scale  for  them  in  future.  Nothing 
more  Avas  done  in  the  matter  until  January,  1818,  Avhcn  the 
governor  suddenly  ordered  the  acting  receiver-general  to  collect 
at  once  all  arrears  of  quit-rents  from  June,  ISJG,  to  December, 


li 


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■;f' 


jtei^    ■■     ■■ 


»^        « 


808 


IIISTOUY   OF   DOMINION'   OF  CANADA, 


1818,  lit  tho  old  rates.  Tho  suinniary  procceilin<^s  in  collecting 
those  taxes  caused  ^rcat  distress  and  inconvenience  to  the  poo- 
ple  ;  and,  on  the  case  hein;^  i)ro[)erly  repr(;sented  to  the;  home 
governnienl,  th<^  action  of  tho  governor  was  disai)i)r()ved,  I'ai'ther 
proceedings  stopped,  and  a  refund  ordered  of  all  collected  in 
excess  of  tho  rate  of  two  shillings  for  every  hundred  acres  ;  it 
"was  also  announced  that  in  future  the  collection  of  cpiit-rents 
would  he  [)crenii)torily  insisted  on,  but  over  three  years  passed 
aAvay  and  no  action  was  taken  ;  and  the  general  inii)ression  was 
that  tho  government  Avould  not  enforce  the  tax  again,  especially 
as  it  had  been  abandoned  in  Mova  Scotia  arid  New  IJrunswick. 
In  June,  1822,  a  notice  was  posted  up  in  the  ollicc;  of  tho 
receiver-general,  Charlottctown,  thiit  the  oifico  wotild  bo  open 
from  ten  to  four  during  the  first  tifteen  days  of  July  to  receive 
quit-rents  ;  but  no  attention  was  paid  to  it  by  the  few  who  saw 
it,  and  the  great  bulk  of  the  pcoi)lc  never  saw  or  heard  anything 
at  all  about  it.  Nothing  farther  was  done  until  l)ecemb(!r,  when 
another  notici'  was  put  up  that  quit-rents  must  bo  paid  by  tho 
14tli  of  .raiuiarj',  1S23  ;  I)ut  no  steps  were  taken  to  inform  tho 
people  that  proceedings  would  bo  instituted  against  them  if  the 
tax  was  not  paid  ;  and,  indeed,  not  one  person  in  a  hundred 
knew  that  any  demand  had  been  made.  Immediately  on  tho 
expiration  of  the  time  givcMi  in  the  notice,  summary  proceedings 
were  taken  to  force  payment.  Seizure  was  made  of  the  prop- 
erty of  two  of  the  leading  settlers,  in  townships  thirty-six 
and  thirty-seven ;  and  shortly  after  a  regular  descent  Avas  made 
on  tho  eastern  district  of  King's  County,  which  was  thickly  set- 
tled, principally  by  Highlanders,  who  did  not  understand  a  word 
of  English,  and  great  distress  was  caused.  The  tax-gatherers 
demajided  innnediatc  payment,  or  a  note  at  ton  days,  in  default 
of  which  an  auction  sale  of  all  goods  and  chattels  was  threatened. 
The  poor  Highlanders  did  not  know  what  to  do,  but  mostly 
gave  their  notes,  and  then  hurried  u])  to  Charlottctown  to  sell 
their  winter  stock  of  produce  to  pay  the  notes,  in  some  instances 
being  actually  driven  up  like  sheep  by  the  tax-gatherer.  This 
long  journey  of  iifty  or  sixty  miles  in  the  depth  of  winter  caused 
^rcat  distress  ;  and  the  sudden  intlux  of  so  much  produce  into 
Charlottctown  depressed  prices  a  great  deal,  so  that  many  of 
the  farmers  were  almost  ruined  by  the  sacrifice  of  their  crops  to 
pay  their  notes. 

0.     Public  indignation  was  now  thoroughly  aroused  against 
■the  governor,  and  the  people  determined  to  hold  public  meet- 
ings for  the  purpose  of  preparing  a  petition  to  the  king,  praying 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


3(59 


for  his  removal,  tlioy  l)cin<^  unable  to  do  so  tlironn^h  their  rep- 
resentative.s,  a.s  the  *5ovenior  would  not  call  a  nieetin<i^  of  Par- 
liament.    Forty  leading  settlers  signed  a  formal  requisition  to 
the  sheriff,  Mr.  John  MeCiregor,  calling  on  him  to  convene  a 
public  meeting  in  each  of  the  three   counties  into  which  the 
island  was  divided,  in  order  that  the  people  jnight  consult  to- 
gether on  the  stale  of  the  province,  they  having  been  deprived 
of  a  l*arHainent  for  three  years.     The  sh(>ri(f  cotdd  not  refuse 
this  very  just  and  constitutional  demand,  and  ajin<jinto(|  tin-  iliwi 
meeting  to  be  hcul  at  Charlottetown,  on  the  (Jth  of  March,  and 
subsequent  meetings  at  St.  Peter's  and  Princetown, —  a  course  of 
action  highly  disph^asing  to  the  despotic  governor,  who  thought 
the  people  had   no  right  to  complain  about  him,  and  he  dis- 
wnssed  the  sheriff  and  a[)[)ointed  a  jNIr.  Townshend  in  his  place. 
The  charges  against  the  governor,  a*  fonnulated  in  the  jietition 
to  tho  Iving,  adopted  at  the  three  public;  meetings  held,  were 
numerous  and  serious.     lie  was  charged  with  utter  ignorance 
of  the  wants,  condition,  or  requirements  of  the  country,  inas- 
much as,  although  he  had  been  ten  years  on  the  island,  he  had 
never  quitted  Charlottetown  but  once,  and  then  only  for  a  drive 
of  eijjhtcen  miles  in  the  countrv  ;  with  ille<rally  constitutiiiir  a 
couit  of  escheat  in  1818  ;  with  insulting  the  Assembly  by  re- 
fusing to  meet  it,  and  by  summarily  dismissing  it  under  partic- 
ularly aggravating   circumstances ;    with  screening   tho  chief- 
justice  of  the  island  IV.  >m  thirteen  serious  charges  made  a<rainst 
him;   of  nepotism,   by  appointing  his  son-in-law,   Tjieutenant 
I^ane,  to  the  council,  —  a  position  to  which  he  had  no  right  or 
title ;  and  of  having,  as  chancellor  of  the  escheat  court,  per- 
mitted his  son-in-law,  I^ane,  Avhom  he  had  appointed  registrar 
and  master,  to  make  very  heavy  additions  to  tho  fees.     This 
latter  charge  was  made  a  pretext  by  the  governor  for  a  charge 
of  gross  libel  and  contempt  of  the  Court  of  Chancery  by  the 
members  of  the  Queen's  County  committee,  who  drew  up  the 
petition  to  the  king,  and  warrants  were  issued  for  tho  arrest  of 
the  members  ;  the  main  object  of  the  governor,  however,  l)eing 
(he  arrest  of  Mr.  Stewart,  who  had  been  appointed  to  present 
the  petitions  in  England,  and  who  had  them  in  his  possession. 
In  this  the  governor  was  foiled  by  the  prompt  escape  of  Mr. 
Stewart  to  Nova  Scotia,  and  ho  revenged  himself  on  tho  other 
members  of  tho  conunittee  by  imposing  heavy  fines  on  them. 
Had  Mr.  Stewart  been  arrested,  and  the  petitions  seized  and 
destroyed,  as  the  governor  intended,  the  result  would,  prob- 
ably, have  been  a  revolution  on  the  island ;  for  the  people  were 


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HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


terribly  excited,  and  had  been  provoked  almost  past  endurance 
by  Smith's  arbitrary  conduct. 

7.  The  first  newspaper  published  in  Prince  Edward  Island 
was  the  "  Prince  Edward  Island  Ivcgister,"  which  was  printed 
by  Mr.  James  D.  IJaszard,  and  made  its  appearance  on  the  2(itli 
of  July,  1823.  Mr.  Haszard  published  the  particulars  given 
above,  and  for  so  doing  was  summoned  before  the  Court  of 
Chancery,  charged  with  libelling  the  court  and  its  officers,  but 
was  let  off  with  a  reprimand  on  his  giviug  the  names  of  the 
parties  from  whom  he  received  his  information  :  Messrs.  Stew- 
art, McGregor,  Mahey,  Dockendorff,  Owen,  and  McDonald. 
The  governor  made  quite  a  pompous  speech  to  Mr.  Ilaszard, 
saying,  "  I  compassionate  your  youth  and  inexperience  ;  did  I 
not  do  so,  I  would  lay  you  by  the  heels  long  enough  for  3'ou  to 
remember  it.  You  have  delivered  your  evidence  fairly,  pUiinly, 
clearly,  and  as  became  a  man;  but  I  caution  you,  when  you 
jjublish  anything  again,  keep  clear,  sir,  of  a  chancellor  1  Be- 
ware, sir,  of  a  chancellor  !  "  This  solemn  warning  was  not  very 
long  eil'ective,  however,  for  Mr.  Stewart  was  exceedingly  well 
received  in  England,  the  petition  taken  into  immediate  consid- 
eration, and  Smith  was  recalled,  he  being  succeeded  by  Colonel 
Ready,  who  arrived  on  the  21st  of  October,  1824,  accompanied 
by  JSIr.  Stewart,  and  Avas  most  enthusiastically  received  by  the 
inhabitants,  who  were  heartily  sick  and  tired  of  Smith  and  his 
tyranny,  and  welcomed  an}'  change  as  a  relief,  feeling  quite 
confident  it  could  not  be  for  the  worse.  Charlottetown  was 
brilliantly  illuminated  on  the  evening  of  the  governor's  arrival, 
and  an  address  was  presented  to  him,  part;of  which  re  id  :  "We  ' 
feel  the  utmost  confidence  that  the  harmony  that  ought  always 
to  exist  between  the  govermnent  and  the  people  is  perfectly 
established,  and  that  your  excellency  will  believe  that  loyalty, 
obedience  to  the  laws,  and  a  love  of  order,  is  the  character  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Charlottetown.  We  cannot  omit  on  this 
occasion  to  express  our  unfeigned  gratitude  and  thanks  for  the 
attention  which  his  majesty  has  been  graciously  pleased  to  pay 
to  the  interests  of  this  colony,  in  confiding  its  government  to 
your  excellency's  hands,  and  to  add  our  most  fervent  wishes 
that  your  administration  of  it  may  bo  long  and  '^appy."  In 
justice  to  the  islanders,  it  nuist  be  said  that,  ;dthongli  they  were 
loud  and  demonstrative  in  their  joy  at  the  appointment  of  the 
new  governor,  entertained  him  at  a  public  dinner,  and  made 
most  flattering  speeches,  they  offered  no  insult  to  Smith ;  and 
wheii  he  left  for  England  he  was  even  presented  with  a  fare- 


• 

/ 

ENGLAND, 

AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 

371 

rl     /liii«iitrv 

his  administration. 

8.  No  Parliament  had  met  since  1820,  and  one  of  Keady's 
first  acts  was  to  order  a  general  election,  which  took  place  late 
in  the  fall,  and  the  new  lionsc  met  in  January,  1825,  when  Mr. 
John  Stewart  was  elected  speaker.  The  Legislature  quickly 
busied  itself  Avith  passing  several  important  bills,  which  were 
greatly  needed.  An  act  to  improve  the  educational  department 
was  passed  ;  also  others  regulating  the  fisheries,  juries,  juris- 
diction of  justices  of  peace,  and  one  authorizing  the  governor 
to  appoint  commissioners  to  issue  five  thousand  pounds  ster- 
ling of  treasurj'-notes,  and  to  increase  the  revenue  by  taxation. 
The  business  o+*  tl:e  house  was  })romptly  and  amicably  trans- 
acted, and  the  same  despatch  and  harmony  characterized  a 
second  session  in  October.  At  this  latter  session  a  petition 
was  prpsen,ted  from  the  Roman  Catholics,  praying  for  the  re- 
moval of  their  political  disabilities  ;  but,  being  received  late  in 
the  session,  it  was  not  then  considered.  After  the  close  of  the 
session  Governor  Heady  visited  England  on  private  business, 
and  the  Hon.  Georo'e  vVriffht  acted  as  administrator  durinj;  his 
absence.  This  year  the  mode  of  paying  the  custom-house 
officials  was  changed,  as  it  was  in  the  other  provinces,  and  in- 
stead of  collecting  fees  they  were  given  fixed  salaries.  The  island 
was  now  in  a  quiet,  happy,  and  prosperous  state.  The  popu- 
lation had  increased  to  about  tvvent3'^-three  thousand.  Agricul- 
ture was  flourishing,  and  trade  and  commerce  steadily  growing. 
During  the  year  eighteen  vessels  arrived  from  Great  Britain, 
and  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  from  British  colonies.  The 
imports  were  valued  at  eighty-five  thousand  three  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  pounds,  and  the  exports  at  ninety-five  thousand 
four  hiuidred  and  twenty-six  pounds.  The  islanders  seem  to 
have  been  far  from  total  abstainers,  for  amongst  the  imports  we 
find  four  thousand  gallons  of  rum,  two  thousand  five  hundred 
gallons  of  brandy,  and  three  thousand  gallons  of  gin,  which 
would  give  an  average  of  over  two  and  a  half  gallons  of  spirits 
to  every  man,  woman,  and  child  on  the  island. 

9.  The  governor,  on  his  return  from  England,  met  Parlia- 
ment in  March,  1837,  and  congratulated  the  province  on  the 
great  internal  improvements  which  had  taken  place,  a  road 
having  been  completed  to  Princetown,  and  lines  surveyed  for 
extending  it  to  Cascumpec  and  North  Cape.  lie  also  advocated 
the  formation  of  an  agricultural  society, — a  matter  Avhich  was 
then  attracting  a  good  deal  of  attention  ia  the  oth.r  provinces. 


INI  I 


372 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


The  most  important  bills  passed  were  one  providing  for  taking 
a  census  of  the  island,  and  another  authorizing  the  formation  of 
a  fire  company  in  Charlottetown.  The  petition  of  the  Koman 
Catholics  for  the  removal  of  their  political  disabilities  came  up 
this  session,  and,  after  considerable  discussion,  the  resolution 
to  remove  these  disabilities  was  lost  on  the  casting  vote  of  the 
speaker,  Mr.  Stewart,  who  gave  as  his  reason  not  any  objection 
to  granting  the  Roman  Catholics  the  same  right  to  vote  as  the 
Protestants,  but  that,  as  the  question  had  not  been  decided  in 
England,  ho  did  not  feel  authorized  to  admit  the  principle  in 
the  province.  During  this  session  (1827)  the  council  and 
Assembly  got  at  variance  about  appropriations,  and  at  the  fol- 
lowing session  the  council  rejected  the  appropriation  bill,  Avhich 
caused  great  inconvenience  to  the  governor,  who,  on  opening 
the  session  of  1821),  recommended  a  conciliatory  policy  on  both 
sides,  and  so  far  succeeded  in  making  peace  that  business  com- 
munications were  resumed  between  the  two  houses,  and  the 
supply-bill  passrd.  At  this  session  a  bill  was  passed  providing 
for  the  establishment  of  a  non-sectarian  college  at  Charlotte- 
town.  The  session  of  18^)0  was  marked  by  the  passage  of  an 
act  removing  all  political  disabilities  from  llomau  Catholics,  and 
all  places  of  trust,  honor,  or  profit  open  to  other  denominations 
were  henceforward  open  to  members  of  that  faith.  The  years 
1820-31  saw  quite  a  stream  of  immigration  turn  towards  the 
colony,  nearly  two  thousand  fresh  arrivals  taking  place  in  that 
time,  and  a  great  impetus  being  given  to  agriculture,  which 
was  now  also  being  beneficed  by  the  operations  of  the  agricul- 
tural society,  and  the  establishment  of  branches  of  it  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  island.  Colonel  Ready  was  recalled  in  1831, 
and  his  departure  was  greatly  regretted  by  the  people.  He 
had  come  to  them  when  they  were  writhing  under  most  op- 
pressive tyranny,  and  by  his  wise,  moderate,  and  enlightened 
government  he  had  done  much  to  improve  the  island,  and  win 
the  love  of  the  inhabitants,  during  his  seven  years  of  office. 

10.  Colonel  Ready  Avas  succeeded  by  Colonel  A.  W.  Young, 
who  arrived  in  September,  1831,  and  met  Parliament  in  Janu- 
ary, 1832.  Several  useful  acts  were  passed  at  this  session, 
amongst  them  one  granting  a  subsidy  of  three  hundred  pounds 
a  yoar  for  a  bi-weekly  mail  service  between  Charlottetown  and 
Pictou,  N.  S.,  a  contract  being  made  with  the  steamer  "Pocahon- 
tas." An  act  was  aL>  j  passed  changing  the  term  of  the  Assembly 
from  seven  to  four  years.  A  census  was  taken  in  1833,  which 
showed  the  population  to  be  thirty-two  thousand,  —  an  increase 


ENGL4ND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


373 


ii 


of  forty  per  cent,  on  the  return  of  1827.  Colonel  Young  vis- 
ited England  in  the  summer  of  1834,  when  he  was  knighted. 
Towards  the  close  of  1834  a  general  election  was  held,  and  Par- 
liament met  in  January,  1835,  Avhea  the  council  and  Assembly 
immediately  got  at  variance  on  the  appropriation  bill,  and  no 
supplies  were  passed.  Shortly  aftei*  prorogation,  however,  the 
governor  got  both  parties  to  agree  to  pass  the  revenue  and  ap- 
propriation bills  separately,  and  an*  extra  session  was  called  in 
April,  at  which  the  > supply  bills  were  passed.  The  governor 
opened  the  extra  session,  but  was  too  ill  to  close  it,  and  his  mal- 
ady grew  worse  until  the  1st  of  December,  1835,  Avlien  he  died, 
in  the  fifty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  forty-one  of  which  had  been 
devoted  to  the  service  of  his  country  in  various  parts  of  the 
world  ;  and  wherever  he  was  he  distinguished  himself  l)y  cour- 
age, prudence,  and  urbanity,  gaining  for  himself  friends  and  ad- 
mirers in  all  the  countries  in  which  he  served. 

11.  The  Hon.  George  AVright  was  sworn  in  as  adminis- 
trator on  the  death  of  Sir  Aretus  W.  Young,  and  conducted 
the  aflairs  of  the  province  until  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Sir  John 
Harvey,  in  February,  1836.  Sir  John  only  remtiined  in  office 
one  year,  when  he  was  transferred  to  New  Bru'iswick,  and  suc- 
ceeded by  Sir  Charles  Augustus  Fitzroy,  who  arrived  in  June," 
1837.  He  Avas  not  Ion*;'  in  tindinjj  out  what  Avas  the, real  cause 
of  the  farmers'  troubles,  the  pro[)rietorship  of  nearly  the  whole 
island  by  absentees,  Avho  drained  the  actual  settler  of  his  last 
farthing,  as  soon  as  his  farm  began  to  be  remunerative,  or 
ejected  him  if  he  failed  to  pay.  The  governor  issued  a  circu- 
lar to  the  proprietors,  advising  them  to  sell  the  laud  to  the  ten- 
ants u'lder  some  system  of  payment  by  instalment,  or  allow 
something  to  them  for  improvements.  The  House  of  Assembly 
passed  a  law  providing  for  an  assessment  on  all  lands  in  the 
province,  which  the  proprietors  opposed.  A  report  was  pre- 
pared by  jNlessrs.  T.  H.  Haviland,    11.   Hodgson,  and  other 


members  of  the  Assembly,  Avhich  showed  that  the  local  expen- 
diture of  tl'.o  "Tovernment  for  the  last  twelve  vcars  had  been 
one  hundred  and  seven  thousand  six  hundred  and  fortA-threc 
pounds,  of  Avhich  twenty-eight  thousand  five  hundred  and  six 
pounds  had  been  expended  on  roads  and  bridges,  to  the  great 
advantage  of  the  property  of  the  proprietors  ;  th'rteen  thousand 
live  hundred  and  fifty-six  pounds  on  public  buildings  and 
Avharves ;  and  sixty-six  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty-two 
pounds  for  other  local  purposes.  And  of  these  large  sums,  the 
Avhole  amount  contributed  by  the  proprietors  of  the  soil  had 


I 


( 


I 


I 


It- » 


(■■:* 


374 


HISTORY   OF   "DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


hccn  only  seven  thousand  four  hiuidretl  and  thirteen  pounds, 
leaving  the  balance  of  one  hundred  thout^and  pounds  to  bo 
borne  by  the  resident  consumers  of  dutiable  articles.  Lord 
Durham  Avrote  a  long  letter  favoring  the  true  interests  of  the 
island  ;  and  at  last  the  enactment  received  the  royal  sanction, 
notwithstanding  the  importunity  of  the  circle  who  tried  to  reg- 
ulate the  land  question  in  London.  This  showed  that,  at  last, 
the  intkienco  of  the  proprietors  in  the  colonial  otHce  was  being 


broken,  and  was  an  augury  of  good  for  the  island.  A  mechan- 
ic's institute  was  established  in  C  harlottetown,  in  1838,  mainly 
at  the  instance  of  the  Hon.  Charles  Young,  and  a  course  of  lec- 
tures inaugurated  which  Avere  kept  up  for  several  3'ears.  l*ju'lia- 
mentmet  again  early  in  j8o9,  but  almost  immediately  after  its 
assembly  the  governor  received  a  despatch  from  the  colonial  sec- 
retary, requiring  him  to  remodel  the  council,  and  he  at  once  pro- 
rogued the  house.  The  change  was  the  division  of  the  council, 
which  had  hitherto  been  both  executive  and  elective,  into  two  ; 
an  executive  council  of  nine  members,  and  a  legislative  council 
of  twelve,  exc'  .sive  of  the  chief  justice,  Avho  retired  from  it. 
The  house  met  again  in  March,  and  jNIr.  AV.  Cooper,  speaker 
of  th'^  house,  was  5ent  to  Loudon  as  a  delegate  on  the  land 
question.  Three  propositions  were  sul^milted  by  the  Assem- 
bly :  the  establishment  of  a  court  of  escheat ;  the  resumption 
by  the  crown  of  the  rights  of  the  pro[)rictors  ;  and  a  heavy  pe- 
nal tax  on  wilderness  lands;  but  Lord  John  Ilussell,  the  colo- 
nial secretary,  declined  to  entertain  either  proposition  at  the 
moment ;  but  recommended,  instead,  the  adoption  as  a  basis  of 
settlement  of  terms  proposed  by  the  proprietors  through  their 
agent  Mr.  Young,  fciir  Charles  Fitzroy,  having  been  appointed 
to  a  governorship  in  the  AYest  Indies,  was  succeeded  by  Sir 
Henry  V  ere  Huntley,  who  arrived  in  November,  1841. 

12.  Sir  Henry  \''cre  Huntley  filled  his  term  of  office  (six 
3'cars)  without  any  ver^^  eventful  occurrences  taking  place. 
The  Hon.  George  Wright,  senior  member  of  council,  died 
in  March,  1842.  He  had  been  nearly  thirty  years  a  member 
of  that  body,  and  had  tilled  the  othce  of  administrator  live 
times,  during  absences  of  th  :i  diticrent  governors.  A  serious 
disturbance  oceurnul  in  King's  County,  in  March,  1843,  caused 
l)y  the  legal  ejectment  of  a  farmer  named  Haney,  whoso  friends 
forcibly  reinstated  him  after  burning  the  proprietor's  house. 
The  corner-stono  of  the  new  colonial  building  was  laid  by  the 
lieutenant-governor  on  UJth  May,  1843,  w^ith  appropriate  cere- 
monies, and  the  building  was  occupied  by  the  Legislature  for 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


375 


the  first  time  at  the  opening  of  the  session  in  January,  LS  t7. 
Some  feeling  against  the  governor  was  caused  by  his  withdraw- 
ing his  name  as  patron  of  the  Agricultural  Society,  because  ;iic 
Assembly  refused  to  enlarge  and  improve  Government  House 
for  him  in  the  manner  he  wished.  The  society  very  properly 
accepted  the  resignation  without  any  other  connncnt  than  that 
it  could  not  sec  what  the  Legislature's  refusing  to  repair  Gov- 
ernment House  had  to  do  with  the  patronage  of  the  Agricultu- 
ral Society ;  and  then  requested  U.K. II.  Prince  Albert  to  be- 
come its  patron, —  a  request  which  was  immediately  complied 
with.  A  sharp  controversy  arose  in  1840  between  the  gov- 
ernor and  Mr.  Joseph  Pope,  who  was  sjioakcr  of  the  house  and 
a  member  of  the  executive  council.  A  proposal  was  made  to  in- 
crease the  salary  of  the  governor  five  hundred  pounds  per  an- 
num, which  Mr.  Pope  opposed  on  the  ground  of  economy  ;  this 
annoyed  the  governor,  and  he  dismissed  Mr.  Pope  from  the  exec- 
utive council  on  his  own  responsibility,  and  without  consulting 
the  council,  which  would  most  undoubtedly  have  supported  Mr. 
Pope.  Mr.  Gladstone,  who  was  then  colonial  secretary,  informed 
the  governor  that  he  had  exceeded  his  powers,  and  that  he  must 
reinstate  Mr.  Pope  until  he  had  consulted  the  council.  Mr. 
Pope,  however,  saved  him  the  trouble  by  resigning,  after  a  cor- 
respondence in  which  he  most  decidedly  had  the  best  of  it,  and 
ho  repaid  th:>  governor  his  ill-will  in  the  f(jllowing  year,  at  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  office,  by  getting  up  a  petition  against 
his  reappointment  for  another  term,  which  was  favorably  re- 
ceived oy  the  colonial  secretary,  and  the  governor  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Sir  Donald  Campbell.  A  very  serious  election  riot 
occurred  between  the  Scotch  and  Irish  factions  in  the  district 
of  Belfast,  in  February,  1847,  in  which  four  persons  w-ere 
killed,  and  between  eighty  and  a  hundred  wounded,  some  seri- 
ously. The  currency  of  the  island  had  for  some  years  been  in 
a  very  unsatisfactory  state,  and  in  1847  a  committee  of  the 
house  reported  in  favor  of  legislation  giving  the  paper  money 
issued  by  the  government  a  iixed  value  in  English  gold  or  sil- 
ver, and  also  advocated  the  establishment  of  n  bank,  where 
treasury  notes  could  be  exchanged  for  gold.  During  this  ses- 
sion the  house  had  the  subject  of  responsible  government  un- 
der consideration,  and  passed  a  series  of  resolutions  favoring 
its  establishment,  which  were  embodied  in  an  address  to  the 
queen,  and  sent  to  the  home  office. 


376 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


it 


¥  . 


W 


.     PRINCE  EDWARD    ISLAND,   1847  TO   1875. 

1.  Sir  H.  v.  Huntley's  term  of  office  having  nearly  ex- 
pired, some  of  his  friends,  at  his  instance,  got  up  a  petition 
that  ho  should  bo  reappointed  for  another  six  years ;  but  Mr. 
Pope  —  as  wo  have  ah'cady  stated  —  got  up  a  counter-petition, 
which  Avas  successful, -and  Sir  11.  V.  lluntley  was  recalled,  his 
successor,  Sir  Donald  Campbell,  an'iving  at  Charlottctown  in 
December,  1847,  where  he  w\as  received  with  more  than  the  usual 
welcome,  on  account  of  his  being  a  member  of  an  ancient  High- 
land family, — a  large  joroportion  of  the  settlers  on  the  island  be- 
ing Highlanders  and  their  descendants.  In  1848  another  census 
was  taken,  which  showed  that  the  population  of  the  province 
had  increased  to  sixty-two  thousand  six  hundred  and  thirty-four. 
At  the  session  of  1849  the  Assembly  passed  an  act  fixing  the 
elections  for  the  same  day  throughout  the  island,  it  having  been 
found  that  the  system  of  having  diiferent  days  in  ditferent 
counties  gave  too  great  a  scope  to  the  rowdy  element,  and 
caused  many  riots.  During  this  session  a  reply  was  received 
from  Earl  Grey,  colonial  sccrctaiy,  to  the  petition  of  the  house 
in  1847,  for  the  establishment  of  responsible  government,  in 
which  he  declined  to  accede  to  their  prayer  on  the  ground  that 
the  island  had  not  sufficient  population,  and  that  the  existing 
form  of  government  afforded  all  the  safeguards  necessary  for 
the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  colony  ;  he,  however,  thought 
that  the  time  had  come  when  the  revenues  of  the  island  might 
be  given  up  to  the  Assembly,  provided  it  would  grant  a  suffi- 
cient civil  list,  with  the  exception  of  the  lieutenant-governor's 
salary,  which  the  home  government  offered  to  pa}^  and  which 
was  increased  to  five  thousand  pounds  a  year.  The  Assembly, 
in  reply,  accepted  the  cffer,  provided  the  revenues  from  per- 
manent laws  were  granted  in  perpetuity,  all  claims  for  quit- 
rents  abandoned,  and  responsible  government  conceded.  The 
colonial  secretary  was  willing  to  gi'ant  all  asked,  except  respon- 
sible government;  and,  in  order  to  test  the  real  feeling  of  the 
province  on  this  point,  Parliament  was  dissolved  and  a  general 
election  held.  The  new  house  met  on  the  5th  of  March,  1850, 
and  was  even  more  strongly  in  favor  of  responsible  govern- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


377 


raciit,  and  in  the  uddress  to  the  speech  from  the  throno  ex- 
pressed a  want  of  confidence  in  the  executive  council,  which 
was  also  supplemented  by  a  resolution  that  the  house  would 
grant  no  supplies  until  the  council  was  remodelled ;  or,  in 
other  words,  until  the  right  of  the  Asseml)ly  to  change  the 
executive,  when  it  no  longer  had  the  conlidencc  of  the  majority 
of  the  house,  had  been  conceded.  The  govevior  tried  to  tem- 
porize, and  offered  to  give  three  scats  in  the  c.  :ncil  to  members 
of  tlio  lower  house  ;  but  this.Avould  not  do, — the  house  was  fight- 
ing for  a  principle,  and  it  meant  to  attain  its  ends  by  constitu- 
tional means.  The  proposition  of  the  governor  was  therefore 
rejected,  and  another  petition  to  the  queen  forwi^rded,  praying 
for  responsible  government.  The  house  was  prorogued  on  the 
20th  of  ^larch,  but,  as  no  supplies  had  been  voted,  the  governor 
summoned  the  members  again  on  the  25th  of  April,  in  the  hope 
that  a  month's  vacation  would  have  put  them  in  a  better  humor. 
But  ho  was  mistaken ;  the  house  still  held  to  the  ground  it  had 
taken,  and,  although  it  granted  a  few  necessary  supplies,  passed 
no  bills  providhig  for  roads,  bridges,  etc.,  antl  refused  to  dis- 
cuss any  business  until  the  question  of  responsible  government 
was  settled,  so  that  the  governor  was  forced  to  dismiss  the 
house,  which  he  did  with  a  reprimand. 

2.  Sir  Donald  Campbell  forwarded  a  very  able  despatch  to 
the  colonial  secretary  on  the  condition,  resources,  and  prospects 
of  the  island,  Avhich,  added  to  the  petitions  of  the  Assembly, 
decided  the  colonial  secretary  to  grant  responsible  government; 
but  Sir  Donald  did  not  live  to  see  it  carried  into  execution,  as 
he  died  in  October,  18r)0,  before  the  determination  of  the  colo- 
nial secretary  had  been  made  known.  The  lion.  Ambrose 
Lane  acted  as  administrator  until  the  arrival  of  Sir  Alexander 
Bannerman,  who  crossed  the  strait  of  Northumberland  in  an  ice- 
boat, and  arrived  at  Charlottetown  on  the  8th  of  March,  1851. 
The  Legislature  was  convened  on  the  25th  of  JNIarch,  and  the 
governor  communicated  the  welcome  intelligence  that  the  home 
government  had  yielded  to  the  representations  of  the  Assembly, 
and  consented  to  grant  responsible  government  on  condition 
that  provision  should  be  made  for  pensioning  retiring  officers. 
This  the  house  willingly  consented  to,  and  the  government  was 
speedily  reconstructed,  with  Hon.  George  Coles  as  president 
of  the  council ;  Mr.  Charles  Young,  attorney-general ;  Hon. 
Joseph  Pope,  treasurer,  and  Hon.  James  Warburton,  colonial 
secretary.  The  house  passed  acts  commuting  the  crown  rev- 
enues, provided  for  the  civil  list  and  for  inland  posts,  by  which 


^: 


1 

i 

m  '^  ' 

\ 

M 

HI 

i 

I 

1 

378 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


inlaiul  pustago  was  reduced  to  twopence  to  all  parts  of  tho 
island,  and  a  unitbnn  rate  of  threepence  to  any  part  of  British 
North  America  adopted.  Tlio  only  other  occurrence  of  any 
moment  in  l^al  was  a  violent  storm  sweeping  over  the  island 
on  tho  3d  and  4th  of  October,  by  which  seventy-two  lishing- 
vessels  Averc  either  driven  ashore  or  seriously  injured,  and  (con- 
siderable damage  was  done  to  property  on  the  island. 

3.  The  most  important  business  of  the  session  of  1852  was 
with  regard  to  edvication,  and  we  Avill  take  tho  ojjportunity  of 
sunmiing  u})  here  what  previous  ctforts  had  been  made  in  this 
direction.  It  will  be  remembered  that  at  tho  original  distri!)u- 
tion  of  land,  in  17(57,  thirty  acres  were  reserved  in  each  town- 
ship for  a  school-master ;  but  nothing  was  done  in  the  way  of 
education  until  1821,  when  a  national  school  Avas  opened  in 
Charlottctown,  and  soon  afterAvards  a  board  of  education  Avas 
apijointed  for  tlio  island,  and  other  schools  opened,  Avhile  in 
l8o(j  a  c'.'ntral  academy  Avas  established  in  Charlottetown.  In 
the  following  year,  1837,  the  otiice  of  superintendent  of  schools 
Avas  established,  Mr.  John  McNeil  being  the  lirst  incumbent. 
Education  seems  to  have  been  at  a  Ioav  ebb,  to  judge  from  the 
s"perintendent's  iirst  report,  as  for  a  population  of  about 
thirty-tive  thousand  there  Averc  only  lifty-one  schools,  Avith  a 
total  attendance  of  fifteen  h'lndred  and  thirty-three.  In  many 
of  the  districts  the  people  Averc  so  jjoor  that  they  could  not 
afford  to  send  their  children  to  school,  and,  besides,  Avanted 
AA'hat  little  assistance  they  could  give  on  the  farm.  On  account 
of  the  small  salary  giA^n,  and  the  precarious  manner  of  receiv- 
ing it,  good  school-masters  Avero  scarce,  and  some  of  rather 
doubtful  cliaracter  and  of  very  limited  attainments  had  been 
appointed  for  lack  of  better.  In  his  report  Mr.  McNeil  says, 
"1  must  also  mention  another  practice,  Avhich  is  too  proA^alent  in 
the  country,  and  Avhich  I  conceiA'o  is  exceedingly  injurious  to 
the  respectability  of  the  teacher  in  the  eyes  of  his  pupils,  and, 
conso(juently,  hurtful  to  his  usefulness ;  that  is,  receiving  his 
board  by  going  about  from  house  to  house,  in  AA'hieh  case  ho  is 
regarded,  both  by  parents  and  children,  as  little  better  than  a 
common  menial."  During  the  next- five  years  there  Avas  con- 
siderable improA'^ement,  especially  in  the  attendance,  and,  by 
Mr.  McNeil's  .report  for  1842,  avc  iind  that  tho  number  of 
schools  had  increased  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-one,  and  tho 
number  of  scholars  to  four  thousand  three  hundred  and  tifty- 
six.  In  1848  tho  office  of  general  superintendent  Avas  abolished, 
and  a  superintendent  for  each  county  appointed.     On  opening 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


379 


the  session  of  18.'32  the  licutenant-fjovtM-nor  —  rotcrriii<;  to  his 
trip  to  various  ])arts  of  tiic  ishuul  cluriii<^  the  sumiucr  —  ex- 
pressed his  regret  at  the  want  of  .sutlicient  eihicational  facilities  ; 
and  a  free-school  act  was  passed,  which  provided  for  raising  a 
school-fund  by  additional  taxation  on  land.  I'his  was  the  basis 
of  the  present  system  of  the  island,  and  <xav(>  a  great  impetus 
to  education.  In  the  following  3'ear  the  oliice  of  general  super- 
intendent for  the  whole  island  was  reestablished.  Other  edu- 
cational changes  avo  shall  notice  in  their  proper  order  in  the 
course  of  events. 

4.  During  the  session  of  1853  an  act  establishing  universal 
sullrago  was  i)assed,  and  its  clfcct  was  shortly  afterwards  Telt, 
at  the  general  election  next  year,  at  which  the  government 
party  was  defeated.  Considerable  agitation  took  i)laco  about 
this  time  among  the  temperance  organizations,  with  referenc^e  to 
detaining  legislation  to  prohibit  the  manufacture,  importation, 
or  sale  of  intoxicsrting  liquors  on  the  island  ;  but  nothing  camo 
of  it.  A  very  sad  accident  took  place  on  the  7th  of  (October, 
18r)3,  by  which  seven  persons  lost  their  lives.  The  steamer 
"Fairy  Queen,"  from  Charlottetown  to  Pictou,  became  disabled 
in  a  heavy  sea  near  Pictou  Island,  and  was  speedily  broken  up. 
The  captain  and  most  of  the  crew  seized  the  only  boat,  and 
pulled  away,  leaving  the  unfortunate  passengers  to  their  fate. 
Fortunately  the  ni)per  deck  separated  from  the  vessel  and 
served  as  a  raft,  by  which  all  the  passengers,  save  seven,  — 
three  men  and  four  women,  —  reached  Mesigomish  Island. 
Nothing  of  importance  was  done  at  the  session  of  I8r)4,  except 
that  a  vote  of  want  of  confidence  in  the  government  was  passed, 
which  led  to  a  dissolution  and  the  defeat  of  the  government,  as  al- 
ready mentioned.  The  governor,  in  opening  the  house,  referred 
in  congratulatory  terms  to  the  tlourishing  condition  of  the  prov- 
ince, which  was  almost  free  from  debt,  Avhich  at  the  beginning 
of  1850  had  amounted  to  twent^'-eight  thousand  pounds.  In 
four  years  this  had  been  reduced  to  three  thousand  pounds,  and 
would  have  been  extinguished  altogether  but  for  an  expenditure 
of  al)out  three  thousand  pounds  for  educational  purposes.  In 
these  four  years  the  revenue  had  risen  from,  twenty-two  thou- 
sand pounds  to  thirty-five  thousand  pounds,  although  the  duty 
on  tea  had  been  reduced.  Sir  Alexander  Bamierman,  having 
been  appointed  governor  of  the  Bahamas,  was  succeeded,  on 
the  12th  of  Juno,  1854,  l)y  Sir  Dominick  Daly,  who  had  for- 
merly been  secretary  of  the  province  of  Canada. 

5.  Parliament  met  in  September,  1854,  when  an  act  was 


a 


in 


S  1 

It ' 
ii 


i  ii 


Ii 


iff 


380 


IIISTOIIY   OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


IM' 


passed  giving  t'flV'ct  to  the  licciprocity  Treaty  lately  entered 
into  between  (ireat  IJritain  and  the  United  8tates,  l)y  wliich 
grain,  breudstufls,  and  i)rovisions  were  imported  into  the  island 
duty  free.  The  same  year  saw  the  tleparturo  of  tlic  imperial 
forees,  on  aeeount  of  the  outbreak  of  the  Crimean  War  ;  and  an 
attempt  to  make  a  partial  settlement  of  the  land  question,  l>y 
pureha,sing  some  of  the  largo  estates  from  the  original  pro- 
l)rietois;  the  Worrell  estate,  consisting  of  eighty-one  thousand 
three  hundred  acres,  being  so  purchased  this  year  for  twenty- 
four  thousand  one  hundred  pounds  sterling.  At  the  session  of 
1855  the  city  of  Charlottetown  Avas  incorporated,  and  a  long- 
felt  want  on  the  island  was  supplied  by  the  establishment  of 
the  Bank  of  I'rinco  Edward  Island.  The  governor,  in  proro- 
guing the  house,  deprecated  the  attempts  at  escheat  which  were 
from  time  to  time  made,  and  advocated  a  continuance  of  the 
policy  of  i)urchasc  by  the  government  from  the  proprietors. 
lie  also  returned  the  thanks  of  her  majesty  for  the  vote  of 
two  thousand  pounds  passed  by  the  Assembly  as  a  contribution 
towards  the  fund  for  the  relief  of  the  widows  and  orphans  of 
those  who  fell  in  the  Crimea.  A  bill  was  also  passed  at  this 
session  establishing  a  normal  school,  Avhich  was  opened  the 
following  year.  The  number  of  schools  had  now  increased  to 
two  hundred  and  sixty-eight,  with  an  attendance  of  eleven 
thousand,  out  of  a  population  of  seventy-one  thousand,  as  shown 
by  the  census  returns  of  1855.  Two  acts  were  passed  at  this 
session  Avith  reference  to  the  tenure  of  land,  one  imposing  a 
duty  on  the  rent-rolls  of  proprietors  in  certain  townships,  and 
another  to  secure  compensation  to  tenants. 

G.  At  the  opening  of  the  session  of  185G  the  governor  in- 
formed the  house  that  both  these  acts  had  been  disallow^ed  by 
the  home  government, — a  decision  with  which  the  house  was 
none  too  well  pleased,  and  it  did  not  hesitate  to  state  that  the 
absentee  proprietors  had  too  much  influence  at  the  colonial 
office  at  home.  INIr.  Labouchere,  the  colonial  secretary,  in  in- 
'timatini;  the  decision  of  the  grovernment  in  reference  to  the  land 
acts  of  the  last  session,  stated  that  whatever  charactci:  might 
properly  attach  to  the  circumstances  connected  with  the  original 
grants,  which  had  been  often  employed  against  the  maintenance 
of  the  rights  of  the  proprietors,  they  could  not,  with  justice, 
be  used  to  defeat  the  rights  of  the  present  owners,  who  had 
a<;quired  their  pi'operty  by  inheritance,  by  family  settlement, 
or  otherwise.  Sieeing,  therefore,  that  the  rights  of  the  pro- 
prietors could  not  be  sacrificed  without  manifest  injustice,  he 


ENOLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


381 


folt  it  his  duty  steadily  to  resist,  by  all  moans  in  his  power, 
measures  similar  in  their  {•hanu't(>r  to  those  recently  brou^jht 
under  the  consideration  of  her  majesty's  government.  Ho  do- 
sired,  at  the  same  time,  to  assure  the  IIojiso  of  Assembly  that 
it  was  with  nuich  regret  that  her  majesty '.>  advisers  felt  them- 
selves constrained  to  oppose  the  wishes  of  the  people  of  Prince 
Edward  Island,  and  that  it  was  his  own  wish  to  bo  spared  the 
necessity  of  authoritative  interference  in  regard  to  matters  af- 
fecting the  internal  administration  of  their  affairs.  With  rejjard 
to  the  main  olycct  which  had  been  frequently  proposed  by  a 
largo  portion  of  the  inhabitaniis,  namely,  that  some  means  might 
bo  provided  by  which  a  tenant  holding  under  a  leaso  could  ar- 
rive at  the  position  of  a  fee-simple  proprietor,  ho  was  anxious 
to  facilitate  such  u  change,  provided  it  could  l)e  effected  without 
injustice  to  the  proprietors.  Two  ways  suggested  themselves  ; 
first,  the  usual  and  natural  one  ot  purchase  and  sale  between 
the  tenant  and  the  owner  ;  and,  secondly,  that  the  government 
of  the  island  should  treat  with  such  of  the  landowners  as  mi<;ht 
bo  willing  to  sell,  and  that  the  State,  thus  becoming  possessed 
of  the  fee-simple  of  such  lands  as  might  thus  be  sold,  should  bo 
enabled  to  afford  greater  facilities  for  converting  the  tenants 
into  freeholders.  Such  an  arrangement  could  not  probably  be 
made  without  a  loan,  to  bo  raised  by  the  island  government, 
the  interest  of  which  would  bo  charged  upon  the  revenues  of 
the  island.  Mr.  Labouchero  intimated  that  the  government 
would  not  bo  indisposed  to  take  into  consideration  any  plan  of 
this  kind  which  might  bo  submitted  to  them,  showing  in  what 
}vay  the  interest  of  such  loan  could  locally  be  provided  for,  and 
what  arrangement  would  be  proposed  as  to  the  manner  of  dis- 
posing of  the  lands  of  which  tho  fee-simple  was  intended  to  be 


bought.^ 

7.  From  the  time  of  tho  opening  of  tho  normal  school,  in 
1856,  the  question  as  to  tlie  admission  of  the  Bible  into  both 
the  central  academy  and  the  normal  school  had  been  raised, 
and  during  the  session  of  1858  petitions  in  favor  of  its  use  in 
these  institutions  were  presented  and  referred  to  a  committee, 
which  wisely  reported  that  tho  compulsory  use  of  the  Protestant 
Bible  in  mixed  schools,  like  the  academy  and  normal  school, 
would  be  most  injudicious,  and  recommended  that  the  petition  bo 
not  granted.  An  amendment  Avas  moved  by  Hon.  Mr.  Palmer, 
to  the  effect  that  the  Bible  may  be  used  by  scholars,  with  the 


i 


»  Campbell's  History  of  rrinco  Tdward  Island. 


:li 


382 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


'If 


It 


% 


consent  of  the' r  parents  and  guardians.  The  amendment  was 
lost  by  the  easting  vote  of  the  speaker,  and  the  report  adopted. 
A  general  election  took  place  in  1858,  but  when  the  house  met 
it  was  found  that  parties  were  so  evenly  balanced'  that  neither 
side  could  elect  a  speaker  ;  a  dissolution  was  therefore  resorted 
to,  and  at  the  ensuing  election  the  goveiniment  was  defeated, 
and  resigned,  a  new  ministry  being  formed  under  the  leader- 
ship of  the  lion.  Edward  Palmer  and  Hon.  Col.  Gray.  In 
opening  the.  house  the  governor  intimated  that  the  home  gov- 
ernment did  not  propose  rec  mmending  to  Parliament  the 
guarantccingof  the  onehundred  thousand  pounds  requested  by  the 
Assembl}'  to  purchase  lands  from  the  proprietors.  On  receii)t  of 
this  unwelcome  intelligence  the  house  passed  a  resolution,  intro- 
duced by  Col.  Gra}',  that  her  majesty  be  requested  to  ai)point 
some  impartial  person,  not  connected  with  the  island  in  any  way, 
to  inquire  into  the  existing  difficulties  between  tenants  and  pro- 
prietors, and  endeavor  to  suggest  some  plan  for  enabling  the 
tenants  to  convert  their  leaseholds  into  freeholds ;  the  means 
suggested  being  a  large  remission  of  overdue  rents,  and  giving 
to  every  tenant  having  a  long  lease  the  option  of  purchasing 
his  land  at  a  certain  price  at  any  time  that  he  may  be  able  to  do 
so.  A  serious  question  was  raised  between  the  legislative 
council  and  the  Assembly  at  this  ocssion  as  to  the  composition 
of  the  executive  council.  The  legislative  council  claimed  that 
the  prin<-'ple  of  responsible  government  had  not  been  carried 
out,  inasmuch  as  persons  were  appointed  to  the  departmental 
offices  M'ho  were  not  members  of  either  the  legislative  council 
or  the  House  of  Assembl^'^,  and  that  as  all  members  of  the 
Asseml)ly  were  compelled  by  law  to  appeal  to  their  con- 
stituents after  appointment  to  office  under  the  crown,  the  ap- 
pointment of  persons  having  no  constituents  to  appeal  to  was  an 
evasion  of  the  statute.  The  council  also  complained  that  not 
one  of  its  members  was  in  the  executive  council ;  nor  did  it  con- 
tain a  single  Koman  Catholic,  although  more  than  one-third  of 
the  population  of  the  island  was  of  that  faith.  On  these  grounds 
the  legislative  council  claimed  that  the  executive  council  was 
illegally  constituted,  and  presented  an  address  to  the  queen, 
praying  th.it  it  be  remodelled  in  accordance  with  the  royal 
instructions  sent  when  consent  was  given  to  the  civil-list  bill,  in 
1857. 

8.  The  Assemoly  passed  a  counter-address,  in  which  it  was 
contended  that  the  executive  council  was  constituted  in  con- 
formity with  the  instructions  of  1857  ;  and  that  the  feeling  of 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


38^ 


the  island  was  opposed  to  the  presence  in  the  lloi^so  of  Assembly 
of  salaried  officers  of  the  government,  us  was  shown  by  the 
defeat  at  the  polls,  in  1857,  of  the  commissioner  of  public 
lands,  on  his  appeal  to  his  constituents  on  acceptmg  office, 
and  of  the  same  fate  having  befallen  the  attonie^^-general,  and 
the  treasurer  and  poslmaster-general.  Parliament  was  pro- 
rogued on  the  19th  of  May,  1859,  by  Sir  Dominick  Bal^', 
who  then  delivered  his  farewell  address,  he  having  been  ap- 
pointed to  another  government.  Sir  Dominick  left  in  May, 
and  Hon.  Charles  Young  was  sworn  in  as  administrator  until 
the  arrival  of  Mr.  George  Duudas,  M.P.  for  Linlithgowshire, 
who  had  been  appointed  lieutenant-governor,  and  arrived  in 
June.  During  the  next  month  a  visit  was  paid  to  the  island  by 
Gen.  Sir  Fenwick  Williams,  the  hero  of  Kars,  who  was  most 
enthusiastically  received.  The  legislative  council  and  Asscm- 
bl}',  not  working  harmoniously  together,  —  as  shown  by  their 
petition  and  counter-petition  on  the  constitution  of  the  execu- 
tive council,  —  the  governor,  in  compliance  with  instructions 
from  the  home  office,  called  five  new  members  to  the  board, 
thus  making  a  majority  in  accord  with  the  Assembly.  During 
the  session  of  18(50  the  governor  laid  before  the  house  a  com- 
munication from  the  Duke  of  Newcastl-^,  colonial  secretary,  on 
the  subject  of  tiic  land  commission  petitioned  for  at  the  last 
session  of  the  Assembly.  This  letter  enclosed  one  from  Sir 
Samuel  Cunard,  and  other  proprietors,  addressed  to  the  duke, 
in  which  they  said,  "  We  have  been  furnished  with  a  copy  of  u 
memorial,  addressed  to  her  majesty,  from  the  House  of  Assem- 
l)ly  of  Prince  Edward  Island,  on  the  questions  which  have  arisen 
in  connection  with  the  original  grants  of  land  in  that  iidand, 
and  the  rights  of  proprietors  in  respect  thereof.  AVe  oljserve 
that  the  Assembly  have  suggested  that  her  majesty  should  ap- 
point one  or  more  commissioners  to  inquire  into  the  relations 
of  landlord  and  tenant  in  the  island,  and  to  negotiate  with  the 
proprietors  of  the  township  lands  for  lixing  a  certain  rate  of 
price  at  which  each  tenant  might  have  the  option  of  purchasing 
his  land  ;  and  also  to  negotiate  with  the  proprietors  for  a  re- 
mission of  the  arrears  of  rent  in  such  cases  as  the  conunissioners 
might  deem  reasonable,  and  proposing  that  the  commissioners 
should  report  the  result  to  her  majesty.  As  large  proprietors 
in  this  island,  we  beg  to  state  that  we  shall  acquiesce  in  any 
arrangement  that.muy  bo  practicable  for  the  purpose  of  settling 
the  various  questions  alluded  to  in  the  memorial  of  the  House 
of  Assembly ;  but  we  do  not  think  that  the  appointment  of 


!i 


'x/--^ — J 


IP 


384 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


'If  ' 


;|i' 


I'M  I 


H 


commissioners  in  the  manner  proposed  by  tlicm  "n'ould  be  the 
most  desirable  mode  of  procedure,  as  the  hibors  of  such  com- 
missioners would  only  terminate  in  a  report  which  would  not 
be  binding  on  any  of  the  parties  interested ;  we  beg,  therefore, 
to  suggest  that,  instead  of  the  mode  proposed  by  the  Assembly, 
three  commissioners  or  referees  should  be  appointed,  —  one  to 
be  named  by  her  majesty,  one  by  the  House  of  Assembly,  and 
one  by  the  proprietors  of  the  land,  — and  that  these  commis- 
sioners should  have  power  to  enter  into  all  the  inquiries  that 
may  be  necessary,  and  to  decide  upon  the  different  questicus 
which  may  be  brought  before  them,  giving,  of  course,  to  the 
parties  interested,  an  opportunity  of  being  heard.  We  should 
propose  that  the  exjoense  of  the  commission  should  be  paid  by 
the  three  parties  to  the  reference,  that  is  to  say,  in  equal  thirds  ; 
and  we  feel  assured  that  there  would  ho  no  difficulty  in  secur- 
ing the  adherence  of  all  the  landed  proprietors  to  a  settlement 
on  this  footing.  The  precise  mode  of  carrying  it  into  execu- 
tion, if  adopted,  would  require  consideration,  and  upon  that 
subject  we  trust  that  your  grace  will  lend  your  valuable  assist- 
ance," 

9.  The  colonial  secretary  endorsed  the  views  of  the  pro- 
prietors, and  said,  "  If  the  consent  of  all  the  parties  can  be 
obtained  to  this  proposal,  I  believe  that  it  may  offer  the  means 
of  bringing  these  long-pending  disputes  to  a  termination.  But 
it  will  be  necessary,  before  going  farther  into  the  matter,  to  be 
assured  that  the  tenants  will  accept  as  binding  the  decision  of 
the  commissioners,  or  the  majority  of  them ;  and,  as  far  as 
possible,  that  the  Legislature  of  the  colony  would  concur  in  any 
measures  which  might  be  required  to  give  validity  to  that 
decision.  It  would  be  very  desirable,  also,  that  any  commis- 
sioner that  might  be  named  by  the  House  of  Assembly,  on 
behalf  of  the  tenants,  should  go  into  the  inquiry  unfettered  by 
any  conditions  such  as  were  proposed  in  the  Assembly  last 
year."  The  proposal  of  the  proprietors  was  well  received  by 
the  house,  and  a  motion  was  made  on  the  13th  of  April,  by 
Hon.  Mr.  Gray,  premier,  that  the  proposal  bo  accepted,  and  the 
Assembly  agree  to  hold  itself  bound  by  the  decision  of  the 
commissioners.  Mr.  Coles  jiroposed,  in  amendment,  that  the 
matter  should  first  be  laid  directly  before  the  people  hy  means 
of  a  general  election  ;  but  his  amendment  was  lost,  and  Colonel 
Gray's  motion  carried  by  a  vote  of  nineteen  to  nine,  after 
which  it  was  unanimously  agi'ced  that  the  Hon.  Joseph  Howe, 
of  Nova  Scotia,  should  be  the  commissioner  selected  by  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


385 


house  on  behalf  of  the  tenants.  On  the  IGth  of  June,  1860, 
the  colonial  secretary,  in  a  despatch  to  Governor  Dundas,  ex- 
pressed his  satisfaction  at  the  prompt  action  of  the  Assembly, 
and  annoimced  that  the  other  two  commissioners  had  been  ap- 
pointed, and  that  a  royal  commission  would  speedily  be  for- 
warded. The  commission  consisted  of  Hon.  Joseph  Howe, 
representing  the  tenants,  jMr.  John  William  Ritchie,  repre- 
senting the  proprietors,  and  the  Hon.  John  Hamilton  Gra}', 
representing  the  crown.  The  commissioners  met  in  the  colonial 
building  on  the  5th  of  September,  1860,  Mr.  Gray  presiding. 
Mr.  Samuel  Thompson,  of  Saint  John,  N.B.,  and  Mr,  »Toseph 
Hensiuy,  appeared  as  counsel  for  the  tenants ;  and  Messrs. 
11.  G.  llaliburton  and  Charles  Palmer  as  counsel  for  the  pro- 
prietors. Mr.  Benjamin  Desbrissay  was  appointjd  clerk,  and, 
after  counsel  had  opened  the  case  on  both  sides,  the  hearing  of 
evidence  was  commenced,  and  the  commission  afterwards  visited 
various  parts  of  the  island,  hearing  evidence,  and  gathering  all 
the  information  they  could,  their  report  not  being  made  until 
the  18th  of  July,  1861,  to  which  we  shall  refer  farther  on.  At 
the  session  of  1860  another  practical  step  towards  settling  the 
land  difficulty  was  taken  by  the  Assembly,  by  the  purchase  of 
the  large  estates  of  the  Earl  of  Selkirk,  containing  upwards  of 
sixty-two  thousand  acres,  for  the  very  moderate  sum  of  six 
thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty-six  pounds,  being  at  the  rate  of 
fifly  cents  an  acre,  thus  enabling  the  government  to  convert  the 
leasehold  teiiants  into  freeholders  at  a  very  reasonable  rate.  In 
the  summer  of  this  yaox  the  island  Avas  thrown  into  a  fever  of 
excitement  by  the  announcement  of  the  intended  visit  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  and  the  island  stirred  itself  to  fittingly  commem- 
orate the  first  visit  of  royalty  to  its  shores.  His  royal  high- 
ness arrived  about  noon  on  Thursday,  the  10th  of  August,  in 
H.M.S.  "Hero,"  and  landed  shortly  after.  He  was  received* by 
the  governor,  and  the  mayor  and  city  ofhcers,  by  whom  he  was 
conducted  to  the  government  house,  a  detachment  of  the  sixty- 
second  regiment  acting  a  guard  of  honor.  Four  arches  w^ere 
erected  on  the  line  of  the  procession,  and  the  utmost  enthusiasm 
was  disi)layed  all  along  tlie  Avay.  At  Rochfort  square  a  large 
stand  h{.d  been  erected,  and  on  it  were  four  thousand  Sunday- 
school  children,  who  sang  the  national  anthem  as  the  prince 
approached.  In  the  evening  the  town  was  illuminated,  but  the 
effect  was  somewhat  spoiled  by  a  steady  down-pour  of  rain ; 
the  following  day,  however,  Avas  fine,  and  his  royal  highness 
held  a  levee  in  the  afternoon,  after  which  he  inspected  the 


386 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


volunteers,  abop.t  five  hundred  strong,  and  visited  the  colonial 
building,  where  he  was  presented  Avith  addresses  of  welcome 
by  the  executive  council  and  the  corporation  of  the  city.  In 
the  evening  he  attended  a  ball  in  the  colonial  building,  and  took 
his  departure  on  Saturday  morning,  after  leaving  the  handsome 
contribution  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  with  the  lieutenant- 
governor,  to  bo  distributed  in  charity, in  the  manner  he  thought 
most  suitable. 

10.  A  great  sensation  was  caused  in  the  island  by  the  in- 
telligence that  the  United  States  steamer  "  San  Jacinto  "  had 
stopped  the  British  mail  steamer  "Trent,"  on  her  Avay  from 
Havana  to  St.  Thomas,  and  taken  from  her  the  confederate 
agents  Slidcll  and  Mason,  on  the  8th  November,  IHGl  ;  and  the 
Prince  Edward  Islanders  showed  their  loyalty  by  organizing  a 
volunteer  force  of  over  one  thousand  men.  Fortunately,  how- 
ever, war  was  avoided,  and  they  were  not  needed.  In  this 
year,  1861,  a  general  census  was  taken,  which  showed  the  popu- 
lation to  be  eighty  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-six,  includ- 
ing three  hundred  and  liftcen  Indians.  The  industries  had 
greatly  increased,  there  being  eighty-nine  fishing  establishments, 
which  produced  twenty-two  thousand  barrels  of  herring,  seven 
thousand  barrels  of  mackerel,  thirty-nine  thousand  quintals  of 
codfish,  and  seventeen  thousand  gaUons  offish  oil.  There  were 
one  hundred  and  forty-one  grist  mills,  one  hundred  and  sevent}^- 
six  saw  mills,  forty-six  carding  mills,  and  fifty-five  tanneries, 
manufacturing  one  hundred  and  forty -three  thousand  pounds  of 
leather.  Churches  and  schools  had  both  increased  very  greatly, 
the  former  iiuml)ering  one  hundred  and  fift^^-six,  the  latter  three 
hundred  and  two.  In  this  j'car  the  Legislature  passed  an  act 
admitting  the  Bible  into  public  schools  ;  and  also  established  the 
Prince  of  Wales  College,  in  commemorat'.on  of  the  visit  of  his 
royal  highness  to  the  island.  The  executive  council  appointed 
commissioners  to  superintend  the  collection  of  the  products  and 
manufactures  of  the  island  for  the  international  exhibition  at 
London,  in  18G2,  and  the  duty  was  so  Avell  performed  that  the 
island  made  a  very  praiseworthy  exhibit.  The  intelligence  of 
the  death  of  Prince  Albert,  on  the  14th  of  December,  1861, 
—  which  reached  the  island  early  in  January,  1862,  —  caused 
universal  sorrow;  forty -two  minute  guns  were  fired,  all  t'  > 
flags  were  half-masted,  the  island  Avent  into  general  mourning, 
and  an  address  of  condolence  to  her  majesty  in  her  bereavement 
was  adopted  by  the  Assembly. 

11.  Great  anxiety  was  felt  on  the  island  to  learn  the  result 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


387 


of  the  report  of  the  royal  commission  on  the  land  question,  and, 
in  reply  to  a  request  of  Governor  Dundas,  the  colonial  secretary 
forwarded  a  copy  of  the  report  in  a  despatch  dated  the  7th  of 
February,  18G2.  Want  of  space  will  not  admit  of  our  giving 
more  than  a  brief  resume  of  the  very  able  and  exhaustive  report 
of  the  commissioners.  Their  report  was  unanimous,  and  em- 
braced the  whole  question  of  land  tenure  from  the  time  of  the 
division  of  the  island,  in  1707,  to  the  date  of  their  report,  18th 
of  July,  18G 1 .  The  commissioners  stated  that,  by  making  a  tour 
of  the  island  and  holding  courts  in  various  parts,  they  had  been 
able  to  bring  the  tenants  and  proprietors  face  to  face,  to  hear 
both  sides  of  the  question,  and  to  endeavor  to  reconcile  existing 
differences ;  they  had  examined  into  the  whole  subject  of 
escheat,  quit-rents,  the  claims  of  the  old  French  settlers,  the 
Indians,  and  the  loyalists.  On  the  subject  of  escheat  they  were 
of  opinion  th. .  there  were  no  just  grounds  on  which  the  estates 
could  now  be  escheated,  on  the  plea  that  the  original  grantees 
had  not  fulfilled  the  terms  on  which  the  lai  ds  had  been  assiijned 
them ;  this  plea  was  valid  with  the  original  proprietors,  and  it 
would  have  been  quite  competent  for  the  goveinment  to  have 
escheated  the  estates  when  the  compact  Avas  first  broken ;  but 
after  the  lapse  of  nearly  a  century,  the  various  compromises 
made  by  the  government  and  the  changes  of  proprietorship 
which  had  occurred  in  difterent  generations,  the  commissioners 
were  of  opinion  that  it  would  be  most  unjust  to  the  present 
proprietors  to  attempt  to  confiscate  the  lands  now.  With  regard 
to  the  claims  of  the  descendants  of  the  old  French  settlers,  who 
had  occupied  the  lands  before  the  session  of  the  island  to  Great 
Britain,  the  commissioners  were  of  opinion  that  no  relief  could 
be  afforded  them ;  that  their  ancestors  had  been  unfortunate  in 
being  on  the  losing  side  in  a  great  national  contest  was  their 
misfortune ;  but  the  commissioners  did  not  see  any  means, 
especially  after  so  long  a  lapse  of  time,  of  relieving  them  from 
the  penalties  which  always  attached  to  a  state  of  war.  With 
regard  to  the  Indians  the  commissioners  thousrht  that  their  claim 


should  be  made  good ;  they  only  claimed  the  small  island  of 
Lennox,  and  some  grass  lands  around  it, — a  location  which  they 
had  held  in  undisputed  possession  for  upwards  of  fifty  years, 
and  which  they  had  greatly  improved,  having  built  a  church 
and  numerous  houses ;  the  commissioners  thought,  therefore, 
that  they  should  not  be  disturbed.  The  case  of  the  descendants 
of  the  loyalists  was  peculiar  ;  their  ancestors  had  been  induced 
to  come  to  the  island  at  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War  on 


388 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


r 


M 


i 


the  promise  of  receiving  grants  of  lands  from  the  proprietors ; 
but  the  agreement  had  not  been  fulfilled,  and  the  commissioners 
were  of  opinion  that  the  local  government  should  make  free 
grants  out  of  what  land<^  they  had,  or  should  acquire  from  the 
proprietors,  to  such  of  the  descendants  of  the  loyalists  as  could 
prove  that  their  ancestors  had  been  induced  to  come  to  the  island 
on  promises  which  had  not  been  fulfilled.  As  the  best  remedy 
fof  existing  difficulties  between  landlord  and  tenant,  the  com- 
missioners strongly  recommended  the  Land  Purchase  Act,  which 
had  been  found  to  act  beneficially  in  the  cases  of  the  AVorrell  and 
Selkirk  estates.  They  advocated  the  acquirement  by  the  local 
government  of  the  lands  by  direct  purchase  from  the  pro- 
prietors, and  their  reallotment  to  the  tenants  at  rates  as  low 
as  possible  for  the  settled  portions ;  while  the  wild  and  un- 
settled lands  could  bo  used  by  the  government  as  inducements 
to  attract  new  immigration.  For  this  purpose  they  recom- 
mended a  guaranty  by  the  imperial  government  of  one  hundred 
thousand  jiouuds,  and  went  into  an  elaborate  statement  of  the 
revenue  and  resources  of  the  island  to  show  how  interest  at  the 
rate  of  six  per  cent,  could  be  paid,  and  a  sufficient  sinking  fund 
established  to  extinguish  the  debt  in  twenty  years ;  and  the 
commissioners  thought  this  could  be  done  without  increasing 
taxation,  as  the  great  impetus  to  trade,  and  the  increase  of 
immigration  which  would  inevitably  follow  the  permanent  set- 
tlement of  this  vexatious  question,  and  the  release  of  all  this 
land  now  so  uselessly  tied  up,  would  vastly  augment  the  revenue, 
which  was  already  considerably  in  excess  of  the  expenditure. 
The  commissioners  had  no  doubt  but  that  the  proprietors  would 
be  ready  to  sell  when  it  was  found  that  the  Assembly  had  cash 
to  pay  ;  and  the  competition  of  the  vendors  would  protect  the 
purchaser  from  being  forced  to  pay  too  much.  As,  however, 
there  would  be  some  who  would  not  sell  unless  compelled  to, 
the  commissioners  provided  means  to  force  them  to  part  with 
their  lands  to  tenants,  exception  being  made  in  favor  of  those 
who  held  fifteen  thousand  acres  or  less,  or  who  wished  to  retain 
various  parcels  of  laud  which  did  not  aggregate  more  than  that 
qu.'iutity.  Although  the  commissioners  were  of  opinion  that  the 
original  grants  should  not  have  been  made,  and  that  they  could 
have  been  annulled  for  non-fulfilment  of  the  tennsou  which  they 
were  made  ;  still,  from  the  frequent  confirmation  of  the  grants 
by  the  imperial  government,  the  commissioners  were  of  opinion 
that  the  titles  must  be  held  good,  and  the  basis  binding ;  at  the 
same  time  they  conceived  that  it  was  absolutely  necessary  for 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


389 


the  interests  of  both  the  imperial  and  local  governments, 
as  well  as  for  the  general  prosperity  of  the  island,  that  these 
leaseholds  should  be  converted  into  freeholds,  so  that  the 
trouble,  both  to  the  home  and  local  governments  with  regard 
to  this  question  might  be  settled  once  and  forever.  In  cases, 
therefore,  where  the  local  government  could  not  come  to  an 
amicable  settlement  with  the  proprietors,  by  purchase  under  the 
land  act,  the  commissioners  awarded  that  tenants  who  oflcred 
twenty  years'  purchase,  in  cash,  to  the  proprietors,  should 
receive  a  discount  often  per  cent.,  and  be  entitled  to  demand  a 
conveyance  in  fee-simple  of  the  farms  they  occupied  ;  the  tenant 
being  allowed  the  privilege  of  paying  by  instalments  if  ho  pre- 
ferred it ;  but  the  payments  were  not  to  be  less  than  ten  pounds 
at  a  time,  nor  extend  over  a  period  of  more  than  ten  years. 
Where  farms  were  not  considered  worth  twenty  years' purchase, 
the  tenant  might  ofl'er  what  he  considered  the  fair  value,  and  in 
the  event  of  its  being  refused  the  matter  was  to  be  submitted  to 
arbitration ;  if  the  sum  ofiered  was  increased  by  the  arbitrators 
the  tenant  was  to  pay  the  sum  awarded  and  the  expenses  of 
arbitration ;  if  it  was  not  increased,  the  proprietor  Avas  to  bear 
the  expense.  With  regard  to  arrearages  for  rent,  the  commis- 
sioners awarded  that  all  rents  should  bo  released,  except  those 
that  had  accrued  during  the  three  years  preceding  the  1st  of 
May,  1861.  "The  commissioners  closed  their  report  by  ex- 
pressing their  conviction  that,  should  the  general  principles 
propounded  be  accepted  in  the  spirit  h}  which  they  were 
animated,  and  followed  by  practical  legislation,  the  colony 
would  start  forward  with  renewed  energy,  dating  a  new  era 
from  the  year  1861.  In  such  an  event,  the  British  government 
would  have  nobly  atoned  for  any  errors  in  its  past  policy  ;  the 
legislation  would  no  longer  be  distracted  with  efforts  to  close 
the  courts  upon  proprietors,  or  to  tamper  with  the  currency  of 
the  island ;  the  cry  of  tenant-rights  Avould  cease  to  disguise  the 
want  of  practical  statesmanship,  or  to  overawe  the  local  ad- 
ministration ;  men  who  had  hated  and  disturbed'  each  other 
would  be  reconciled,  and  pursue  their  common  interests  in 
mutual  cooperation ;  roads  would  be  levelled,  breakwaters  built, 
the  river-beds  dredged,  new  fertilizers  applied  to  a  soil  annually 
drained  of  its  vitality,  emigration  would  cease,  and  population 
attracted  to  the  wild  lands  would  enter  upon  their  cultivation 
unembarrassed  by  the  causes  which  perplexed  the  early  settlers. 
Weighed  down  by  the  burden  of  the  investigation,  the  commis- 
sioners had  sometimes  felt  doubtful  of  any  beneficial  results; 


ili 


?  ;■ 


390 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


but  they  now,  at  the  close  of  their  labors,  indulged  the  hope 
that,  if  their  suggestions  were  adopted,  enfranchised  and  dis- 
enthralled from  the  poisoned  garments  that  enfolded  her.  Prince 
Edward  Island  would  yet  become  the  Barbadocs  of  the  St. 
Lawrenc6." 

12.  The  Assembly  met  immediately  after  the  receipt  of  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle's  despatch  enclosing  the  report  of  the  com- 
missioners, pnd  showed  their  willingness  to  abide  by  the  decis- 
ion of  those  gentlemen  by  at  once  passing  a  resolution,  by  a 
vote  of  twenty-three  to  six,  pledging  itself  to  introduce  a  meas- 
ure to  give  the  report  effect ;  but  the  proprietors  were  by  no 
means  so  willing  to  be  bound  by  the  report  of  the  commissioners, 
and  the  colonial  secretary,  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  intimated 
that  the  imperial  government  would  not  be  inclined  to  guarantee 
the  loan  of  one  hundred  thousand  pounds,  although  i)revious  sec- 
retaries had  favored  the  loan.  On  the  5th  of  April,  1862,  the 
duke  forwarded  to  Governor  Dundas  the  draft  of  a  bill  proposed 
by  the  proprietors,  the  preamble  of  which  stated  that  the  com- 
missioners had  exceeded  their  powers  in  proposing  to  submit  the 
matter  of  the  value  of  the  lands  to  arbitration,  and  that  such  a 
course  would  lead  to  endless  confusion  and  litigation.  The 
local  government  at  once  adopted  a  minute  in  which  they  de- 
clared that  they  would  adhere  to  the  report  of  the  commission- 
ers ;  that  the  Assembly  considered  the  imperial  government 
pledged  to  accept  that  award,  and  that  it  was  not  considered 
that  the  commissioners  had  in  any  way  exceeded  their  powers, 
the  wording  of  the  commission  giving  its  members  ample  and 
unlimited  power  to  adopt  any  equitable  means  of  settlement. 
The  minute  denied  that  arbitration  would  lead  to  endless  litiga- 
tion, holding  that  one  or  two  cases  in  each  township  would  es- 
tablish a  standard  of  values  which  both  parties  would  adopt 
without  more  trouble.  The  minute  urged  on  the  imperial  gov- 
ernment the  amount  of  anxiety  and  annoyance,  which  had  ex- 
isted for  over  half  a  century,  on  this  subject,  and  hoped  that 
the  two  bills  passed  by  the  Assembly,  giving  effect  to  the  re- 
port, would  be  sanctioned,  so  that  the  matter  might  be  finally 
settled.  The  interest  of  the  proprietors,  however,  was-  too 
great  at  the  colonial  office,  and  on  the  22d  of  July,  1862, 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle  forwarded  another  despatch,  which  en- 
tirely destroyed  any  hope  of  settlement.  He  stated  that  the 
main  questions  the  commissioners  were  to  settle  were,  at  what 
rates  tenants  ought  to  be  allowed  to  change  their  leaseholds  to 
freeholds,  and  what  amount  of  arrearage  of  rent  should  be  re- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


391 


mittcd  hy  the  landlords  ;  instead  of  doing  this  tho  commission- 
ers had  delegated  their  power  to  fix  tho  amonnt  to  arbitrators  to 
ho  hereafter  appointed,  —  a  thing  they  had  not  tho  power  to  do  ; 
th(!y  had  been  appointed  to  make  tho  award  themselves,  not  to 
delegate  their  power  to  others.  If  tho  proprietors  had  been 
willing  to  accept  tho  substitntion  of  arbitrators  for  tho  award  of 
tho  commissioners,  tho  govern'..ent  would  not  havo  objected ; 
but,  as  tho  proprietors  declined  to  do  so,  tho  government  "was 
forced  to  admit  tho  force  of  .aeir  argument  that  a  i)erson  who 
has  voluntarily  sulmiitted  his  case  to  tho  decision  of  one  man 
cannot,  ■without  his  consent,  bo  compelled  to  transfer  it  to  tho 
decision  of  another.  Tho  two  bills  passed  were  disallowed, 
and  tho  land  question  was  as  far  from  settlement  as  ever. 

13.  A  special  session  of  Parliament  for  tho  consideration  of  tho 
land  question  was  convened  for 
tho  2d  of  December,  18G2  ;  but 
before  it  m^t  Governor  Dundas 
received  a  despatch  from  tho  col- 
onial secretary,  informing  him 
that  a  bill  passed  at  the  last  ses- 
sion, changing  the  constitution 
of  the  island  by  making  tho  leg- 
islative Assembly  elective,  had 
receivedtheroyalassent.  Adis- 
solution  was,  therefore,  neces- 
sary, and  advantage  "was  taken 
of  the  general  election  to  test  tho 
opinion  of  the  people  on  tho 
award  of  the  commissioners. 
Public  opinion  "was  found  to  bo 
almost  unanimous  in  favor  of 
it,  and  a  large  majority  of  the 
house  was  elected  favorable  to  adhering  to  the  report.  The 
new  house  met  in  March,  1863,  when  the  governor  announced 
the  decision  of  the  colonial  secretary  adverse  to  tho  report  of 
tho  commissioners.  A  new  ministry  was  formed,  with  Mr.  J. 
H.  Gray  as  premier,  and  the  first  business  transacted  was  the 
adoption  of  an  address  to  her  majesty,  setting  forth  tho  whole 
history  of  the  appointment,  proceedings,  and  report  of  tho  com- 
mission, and  praying  her  majesty  to  notify  the  proprietors  that, 
unless  they  could  show  cause  before  a  proper  tribunal  -why  that 
report  should  be  adhered  to,  she  would  give  assent  to  the  bills 
giving  effect  to  the  award.     The  Duke  of  Newcastle  replied  on 


i 


I 


Ml 


i 

i  ■'■'■ 


■M    ': 


392 


niSTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


the  11th  of  July,  18G3,  that  ho  did  not  know  of  any  method  by 
which  tlio  niatlor  coidd  be  submitted  to  a  court  of  justice  •  that 
he  liad  subtnittcd  the  case  to  the  hiw  officers  of  the  crown,  and 
they  were  of  opinion  that  the  connnissioners  had  not  fulfilled 
the  duties  they  were  appointed  to  i)erform,  and  that  thoy  had 
no  power  to  delegate  those  duties  to  others.     Still  the  Assem- 
bly hoped  that  the  home  government  might  be  induced  to  ac- 
cept the  suggestions  of  the  commissioners  as  a  basis  of  action, 
if  they  rejected  the  report  itself,  and  appointed  Messrs.  Edward 
Palmer  and  W.  II.  Pope,  delegates  to  England,  to  endeavor  to 
obtain  some  equitable  terms  of  settlement.     The  efforts  of  this 
delegation,  however,  were   no  more   successful  than  previous 
efforts  in  the  same  direction ;  a  communication  was  addressed 
to  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  Avho  submitted  it  to  Sir  Sanmel  Cu- 
nard,  as  representative  of  the  proprietors,  who,  in  reply,  ad- 
vanced the  novel  and  almost  comical  theory  that  the  proprietors 
were  the  only  parties  who  had  suffered  l)y  the  immense  grants 
of  land  made  them ;  that  no  individual  on  the  island  had  been 
injured  by  these  grants,  but  that,  on  the  contrary,  the  island 
had  been  greatly  benefited,  and  that,  therefore,  no  concessions 
should  bo  made  to  the  present  tenants.     Of  course  tho  dele- 
gates could  accomplish  nothing,  and  the  land  question  contin- 
ued a  source  of  agitation  and  annoyance  until  the  entrance  of 
the  province  into  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  on  1st  of  July, 
1873,  — of  which  we  shall  s[)eak  more  fully  in  the  next  para- 
graph, —  when  an  agreement  was  made  by  which  a  loan  of  eight 
hundred  thousand  dollars  was  guaranteed  to  the  province  to  ena- 
ble it  to  buy  up  the  estates  and  reallot  them.     In  1875  commis- 
sioners were  appointed  to  determine  tho  value  of  the  estates 
whose  sale,  under  provision  of  the  act,  was  rendered  compulsory. 
One   commissioner  was   appointed   by  the  governor-general, 
another  by  the  lieutenant-governor,  on  behalf  of  the  tenants, 
and  the  third  by  tho  proprietor  whoso  property  was  to  be  oj^- 
propriated.     Thus  the  troublesome  question  was  at  last  settled, 
and  the  injustice  of  a  century  ago  removed  ;  but  only  at  an  im- 
mense cost  to  the  province,  for  tho  benefit  of  tho  descendants 
of  a  set  of  adventurers  who  sat  for  years  like  incubuses  on  the 
progress  of  the  island,  and  kept  it  in  a  perpetual  state  of  dis- 
quiet and  unrest. 

14.  The  question  of  confederation  was  not  brought  prom- 
inently before  tho  Parliament  or  people  of  Prince  Edward 
Island  until  the  session  of  1864,  when  the  following  resolution 
was  adopted :  "  That  his  excellency  the  lieutenant-governor  be 


!     ! 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


303 


authorized  to  appoint  delogutos  —  not  to  fxccod  five  —  to  con- 
fer with  dci  gates  Avho  may  ho  appointed  hy  the  govcrnnienta 
of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick,  for  the  purpose  of  dis- 
cussing the  expediency  of  a  union  of  these  provinces  of  Nova 
Scotia,  New  lirunswiclt,  and  Prince  Edward  Ishmd  under  one 
governuicnt  and  legishiturc,  the  report  of  said  delegates  to  ho 
hiid  before  the  Legislature  of  tlio  colony  l)eforo  any  action  shall 
bo  taken  in  regard  to  the  proposed  question.''  The  delegates 
appointed  were  Messrs.  J.  II.  Gray,  Edward  Palmer,  W.  II. 
Hope,  CJeorge  Coles,  and  A.  A.  JMacdonald,  and  they  met  the 
delegates  of  New  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia  at  Charlottetown, 
on  the  1st  of  September,  1G84,  the  particulars  of  which  meeting, 
and  the  sul)sequent  convention  at  Quebec,  on  the  10th  of  October, 
wo  have  already  given.  The  delegates,  on  their  return  to 
Prince  Edivard  Island  from  the  Quebec  conference,  found  public 
opinion  decidedly  opposed  to  confederation.  A  largo  meeting 
was  held  in  Charlottetown,  in  February,  18G5,  at  wdiich  lion. 
W.  II.  Popo  strongly  advocated  confederation ;  but  ho  was 
ably  opposed  by  the  lion.  JNIr.  Coles  and  Mr.  David  Laird,  now 
(1877)  Governor  of  Kecwatin ;  and  the  sense  of  the  meeting 
was  decidedly  against  him.  Other  public  meetings  were  held, 
at  which  resolutions  Avere  passed  antagonistic  to  confaderation ; 
so  that  by  the  time  the  Legislature  met,  on  the  28th  of  February, 
1865,  it  was  a  foregone  conclusion  that  the  Quebec  scheme  would 
bo  defeated.  A  series-  of  resolutions  favoring  union  with  the 
other  provinces  was  introduced  by  IIon.AV.  II.  Pope,  on  the  28th 
of  March,  and  lost ;  an  amendment  declaring  confederation 
injudicious  being  carried  by  the  overbalancing  vote  of  twenty- 
three  to  five.  The  subject  was  brought  up  again  at  the  session 
of  I8u8,  when  the  following  strongly  anti-confederato  resolu- 
tion was  proposed  by  Hon.  J.  C.  Pope  :  "  That  even  a  union 
of  the  continental  provinces  of  British  North  America  should 
have  the  effect  of  strengthening  and  binding  more  closely 
together  these  provinces,  or  advancing  their  material  intc»;ests, 
this  house  cannot  admit,  or  that  a  federal  union  of  the  North 
America  provinces  and  colonies,  which  would  include  Prince 
Edwai'd  Island j  could  ever  be  accomplished  on  terms  that 
would  prove  advantageous  to  the  interests  and  well-being  of 
the  peoi)le  of  this  island,  separated  as  it  is,  and  must  ever 
remain,  from  the  neighboring  provinces  by  an  immovable  bar- 
rier of  ice  for  many  months  in  the  year  ;  and  this  house  deems 
it  to  be  its  sacred  and  imperative  duty  to  declare  and  record  its 
conviction,  as  it  now  does,  that  any  federal  union  of  the  North 


304 


IIISTOllY   CF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


Ainciiriiii  colonics  that  would  oiniiViiec  this  iHJaiul  would  bo  as 
host  lie  to  tho  i'celin<^.s  and  wishes,  .'a  it  would  be  opposed  to 
the  luist  and  most  vital  interests  of  its  ;)eoplo."  An  ell'ort  was 
made  to  jjut  oil'  a  vote  until  an  api)eal  to  the  people  could  bo 
had  ;  biit  it  was  overruled,  and  Mr.  Pope's  resolution  adopted, 
by  a  vote  of  twenty-one  to  st^ven  ;  and  an  address  to  the  (pu;en, 
based  on  tho  resolution,  adopted  and  forwarded  to  Enjj^land. 

If).  VV' hilc  the  delej^ates  from  Canada,  New  JU'unswiek,  and 
Nova  Scotia  were  in  session  in  London,  in  the  fall  of  18G(),  the 
lion.  J.  C  Pope  visited  England,  and  an  informal  (jfl'er  was 
made  him  of  a  grant  of  eight  hundred  thousand  dollars  as  in- 
denmity  for  the  loss  of  territorial  revenue,  and  for  the  purpose 
of  buying  out  the  proprietors,  if  the  island  would  enter  tho 
confederation;  but  the  otl'er  was  declined,  and  nothing  more 
was  heard  of  confederation  until  the  autumn  of  1801),  when  Sir 
John  Young,  afterwards  Lord  Lisgar,  (jovernor-General  of 
British  North  America,  visited  tho  island,  wheti  the  subject  was 
informally  discussed  with  members  of  the  local  government. 
Li  Decetnber  following,  a  formal  proposition  was  made,  from  the 
Dominion  ministry,  of  terms  on  which  the  island  would  bo  ad- 
mitted into  the  confederation.  This  was  submitted  to  tho  ex- 
ecutive council,  Avho  rejected  tho  offer  on  the  ground  that 
sufficient  inducement  was  not  ofl'ered  the  island  ;  and  nothing 
more  was  heard  of  confederation  for  six  years.  But  a  new  and 
powerful  influence  was  now  at  work  to  induce  tho  people  to 
think  more  favorably  of  a  union  with  tho  upper  provinces. 
Prince  Edward  Island  is  remarkably  destitute  of  stone  or  graveb 
and  it  has  always  been  very  difficult  to  mako  or  keep  tho  roads 
in  order.  As  trade  and  commerce  increased  with  increasing 
population,  so  was  this  want  more  keenly  felt,  and  it  at  IcMgth 
became  evident  that,  to  keep  pace  with  the  rest  of  the  Avorld. 
Prince  Edward  Island  must  have  a  railway  as  well  as  other 
places.  On  tho  3d  of  April,  1871,  the  Hon.  J.  C.  Pope  intro- 
duced a  resolution  in  tho  ilouso  of  Assembly  to  the  effect  that, 
in  view  of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  stone  or  gravel  to  keep 
the  roads  in  order,  and  the  rapidly  increasing  trade  of  the 
island,  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  railway.  A  bill  Avas  accord- 
ingly introduced  authorizing  the  governmeui;  to  build  a  railroad 
from  Georgetown  to  Cascumpec,  touching  at  Summersido  and 
Charlotteto wn,  with  branches  to  Souris  and  Tignish,  at  a  cost 
of  not  more  than  twenty  thousand  dollars  per  mile,  including 
equipment,  provided  the  contractors  would  take  bonds  of  the 
island  in  payment.     The  bill  was  "  put  through  under  whip  and 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


395 


spur,"  and  in  two  days  after  it  was  introduood  passed  its  final 
reading  hy  a  Aoto  of  eighteen  to  eleven,  lint  the  govenunent 
soon  found  it  hud  assumed  an  enterprise  it  was  ineoni[)etent  to 
conduet  to  a  sueeessful  termination.  It  was  easy  enough  to 
pass  a  bill  to  huild  a  railroad,  and  g.'t  it  eommeneed,  hut  it  was 
very  difHeult  to  obtain  money  to  build  it  with  ;  and  when  the 
government  began  to  bo  distrcssc^d  for  means  to  carr^  out  its 
great  enterprise,  it  naturally  looked  to  the  Dominion  to  see 
whether  it  was  yet  too  late  to  be  taken  into  its  fold  and  helped 
to  aecomplish  that  which  it  was  imi)os8iblo  to  achieve  alon<;. 

16.  In  January,  1873,  the  Hon.  Mr.  Ilaythorne  intro- 
duced ft  minute  in  the  council  to  the  cftcct  that,  if  the  Do- 
minion would  offer  liberal  terms,  the  goveni  nent  would 
reconuncnd  a  dissolution  of  the  house,  so  that  the  people  may 
have  an  opportunity  of  saying  at  the  polls  whether  they  prefer 
to  enter  the  Dominion,  or  submit  to  the  extra  taxation  necessary 
to  build  the  railroad.  On  the  suggestion  of  the  Privy  Council 
of  the  Dominion,  that  a  deputation  bo  sent  to  Ottawa  to  confer 
on  the  subject,  the  Hon.  Mr.  llaythorno  and  the  Hon. 
David  Laird  were  so  deputed,  but  wero  not  authorized  to 
do  more  than  learn  what  terms  could  be  obtained  and  report  to 
the  house.  A  general  election  was  held  in  March,  and  the 
house  met  again  on  the  27th  of  April,  Avhen  the  governor  sent 
down  the  papers  referring  to  the  proposed  union,  and  expressed 
a  hope  that  the  house  would  not  lose  this  opportunity  of  enter- 
ing the  union.  On  the  2d  of  May  the  committee  to  whom  the 
matter  had  been  refer'cd  reported  adversely,  not  considering 
that  Prince  Edward  Island  had  been  offered  sufKciently  good 
terms.  The  committee,  however,  recommended  the  ai)point- 
ment  of  a  committee  to  proceed  to  Ottawa  to  endeavor  to  ol)tain 
better  terms.  Messrs.  J.  C.  Pope,  T.  II.  Haviland,  and  George 
W.  Ilowlan  were  appointed  such  committee,  and  proceeded  to 
Ottawa,  where  they  had  an  interview  Avith  the  governor-general 
—  Lord  Dufferin  —  on  the  7th  of  May.  A  committee  of  the 
Privy  Council,  consisting  of  Messrs.  J.  A.  MacDonald,  Samuel 
L.  Tilley,  Charles  Tupper,  and  Hector  Langevin,  afterwards 
met  the  Prince  Edward  Island  delegation,  and  on  the  15th  of 
May  an  agreement  was  arrived  at  which  was  satisfactory  to 
both  parties.  Ihe  terms  were  substantially  as  follows :  On 
condition  of  Prince  Edward  Island  giving  up  her  revenues,  the 
Dominion  agreed  to  assume  a  debt  equal  to  fifty  dollars  a  head 
on  the  population  of  the  island,  which,  according  to  the  census 
of  1871,  was  ninety-four  thousand  and  twenty-one,  thus  making 


'!•';!' 


396 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


Me  '^ 


iA  ,■ 


the  debt  Prince  Edward  Island  was  authorized  to  incur  four 
million  seven  hundred  and  one  thousand  and  fifty  collars.  As 
the  island  had  only  a  very  small  debt  it  was  to  receive  interest 
at  the  rate  of  live  per  cent,  on  the  difference  between  the  amount 
of  its  debt  and  the  amount  authorized  until  the  debt  amounted 
to  four  million  seven  hundred  and  one  thousand  and  fifty  dollars. 
The  Dominion  government  agreed"  to  advance  to  the  island 
eight  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  purchase  of  the  pro- 
prietors' estates,  at  five  per  cent,  interest,  which  interest  was  to 
ho  deducted  from  a  yearly  aliowance  of  forty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars made  to  the  province  of  the  Dominion.  For  the  support 
of  the  government  and  Legislature  of  the  province  the  Dominion 
agreed  to  pay  thirty  thousand  dollars,  and  an  annual  grant  of 
eighty  cents  per  head  of  the  population,  as  shown  by  the  census 


of  1871,  it  being  agreed  that  the  next  census  was  to  be  taken 
in  1881.  The  Do'ninion  government  also  assumed  the  railway 
which  was  then  being  constructed,  and  agreed  to  pay  the  salaries 
of  the  lieutenant-governor,  and  judges  of  the  superior,  district, 
or  county  courts  ;  the  expenses  of  the  custom-house,  post  office, 
and  fisheries  department ;  and  provide  for  the  maintenance  of 
the  militia,  light-houses,  quarantine,  marine  hospitals,  geological 
survey,  and  penitentiary.  The  resolution  accepting  those  terms 
as  the  basis  of  union  w  as  introduced  into  the  Assembly  by  Hon. 
J.  C.  Pope,  and  carried  by  a  vote  of  twenty-seven  to  two,  after 
which  aa  address  to  her  majesty  was  unanimously  adopted, 
prajing  for  the  admission  of  Prince  Edward  Island  to  the 
union  ;  which  prayer  being  granted,  the  province  was  admitted 
to  the  confederation  on  the  1st  of  July,  18V 3,  that  being  the 
sixth  anniversary  of  the  formation  of  the  Dominion.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  list  of  governors  of  Prince  Edward  Island  from  its 
erection  into  a  province  to  its  joining  the  Dominion  :  — 


Walter  Patterson,  Esq.    .     .  1770 

Gen.  Edmund  Fanning     .     .  178G 

Col.  J.  F.  W.  Desbarres  .     .  1805 

Charles  D.  Smith     ....  1813 

Col.  John  Ready      ....  1824 
Hon.  Geo.  Wright,  Admst., 

1825  and  1835 

Sir  Aretus  W.  Young  .     .     .  1831 

Sir  John  Harvey      ....  1836 


Sir  C.  A.  Fitzroy  . 
Sir  n.  V.  Huntley  . 
Sir  Donald  Campbell 
Sir  Alex.  Bannerman 
Sir  Dominick  Daly  . 
Geo.  Dundas,  Esq.  . 
Sir  R.  Hodgson  .  . 
W.  C.  F.  Robmson  . 


1837 
1841 

1847 
1851 
1854 
1859 
1868 
1870 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


397 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


THE  UNITED   STATES  FROM  1840  TO  1867. 

1.  We  must  now  turn  awhile  from  the  central  channel  of 
our  subject  to  notice  its  environment.  We  have  followed  the 
British  provinces,  which  constitute  the  Dominion  of  Canada, 
excepting  British  Columbia,  Manitoba,  and  the  Northwest  terri- 
tories to  the  Confederation  of  1867.  Let  us  go  back,  as  it  were, 
and  bring  forward  the  contemporary  history  of  the  United 
States  and  England  from  the  date  at  which  we  last  left  these 
nations,  1840,  to  1867.  After  this,  the  reader's  attention  will 
again  be  turned  to  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  when  the  fortunes 
of  the  youthful  nation,  as  such,  will  be  traced  through  the  first 
ten  years  of  its  existence,  and  in  connection  with  which  we 
shall  trace  from  their  beginning  the  important  events  in  the 
history  of  British  Columbia,  Manitoba,  and  other  portions  of 
British  America^  from  which  it  is  expected  new  provinces  w.U 
arise  to  swell  the  population,  power,  and  importance  of  th* 
Lominion.  The  dates  on  which  these  provinces  and  territories 
were  admitted  into  the  Confederation  Avill  afford  us  points  from 
which  we  may  logically  divert  for  this  purpose. 

2.  First,  then,  as  to  affairs  across  the  border  in  the  United 
States.  President  Harrison's  death  occurred  thirty-one  days 
after  his  inauguration ;  he  whs  sixtj^^-cight  years  old,  and  the 
contest  had  been  one  of  the  most  arduous  ever,  at  that  time, 
fought  for  the  i)resideney.  Vice-President  Tyler  was  his  suc- 
cessor, and  he  f*ailed  to  iqdorsc  the  measures  of  the  party  by 
which  he  had  been  chosen.  The  "Log-Cabin"  president's 
death  was  esteemed  a  great  loss  to  the  country.  The  bill 
establishing  a  United  States  bank  was  vetoed  by  President 
Tyler.  The  unpopular  pr'^'sidcut  never  regained  the  confidence 
of  his  party,  but  eventually  died  in  Richmond,  Va.,  a  member 
of  the  Confederate  Congress. 

3.  Domestic  DirncuLXiES.  The  Dorr  rebellion  was  the 
result  of  partisan  strife  in  Rhode  Island,  and  two  sets  of  State 
officers  were  elected.  Gov.  Dorr  made  an  attack  on  the  State 
arsenal,  but  Avas  defeated,  arrested,  and,  after  trial,  sentenced, 
in  1842,  to  imprisonment  for  life.  He  was  pardoned  in  1845, 
and  in  the  mean  time  the  demands  of  the  party  once  led  by  him 


11  pt-  ' 


398 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


had  been  conceded.  The  old  "patroon"  rights  in  New  York 
State  had  long  been  a  source  of  disquietude  ;  but  in  1844  the 
difficulty  came  to  open  war.  The  anti-rent  party  lynched  those 
who  paid  rent  to  the  "patroons,"  and  some  oflSccrs  were  killed 
while  serving  processes.  Military  force  suppressed  the  dis- 
turbance, and  eventually  the  "patroons"  abandoned  their  light 
and  almost  forced  demands  for  rent. 

4.  The  Nauvoo  Wak.  The  Mormons  settled  in  Nauvoo, 
111.,  in  1840,  and  built  a  city.  They  were  followers  of  Joe 
Smith,  who  pretended  to  have  found  gold  plates  containing  a 
revelation  from  God ;  but  nobody  ever  saw  the  plates.  The 
practices  of  the  Mormons  excited  enmity  among  the  people 
surrounding  them,  and  in  1845  Smith,  who  had  entrusted  him- 
self to  the  civil  autliorities  ^or  defence,  Avas  taken  out  of  their 
hands  by  a  mob  and  murdered.  The  city  was  bombarded  for 
three  days,  until  the  Mormons  abandoned  the  position  and  fled, 
first  to  Iowa,  next  to  Nebraska,  and  finally  to  Salt  Lake. 

5.  Annexations  and  Settlements.  Gen.  Sam.  Houston, 
who  was  elected  president  of  the  Texas  republic  in  1836,  ap- 
plied for  the  admission  of  Texas  to  the  Union  in  1844,  and, 
after  much  debate  in  Congress  and  before  the  people',  the  State 
was  admitted  in  the  winter  of  1844-45.  The  admission  of  the 
new  State  was  favored  by  the  Democrats,  who  nominated  Polk 
as  president,  and  opposed  by  the  Whigs,  who  put  forward 
Clay  ;  the  result  was  the  receiDtion  of  Texas,  and  the  election  of 
President  James  K.  Polk.  The  north-west  boundary  of  the 
United  States  came  into  question  in  this  term  of  office,  but 
was  not  settled  until  the  next,  when  49°  was  agreed  upon  as  a 
compromise  of  the  claim  of  54°  40'. 

9.  Gen.  Taylor's  Campaign.  The  disputed  territory  on 
the  Rio  Grande  Avas  to  be  held  by  Gen.  Taylor  and  his  army, 
and  he  built  Fort  Brown  as  his  base  of  supplies.  The  first  fight 
occu.  ed  at  Palo  Alto,  where  an  army  of  six  thousand  Mexi- 
cans, under  Arista,  drew  up  across  the  road  and  disputed  the 
passage  of  the  Americans.  Gen.  Taylor's  army  consisted  of 
two  thousand  men  ;  but  the  attack  was  made  instantaneously, 
and  the  enemy  routed  with  great  slaughter.  The  American 
force  lost  only  nine  men.  The  day  following,  at  Resaca  de  la 
Palnia,  the  Mexicans  Avere  found  in  a  deep  ravine,  blocking  the 
road,  and  Avith  their  artillery  in  position  to  'nflict  considerable 
damage.  The  post  was  flanked  by  thickets,  and  generally  had 
been  Avell  chosen.  The  guns  were  the  main  difficulty,  but  they 
were  captured  by  Capt.  May  and  his  cavalry,  and  Gen.  La 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


399 


Vega  was  matlo  a  pi'lsoncr  at  the  same  time.  The  infantry  com- 
l)lctecl  the  triumph,  and  the  Mexicans  crossed  the  liio  Grande 
in  great  disorder. 

7.     Capture  of  Monterey.     Gen.  Taylor  carried  this  city 
and  fortress  by  assault,  September  24,  1846,  with  about  six 


VAZXLB  OF  KESACA  OS  lA  FALHA. 


Vlexi- 
)dtho 
led  of 
)usly, 
Icricau 
do  la 
lig  the 
lerable 
ly  had 
It  they 
In.  La 


thoiisand  troops,  the  position  being  very  strong,  but  poorly 
dcfondod  by  the  garrison  of  ten  thousand  men.  The  streets 
were  barricaded,  and  tlio  dwclHngs  on  either  side  filled  with 
troops,  "who  poiu'cd  a  deadly  lire  on  the  assailants  ;  but  tlifit 
difficulty  was  met  by  capturing  the  houses  and  opening  a  pas- 
sago  through  tho  walls  from  one  to  the  other.  Some  travelled 
along  tho  roofs  of  tho  captured  dwc^llings,  and  tho  city  surren- 
dered, tho  garrison  being  allowed  tho  honors^of  war. 

H.  VicTORV  AT  BuENA  Vista.  Gen.  Santa  Anna  wished  to 
cruf^h  this  arm}',  "while  a  largo  detachment  was  away  serving 
with  Gen.  Scott  before  Mexico,  but  ho  could  not  make  his  '^r- 
rangoments  until  February  2H,  1847.  Tho  mountain  pass  at 
Buena  Vista  was  held  b}^  tho  American  forces,  and  they  were 
attacked  by  Santa  Anna  if)  person,  with  twenty  thousand  j^icked 
men.  Tho  battle  lasted  all  tho  day  long,  commencing  at  sun- 
rise, and  tho  United  States  infantry  was  overwhelmed  by 
superior   numbers ;    but  tho    artillery  rendered  such   effectual 


I 


400 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


II 


n 


service,  under  Gen.  Bragg,  that  the  Mexican  force  was  com- 
pelled to  retire  during  the  night,  and  Gen.  Taylor  had  accom- 
plished the  work  assigned  to  him.  The  justice  of  the  war  was 
hotly  contested  by  Abraham  Lincohi  and  others  in  Congress, 
but  the  execution  was  admitted  to  be  admirable. 

9.  Gen.  Kearney's  army  was  under  orders  to  conquer  New 
Mexico  and  California,  and  his  f  jrce  started  from  Fort  Leaven- 
worth, in  Kansas  Territory,  June,  184(5,  to  make  the  journey  to 
Santa  Fe.  Col.  Doniphan  headed  the  men  on  this  march,  and 
after  two  well-fought  battles,  with  one  thousand  men  under  his 
orders,  conquered  the  province  and  city  of  Chihuahua.  From 
that  point  the  march  was  continued  towards  California,  but 
before  his  arrival  the  work  had  been  all  but  accomplished. 
Capt.  Fremont,  with  a  small  force,  was  in  the  California  country 
the  preceding  winter,  when  he  learned  that  the  Spaniards  were 
about  to  expel  American  settlers,  and  he  temporarily  abandoned 
his  work  of  an  explorer  and  surveyor  to  rescue  his  countrymen 
from  injustice.  His  conduct  in  this  campaign  added  California 
to  the  United  States.  The  Mexican  forces,  largely  superior  in 
numbers,  were  routed  in  every  conflict,  and  by  the  aid  of  Gen. 
Kearney,  who  arrived  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  last  battle,  the 
conquest  was  completed.  When  Fremont  first  intervened  he 
was  not  aware  that  war  had  been  declared,  but  he  was  aided 
materially  in  his  operations  by  Commodores  Stockton  and  Sloat. 
Gen.  Scott's  campaign  commenced  at  Vera  Cruz,  where  he 
landed  with  twelve  thousand  men,  on  the  21)th  of  March,  1847. 
The  jNlexicans  did  not  oppose  his  landing,  and  after  a  ])ombard- 
mcnt,  which  lasted  four  days,  the  city  and  castle  of  San  Juan  de 
Ulloa  were  surrendered  to  the  American  arms. 

10.  Cekho  Goudo.  Early  in  April  the  army  began  its  march 
to  the  capital',  but  the  mountain  pass  of  Cerro  Gordo  was 
strongly  fortitied  by  the  Mexicans.  The  general  conveyed  his 
cannon,  by  means  of  tackle,  up  the  face  of  the  precipice,  into 
positions  Avhich  connnanded  the  JNIexican  lines,  and  an  attack 
in  front  was  connnenoed  simultaneously  with  the  cannonade,  on 
the  18th  of  April.  The  effect  was  almost  instantaneous,  and 
Santa  Anna  very  narrowly  escaped  capture  at  that  point;  three 
thousand  prisoners  were  taken,  Ave  thousand  stand  of  arms,  and 
forty-three  pieces  of  artilleiy.  The  moral  effect  of  the  victory 
was  still  greater  than  (he  material  advantage,  as  other  positions 
with  large  sui)plies  of  amnumition  and  guns  were  abandoned, 
Pueola  and  Perotc  were  occupied  wiihout  resistance,  and  at  the 
latter  town  tifty-four  cannon  were  captured.    ' 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


401 


11.  Fall  of  Mexico.  Gcii.  Scott,  having  been  reinforced, 
resumed  his  march  with  eleven  thousand  men,  on  the  7th  of 
August,  arriving  on  the  crest  of  the  Cordilleras  on  the  lOtli. 
From  that  point  the  capital  could  be  seen  ;  but  there  was  a  force 
of  thirty  thousand  men  to  dispute  the  approach,  and  numerous 
strong  fortitications.  The  least  defended  route  was  pursued, 
and  Contrcras,.in  entrenched  camp,  fourteen  miles  south  of  the 
city,  was  reached  on  the  morning  of  the  19th.  The  force  under 
Gen.  A^alencia  was  defeated  and  the  camp  taken  l)y  assault. 
The  operations  of  the  army  covered  much  ground  during  that 
day  and  the  next ;  but,  on  the  evening  of  the  20th,  the  fugitives 
from  many  points  had  been  pursued  to  within  one  mile  and  a 
half  of  the  capital.  Churubusco  and  San  Antonio  had  been 
carried  ;  three  thousand  prisoners  had  been  taken,  four  thousand 
men  had  been  killed  or  wounded,  the  army  was  dispersed, 
thirty-seven  pieces  of  ordnance  had  been  won,  and  there  was 
nothing  before  the  city  but  surrender.  An  armistice  for  nego- 
tiation was  being  improved  by  the  Mexicans  in  strengthening 
their  works,  and,  in  consequence,  General  Scott  commanded  an 
assault  on  the  8th  of  September.  The  outworks  were  carried 
in  succession  day  after  day,  until  the  castle  of  Chapultepec, 
which  commanded  tl  o  city,  was  stormed  on  the  13th,  and  early 
on  the  following  da}  the  army  marched  into  the  city,  which  the 
Spaniards  hud  held  since  the  fall  of  the  Montezumas.  The  war 
was  ended,  although  the  treaty  was  not  signed  until  the  begin- 
ning of  February,  1848,  under  which  the  vast  territory  reaching 
west  to  the  Pacitic  Ocean  and  south  to  the  Gila,  became  part  of 
the  United  States. 

12.  The  AVilmot  Proviso  was  introduced  to  Congress  in 
184G,  by  David  Wilmot,  of  Pennsylvania,  seeking  to  prohibit 
slavery  in  any  territory  that  might  be  acquired  during  the  war. 
The  proposition  provoked  much  debate  in  the  country  at  large, 
as  well  as  in  the  House  and  Senate. 

13.  Gold  ix  Californlv.  Gold  was  found  in  Sacramento 
Valley  in  February,  1848,  immediately  after  the  territory  cime 
into  possession  of  the  United  States,  and  within  a  few  months 
emigration  had  commenced  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  Since 
the  Crusades  there  had  never  I^een  such  an  exodus,  and  San 
Francisco  was  speedily  changed  from  a  half-sleeping  Spanish 
seaport  to  the  busiest  hive  in  the  world.  The  city  did  not  im- 
mediatcl}^  become  beautiful,  as  it  now  is,  but  the  gainful  indus- 
tries commenced  in  those  early  days  have  since  made  California 
the  world's  w^ondcr.     The   gold  itself  may  not  have  been  a 


'l! 


402 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


biuiefit  to  the  State,  as  it  has  cost  more  in  the  procurement  than 
the  metal  realizes  on  sale  ;  but  the  possession  of  such  a  popula- 
tion as  that  gathered  in  California  makes  amends  for  any  such 
trivial  drawback.  Streets,  banks,  churches,  halls,  and  gam- 
bling-houses, provided  for  all  that  was  good  and  evil  in  the 
people,  who  were  crowded  together  in  the  pursuit  of  gold,  and 
when  vice  and  crime  outstripped  organization,  the  work  of  re- 
pression and  punishment  was  taken  up  by  the  orderly  citizens, 
so  that  lawlessness  found  a  curb  in  the  genius  of  the  community 
for  self-govcnmient.  The  annexation  of  California  proved  to 
bo  one  of  the  greatest  events  in  the  history  of  the  United  States 
during  the  decade  in  which  it  happened. 

14.  Selecting  a  successor  showed  that  there  were  throe 
parties  in  the  community  ruled  over  by  Martin  Van  Bureii. 
The  Free  Soilcrs  renominated  the  president ;  the  Democrats 
named  Lewis  Cass  as  their  choice,  and  the  Whigs  gave  their 
suffrages  to  Gen.  Zachary  Taylor,  whose  services  in  ^iexico 
made  him  a  popular  idol,  and  whoso  sterling  qualities  well 
deserved  support.  The  Free  Soilers  were  opposed  to  the  ex- 
tension of  slavery,  and  most  of  the  party  were  abolitionists ; 
but  their  day  was  not  yet.  Gen.  Taylor  was  elected.  President 
Taylor  died  July  9,  1850,  but  his  career  in  office  fully  justified 
the  expectations  of  his  friends.  Upon  his  decease  Millard 
Fillmore  became  president,  and  his  services  were  in  every 
sense  satisfactory  to  his  supporters. 

15.  Clay's  Omnibus  Bill  was  the  great  question  of  this 
era,  and  it  arose  upon  the  application  of  California  to  be 
admitted  to  the  Union  as  a  free  State.  The  two  parties,  pro- 
slavery  and  abolition,  not  yet  distinctly  organized  as  such,  were 
on  the  watch  continually,  and  the  least  observant  could  not  fail 
to  perceive  that  before  many  years  there  must  ha  a  crisis  on 
that  issue.  Henry  Clay  strove  for  a  peaceful  solution  of  the 
difficulty,  and  his  compromise  measure  of  1850  was  temporarily 
accepted.  It  provided  for  the  inclusion  of  California  as  a  free 
State,  and  the  formation  of  two  territories,  Utah  and  New 
Mexico,  without  any  legislative  intervention  as  to  slavery. 
Texas  was  to  be  paid  ten  million  dollars  to  surrender  its  claims 
on  New  Mexico  ;  the  slave-trade  was  prohibited  in  the  District 
of  Columbia  and  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law  was  enacted.  From 
the  })resent  point  of  view  there  was  much  evil  in  such  a  measure, 
but  the  growth  of  public  opinion  warranted  no  more  at  that 
time.     Daniel  Webster  was  eloquent  and  impressive  on  this 


1  '!  "■ 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


403 


occasion,  and  both  orators  died  within  two  years  of  the  jiassage 
of  that  measure. 

16.  Filibustering  Exploit.  Cuba,  whoso  condition  has 
long  seemed  as  though  a  live  man  strugghMl  in  the  rigid  em- 
brace of  death,  provoked  in  this  term  a  filibustering  attempt 
at  annexation ;  btit  tlie  expedition,  in  which  six  hundred  men 
were  active  participants,  ended  in  total  defeat,  and  the  leader 
was  executed. 

17.  Franklin  Pierce  was  nominated  by  the  Democrats  as 
the  next  president  after  Fillmore,  and  the  president,  against 
whom  no  one  hcid  anything  to  aver,  was  not  renominated. 
Gen.  Scott  Avas  put  forward  by  the  Whigs,  and  both  parties 
])adc  for  the  support  of  the  pro-slavery  Democrats,  by  uphold- 
ing Clay's  compromise,  against  which  the  more  logical  Free-Soil 
party  inveighed  bitterly.  The  Democrats  elected  Franklin 
Pierce.  The  expedition  to  Japan  enhanced  the  value  of  Fill- 
more's term  of  otKce,  and  assisted  the  spread  of  civilization  and 
commerce  in  that  country. 

18.  Stephen  A.  Douglas  was  the  most  prominent  figure 
in  American  history  after  the  great  leaders  passed  away,  and 
his  measure  as  to  "  Squatter  Sovereignty  "  in  Kansas  and  Ne- 
braska, in  1853-4,  was  the  next  compromise  on  the  slavery 
question.  The  Missouri  compromise  had  been  abandoned  prac- 
tically before  this  time,  as  the  pro-slavery  men  saw  that  the 
rapid  growth  of  free  States  must  work  the  ruin  of  their  policy, 
unless  their  system  was  allowed  indefinite  expansion.  The  de- 
bate on  the  measure  now  to  be  carried  provoked  strong  feeling, 
and  the  violence  of  the  supporters  of  the  slavery  policy  was 
terribly  illustrated  in  an  assault,  murderous  in  its  character, 
upon  Charles  Sumner  by  Preston  S.  Brooks. 

19.  War  in  Kansas.  The  territory  of  Kansas  was  to  de- 
termine for  or  against  slavery,  by  voting  on  the  question  under 
the  "  Squatter  Sovereignty  "  clause  of  the  settlement,  and  the 
consequence,  as  might  have  been  anticipated,  was  war  to  the 
knife.  President  Pierce  appointed  governors  who  favored  the 
policy  under  which  he  was  elected,  l)ut  every  man  sent  by  him 
to  fill  that  office  became  at  last  an  advocate  of  the  cause  of  the 
Free-State  party  in  Kansas,  so  violent  and  unjustifiable  were 
the  proceedings  of  the  other  side  in  the  territory.  Armed 
emigrants,  sent  from  the  Northern  States,  eventually  took  the 
control  of  matters  out  of  the  hands  of  the  "Border  Ilufiians" 
from  Missouri  and  other  States  in  the  slave  intercut,  so  that  ou 


iilii 


if 


404 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


■•!i:i 


! 


the  election  of  President  Lincoln  Kansas  was  admitted  to  the 
Union  as  a  free  State. 

20.  Foreign  Policy.  "The  Gadsden  Purchase"  secured 
to  the  United  States  a  large  area  of  country  from  jMcxico,  at  a 
cost  of  ten  million  dollars.  "J'his  necessity  arose  in  consequence 
of  a  dispute  as  to  boundaries  consequent  on  the  use  of  foreign 
and  erroneous  maps  in  the  former  treaty,  and  the  outlay  named 
was  better  policy  than  armed  intervention  with  a  State  so  com- 
pletely huniblcd  as  Mexico.  The  expedition  to  Japan,  under 
Commodore  Perry,  despatched  by  the  action  of  the  foregoing 
administration,  resulted  in  a  conmiercial  treaty  of  much  value 
to  the  United  States,  which  was  ratified  in  18r)4,  and  this  move- 
ment was  much  applauded. 

21.  Slavery  tactics,  and  the  movements  rendered  necessary 
thereby,  more  especially  when  the  action  of  the  pro-slavery 
party  in  Kansas  became  known,  caused  great  oxcitcmcnt  in  every 
State  during  the  presidential  campaign.  Stephen  A.  Douglas 
expected  the  nomination  from  the  De<nocratic  party,  but,  finding 
that  it  w^'dd  cause  a  division,  he  withdrew  his  name,  and  James 
Buchanan  was  elected  on  that  platform.  The  Republicans,  who 
had  already  superseded  the  AVMiigs  as  a  party,  went  for  Col. 
Fremont,  who  was  largely  supported,  and  the  American  party 
nominated  Millard  Fillmore. 

22.  The  Dked  Scott  Case.  The  Fugitive  Slave  Law, 
added  to  the  Kansas  difiiculty,  had  brought  afiairs  to  a  very 
heated  condition  on  the  slavery  issue,  when  the  Dred  Scott  case 
arose,  npon  which  Chief  Justice  Taney  decided  in  the  Supremo 
Court  of  the  United  States  that  slave-owners  might  carry  their 
human  chattels  into  any  State  in  the  Union  without  invalidating 
their  rights  in  such  property.  With  such  an  interpretation  of 
the  law. staring  them  in  the  face,  the  public  concluded  that 
slavery  must  be  dealt  with  by  distinct  enactments,  and  as  vigor- 
ous administration,  without  delay.  "Personal  liberty"  bills 
were  passed  in  some  Northern  States,  decreeing  trial  by  jury 
for  slaves  arrested  within  their  boundaries,  and  disturbances 
were  common  whenever  slaves  were  arrested  in  the  States  in- 
dicated. The  case  of  Scott  and  his  wife  called  for  much 
sympathy. 

23.  John  Brown ,  at  Harper's  Ferry,  commanded  still  greater 
feeling.  The  old  man  had  suflfered  terribly  in  Kansas,  at  the 
hands  of  the  "  Border  Ruflians,"  one  of  his  sons  being  murdered, 
and  another  driven  insane,  and  after  rendering  all  the  aid  in  his 
power  to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  he  turned  his  attention  to 


l«u 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


m 


o 


the  general  spread  of  abolition.  lie  was  a  relipfious  enthusiast 
of  the  highest  type,  descended  from  one  of  the  Pilgrim  families 
in  the  "  ^>layrt()wer,"  and  ho  set  no  value  upon  his  life,  compared 
with  the  principle  upon  which  he  had  concentrated  his  love. 
With  two  sons,  who  had  been  Avith  him  in  Kansas,  and  some 
friends,  about  twenty  in  all,  ho  surprised  and  captured  the 
arsenal  and  armory  at  Harper's  Ferry,  proclaiming  freedom  to 
all  slaves,  on  the  IGth  of  October,  lHf)\).  The  Virginia  militia 
captured  him  and  his  friends  on  the  17th,  before  any  assistance 
could  reach  him,  and  he,  with  all  his  party,  suffered  the  penal- 
ties of  the  law.  Captain  .Tohn  Brown,  whoso  name  will  live  in 
history,  was  hanged  in  Charleston,  December  2,  1859.  The 
man  moved  before  public  opinion  was  ripe. 

24.  Slavery  or  secession  was  the  issue  broadly  announced 
by  the  Southern  States  during  the  fall  campaign,  in  the  year 
18G0,  and,  but  for  division  in  the  Democratic  ranks,  the  party 
might  have  elected  Stephen  A.  Douglas.  That  leader  had, 
however,  become  unpopular  with  tlie  extreme  section  of  his 
party,  because  he  would  not  concede  all  their  demands,  and 
they  divided  in  their  nomination,  one  section  sustaining  Dor^J-las 
and  squatter  sovereignty,  the  other  presenting  John  C.  Breck- 
enridge,  with  all  the  consequences  of  the  Drcd  Scott  decision. 
Brcckenridge  did  not  come  near  being  elected,  but  his  nomina- 
tion destroyed  the  chance  of  Mr.  Douglas,  who  procured  on  the 
popular  vote  one  million  three  hundred  and  sixty-tive  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  seventy-six,  against  Lincoln's  one  million 
eight  hundred  and  fifty-seven  thousand  six  hundred  and  ten, 
while  Breckenridge  carried  eight  hundred  and  forty-seven 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  fifty-three.  John  Bell,  of  Tennessee, 
received  five  hundred  and- ninety  thousand  six  hundred  and 
thirty-one  votes.  Abraham  Lincoln,  who  was  at  that  time  con- 
tent to  let  slavery  stand  unmolested,  but  would  not  allow  it  to 
be  carried  into  new  territory,  was  elected. 

25.  State  Rights.  The  Southern  States  now  made  ready 
for  secession,  as  they  averred  that  the  government  was  falling 
into  the  hands  of  their  enemies.  They  held,  with  Calhoun,  the 
doctrine  of  State  rights,  Avhich  involved  full  liberty  to  leave  the 
Union  at  any  time.  The  beginning,  long  prepared  for,  was 
made  in  December,  18G0,  when  South  Carolina  passed  an 
ordinance  of  secession,  being  followed  by  Alabama,  Florida, 
Georgia,  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  and  Texas.  "  The  Confederate 
States  of  America"  organized  at  Montgomery,  Alabama,  in 
February,  1861,  by  electing  ofiicers.     Jefferson  Davis  became 


406 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


11 


lit 


m 


preHidont  of  the  seccdinjjj  Stjitos,  aiul  Alcxaiuler  11.  Stephens, 
vice-president.  President  lUieluiiuin  did  notliinj^  to  av(!it  the 
cahunity  of  eivil  war  now  imminent,  althoii^^li  Ueneral  Seott 
was  urgent  for  action  on  the  instant.  United  States  arms, 
buildings,  and  pro|)erties  Avere  seized  as  of  right,  and  many 
sui)posed  that  the  Union  would  ho  broken  without  a  struggle. 

20.  Major  Anderson,  Avho  eonunandcd  the  United  States 
forces  in  South  Carolina,  moved  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort 
Sumter,  because  the  latter  better  admitted  of  defence,  and  ho 
anticipated  the  rec(?ption  of  orders ;  but  none  came.  The 
steamer  which  was  to  have  given  him  reinforcements  and  sup- 
plies hud  been  driven  back  by  Confederate  forces  from  Fort 
Moultrie.  Buchanan  was  apparantly  too  much  afraid  of  tho 
Confederates  to  relieve  the  threatened  fort,  uidess  by  their  per- 
mission, and  they  said  that  any  dcciisivo  act  in  that  direction 
would  commence  the  war.  Under  such  circumstances,  and  in 
imminent  peril  of  assassination,  the  new  president  went  to  his 
inauguration. 

27.  FuGM  Indepenuexce  to  Secession.  The  struggle  to 
maintain  the  integrity  of  the  Union  being  on  tho  threshold,  wo 
may  as  well  consider  what  were  the  forces  to  be  encountered. 
When  the  famous  dechiration  was  signed  and  substantiated  there 
were  thirteen  States  in  the  Union,  and  since  that  time  twenty-ono 
had  l)een  constituted  and  admitted.  Vermont,  or  Green  Moun- 
tain, came  fourteenth  on  the  roll,  INIareh  4, 1701.  First  cx])lorcd 
by  Cliamplain  in  1(509,  it  was  not  settled  until  1724.  There 
Avere  disputes  as  to  territorial  rights  before  177(5,  and  some 
blood  had  been  shed  in  tho  quarrel  between  Ngav  Hampshire 
and  Xew  York;  but  in  1777  the  inhabitants  claimed  to  bo  an 
independent  State.  New  York  relinquished  her  claim,  for  thirty 
thousand  dollars,  in  1791,  and  Vermont  Avas  tho  lirst  State  to 
come  in  under  the  constitution. 

28.  Kentucky,  tho  arena  of  Laniel  Boone's  exploits,  came 
next  in  order,  being  admitted  Juno  1,  1792.  Tho  battles  Avith 
tho  Indians  on  this  territory  gave  to  tho  region  tho  title  of  "  the 
dark  and  bloody  ground."  Boonesborough  Avas  tho  first  settle- 
ment here,  but  ^'irginia  then  engrossed  the  Avholo  of  this  section 
of  the  country  until  1790.  There  Avero  many  attempts  to  set 
up  an  independent  organization,  but  Avithout  substantial  results 
until  1790,  Avhcn,  under  the  constitution,  Kentucky  Avas  made  a 
territory.  AVhon  admitted  as  a  State  there  Avero  about  sevonty- 
iive  thousand  inhabitants  in  Kentucky. 

29.  Tennessee,  named  from  "  tho  river  with  the  great  bond," 


ENGLAND,   AND   THE  UNITED   STATES. 


407 


was  the  sixteenth  State.  The  first  pernimient  settlement  south 
of  I'ennsylviinia  and  Ave.st  of  the  Allej^hanics  was  made  at  Fort 
London,  nisar  the  site  of  KnoxviUe,  Tenn.,  in  17o().  T!io  next, 
within  this  area,  was  made  in  1780,  Avhero  now  Nashville 
flourishes.  North  Carolina  surrendered  her  claim  to  the  terri- 
tory in  1781),  and,  after  heing  joined  to  Kenturky  for  a  time, 
Tennessee  was  admitted  to  the  Union,  June  1,  17!)().  Ohio, 
8o  called  from  "the  beautiful  river,"  came  in  as  the  seventeenth, 
the  lirst  in  the  great  north-west,  Nov.  2S),  1802.  Baron  La 
Salle  was  the  first  European  explorer,  and  the  first  settlement 
was  made  at  Marietta  in  1788. 

30.  Louisiana,  the  eighteenth  State,  named  after  the  French 
king,  was  admitted  April  8,  1812.  Father  jNIanpiette  led  the 
way  to  the  Mississippi,  under  information  procured  from  the 
Indians,  and  liaron  La  Stalla  contimied  the  exploration,  giv- 
ing the  name  of  Louisiana  to  a  large  area  of  country,  hut  no 
permanent  settlement  Avas  made  until  KJUK,  at  Diloxi,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  and  in  1712  New  Orleans  was  founded. 
The  territory  passed  into  the  hands  of  Spain  in  17(52,  hut 
Napoleon  procured  the  title  from  the  Spaniards  in  1800,  and 
sold  the  area  to  the  United  Stntes  for  fifteen  million  dollars  in 
1803.  When  Louisiana  was  admitted  as  a  State,  the  remainder 
of  that  country  Avas  known  as  the  territory  of  Missouri.  This 
State  seceded.  Indiana  came  in  on  the  11th  of  December, 
181(),  having  been  constituted  a  territory  within  its  present 
limits  in  1801).  Indian  difficulties  retarded  its  growth,  but  its 
progress  became  rapid  after  1810.  This,  the  second  State  in 
the  north-west,  is  the  nineteenth  in  the  Union. 

31.  Mississippi,  named  from  the  gj'eatcst  river  known  to 
conmierce,  the  twentieth  State  in  the  Union,  was  admitted  Dec. 
10,  1-817.  De  Soto  was  the  first  exphn-er.  Settlements,  estab- 
lished by  the  French  in  1700  and  1703,  were  destroj'cd  by  the 
Indians  in  1728,  and  there  were  iierco  wars  with  the  tribes  in 
consequence.  The  Mississippi  territory  Avas  constituted  in 
1798,  and  the  Alabama  territory  was  cut  off  in  March,  1817. 
Mississippi  seceded.  Illinois,  named  from  the  "  River  of  Men," 
was  in  the  territory  first  visited  by  Marquette,  followed  by  La 
Salle ;  but  the  territory  so  named  was  nnich  larger  than  the 
State  which  was  admitted  Dec.  3,  1818,  the  third  in  the  north- 
west, twenty-first  in  the  Union.  The  Indians  Averc  very  per- 
tinacious in  their  hostility  to  the  first  settlers,  but  the  lilack 
Hawk  Avar  ended  such  difficulties.  Chicago  is  the  metropolis 
of  the  north-Avest,  and  its  growth  seems  almost  miraculous. 


I 


W: 


1] 

If''  I* 
"it 


Ir      ' 

1 

3i 

ii 

408 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


32.  Ahilmniu  came  in  Dec.  14,  1811),  nuinhcrin^  itself  tho 
twenty-second  State.  The  Creek  Jndiunn  were  great  enemies 
of  tlie  early  nettlers.  Tiie  name  "  Hero  wo  rest,"  nnist  iiavo 
seemed  a  mockery  to  the  pioneers.  The  lirst  Bcttlement 
dates  from  1702,  at  Bienville  Fort,  and  Mobile,  on  the  bay  of 
that  name,  was  fonnded  in  1711,  being  for  many  years  tho 
capital  of  the  French  ])ossessions  in  Louisiana.  Cien.  Wilkin- 
son took  possession  of  this  area  in  1H1,'{,  but  tenns  of  purchase 
were  concluded  Avith  Spain  six  years  later.  This  State  was 
strong  for  secession  in  1H(!0,  and  later.  Maine  was  originally 
associated  with  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire,  Icing  part 
of  tho  grant  to  (lorgcs  and  Mason  from  the  council  of  New 
England  and  Plymouth.  Maine  subsequently  renuiincd  in 
Gorges  family's  possession  until  his  grandson,  in  1077,  sold 
his  rights  to  Massachusetts  for  six  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars.  That  State  rclinijuisluMl  its  claims  in  1820,  when 
the  State  came  in,  tho  twenty-third  in  the  Union. 

3.T.  Missouri,  deriving  its  name  from  '"Muddy  Water,"  was 
admitted  Aug.  10,  1821,  the  twenty-fourth  in  the  Union.  St. 
(ienevieve,  the  earliest  settlement  in  the  territory,  dates  from 
17.05,  but  United  States  interest  in  the  soil  dates  only  from  tho 
purchase  in  1803.  Tho  territory  of  Missouri  dates  from  tho 
admission  of  Louisiana  to  the  L'nion  in  1812,  but  the  dimen- 
sions of  Missouri  were  fixed  In  (he  Missouri  Compromise,  in  1821, 
under  which  the  State  was  admitted.  There  were  additions 
made  to  tho  State  subsequently.  Missouri  was  in  sympathy 
Av'ith  tho  Southern  Confederacy,  but  the  State  did  not  secede. 
Arkansas,  named  from  ar.  Indian  tribe,  entered  tho  Union, 
June  15,  1836,  being  discovered  in  1G35,  and  settled  by  the 
French  in  1G70,  near  St.  Francis  river.  This,  the  twenty- 
fifth  State  in  the  Union,  seceded  March  4,  18G1,  but,  before 
the  close  of  18  >3,  tho  government  of  tho  country  was  in  tuo 
hands  of  Unit^^^I  .' states  troops,  and  it  continued  to  be  under  a 
military  goveriiuiont  until  18G8,  Avhcu  Congress  readmitted  tho 
State  into  the  Union. 

34.  Michigan  dates  as  a  State  from  January  2G,  1837.  Fur- 
traders  and  Jesuit  missionaries  were  tho  first  white  visitors  to 
this  region,  and  Detroit  was  founded  from  Canada  in  1701 ; 
organized  as  a  territory  in  1805  ;  the  boundaries  of  tho  State 
were  fixed  at  the  time  of  admission,  and  Michigan  is  the  twenty- 
sixth  State.  Florida,  one  of  the  seceders,  was  organized  as  a 
territory  in  INIarch,  1819,  when  tho  purchase  from  Spain  had 
been  consummated,  and  was  admitted  March  3,  1845.     This 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


400 


was  the  twonty-scvonth  State.  Its  early  history  has  heen  given 
ill  eoiiueetioii  with  the  Seiniiiohi  war.  Texas  was  first  e.\ph)red 
hy  I'oneo  I)e  Leon,  afterwards  liy  La  Salle,  who  ibuii(hMl  settU;- 
meiits  at  Mataji^onhiliay,  aiul  built  a  Freiieh  Ibrt  on  the  liavaeii. 
Spain  established  missions  here,  l)ut  failed  to  eivilize  the 
eountry  or  the  people  ;  so  that  there  was  no  town  worthy  of 
the  nanio  in  1820,  M'hen  a  native  of  Conneetient  connnenecd 
to  attr.'U't  emigrants  to  a  grant  proeurcd  from  Mexieo.  Within 
ton  years  there  were  twenty  thousand  Americans  in  Texas,  and 
Mexico  becoming  jealous  and  oppressive,  the  people  organ- 
ized a  revolution,  defeated  Santa  Anna,  became  a  republic 
mider  President  Houston,  and  so  continued  nntil  admitted  to 
the  Union  in  December,  1845.  Texas  was  one  of  the  tirst  to 
secede,  and  was  the  twenty-eighth  in  the  Union. 

35.  Iowa  camo  in  December  28,  184G.  The  name,  signifying 
in  the  Indian  tongue  "  Drowsy  Ones,"  does  not  describe  the 
people.  Dubuque,  a  French  Canadian  miner,  was  the  tirst  to 
discover  the  value  of  the  country  near  the  city  which  bears  his 
name,  and  procured  a  grant  of  land  from  the  Indians,  as  well 
as  permission  to  mine  from  the  Spanish  authorities  in  this 
country.  lie  carried  on  leac'-miniiig  until  his  death,  transport- 
ing the  lead  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  he  was  also  a  trader. 
After  his  death,  in  1810,  the  mines  were  at  tirst  worked  l)y  the 
Indians,  and  then  abandoned  until  1832,  when  the  mines  were 
again  worked  until  the  miners  were  dispossessed  by  military 
orders  pending  the  opening  of  the  territory  as  a  settlement. 
Dubuquo  was  founded  in  1833.  Iowa,  the  twenty-ninth  State, 
was  reduced  to  its  present  limits  at  the  time  of  its  admission. 
"Wisconsin,  once  part  of  Louisiana,  then  of  Illinois,  then  of 
Michigan,  and  afterwards  of  Iowa  territory,  was  the  thirtieth 
State,  and  was  admitted  May  29,  1848.  The  tirst  exploration 
dates  from  1030,  and  tirst  settlement  at  Green  Ba}^  from  1745. 
It  became  a  territory  in  183G.  The  name  in  the  Indian  tongue 
signities  "  Gathering  of  the  Waters."  The  ravages  of  lilack 
HaAvk  and  his  warriors  were  in  part  experienced  in  AVisconsin. 

3G.  California  was  visited  by  Sir  Francis  Drake  in  pursuit 
of  Spanish  treasure  ships  in  1578—79,  and  ho  wintered  in  San 
Francisco  Bay.  The  Si)aniards  established  missions  here,  at 
San  Diego,  in  17G9,  and  at  San  Francisco,  in  177G,  but  in  1835 
there  was  only  one  habitation  near  the  bay.  The  monks  had 
the  entire  management  of  the  country  until  the  Mexican  revolu- 
tion in  1822  upset  the  Spanish  power.  The  white  population  of 
the  territory  in  1831  was  under  five  thousand,  but  after  1843  there 


Ik.;  '1 


410 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANAD.l, 


was  sonic  emigration  from  this  country,  and  the  possession  was 
eventually  wrested  from  Mexico  by  Capt.  Fremont  and  Gen. 
Kearney,  to  become  one  of  the  most  prosperous  States  in  the 
Union.  Mexico  ceded  the  territory  to  the  United  States  at  the 
close  of  the  war.  The  area  thus  added  to  the  United  States 
eml)iaced  what  is  known  as  California,  Nevada,  Arizona,  Utah, 
parts  of  Colorado  and  New  Mexico  ;  in  all  about  four  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  sqi:*vre  miles,  with  variations  of  soil  and  climate 
capable  of  producing  all  the  vegetal  treasures  of  tho  globe. 
Nearly  all  of  these  advantages  are  being  improved.  California 
came  into  the  Union  September  9,  1850,  and  is  numbered  as 
the  thirty-first  State. 

37.  Minnesota,  from  the  Indian  "  Cloudy  Water,"  takes  its 
name  from  the  river.  La  Salle  and  Father  Hennepin  were  the 
first  explorers,  in  1G80  ;  l)ut  Fort  Snelling  only  dates  from  1819, 
and  St.  Paul  Avas  founded  in  1846,  the  territory  being  organized 
three  jears  later,  but  rapid  growth  was  not  entered  upon  until 
the  Sioux  ceded  a  considerable  area  to  the  United  States  in  ]  851. 
The  State  was  admitted  May  11,  1858,  numbered  as  the  thirty- 
second  in  the  Union. 

38.  Oregon,  named  from  the  Spanish  for  "Wild  Marjoram," 
which  is  plentiful  on  the  coast,  was  part  of  the  land  purchased 
in  1803  from  Napoleon,  while  Jetl'erson  was  president,  and 
Madison  the  minister  to  France.  The  Columbia  river  was 
partiall}'  explored  in  1792,  by  Capt.  Gray,  in  the  ship 
"Columbia,"  from  Boston,  who  reported  in  glowing  terms  as 
to  the  country,  and  the  explorers  Clark  and  Lewis,  in  1804, 
were  sent  by  President  Jetferson  along  the  Missouri  to  the 
head- waters,  and  thence  to  the  P:iciHc  by  the  Columbia  river. 
The  operations  of  the  American  Fur  Company  followed 
speedily  upon  the  publication  of  their  romantic  adventures  in 
a  country  hardly  trodden  by  white  men  before  their  work  com- 
menced, and  in  1839  American  emigration  began.  The  north- 
Wust  boundary  settlement,  in  184(5,  itided  the  growth  of  popula- 
ti(^n,  and  organization  as  a  territory  followed  in  two  years. 
Liberal  grants  of  land  by  Congress  promoted  colonization,  and 
on  February  14,  1859,  the  thirty-third  State  was  admitted; 
Washington  Territory  having  been  organized,  north  of  the 
Columbia  river,  in  1853. 

39.  Kansas  came  into  the  Union  through  fire  and  i^lood, 
after  the  secession  of  that  element  Avhich  had  stru'jr"arled  so 
desperately  to  possess  the  soil  and  construct  thereon  a  slave 
State.    Clark  and  Lewis  were  the  first  w'.iite  visitors  in  modern 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


411 


lula- 
lars. 
land 
U\ ; 
the 


daj's,  although  there  is  a  probability  that  both  French  and 
Spaniards  were  lierc  in  much  earlier  times.  This  also  Avas  part 
of  the  land  purchased  from  the  Emperor  Napoleon ;  and  the 
explorations  by  Fremont,  the  Mexican  A\'ar,  the  RI(»rmon 
exodus,  the  Sante  Fe  trade,  and  the  gold  fever  in  California,  led 
toward  settlement,  which  was  deferred  under  an  erroneous  im- 
pression that  much  of  the  land  was  a  desert.  Slavery  had  been 
introduced  into  the  territory  in  defiance  of  the  Missouri  com- 
promise before  the  Kansas-ISebraska  bill  was  introduced  by 
Douglas,  and  from  the  beginning  Missouri  was  resolved  upon 
the  establishment  of  iv  slave  State  in  Kansas.  The  war  that  was 
conuncnced  so  bitterly  on  that  area  was  fought  out  on  a  wider 
field,  to  an  end  which  none  but  enthusiasts  of  the  John  Brown 
type  thought  possible  w  ithin  that  generation.  KaiiSas,  organized 
by  Act  of  Congress  in  1854,  was  not  admitted  to  the  Union  until 
President  Buchanan  had  given  place  to  his  incomparal)ly  greater 
successor,  Abraham  Lincoln,  on  the  2Dth  of  January,  18G1, 
thus  closing  the  record  before  the  war  with  thirty-four  States 
enrolled. 

40.  A  comparative  stud}'^  of  the  States  seceding,  and  of 
those  that  >vcre  resolved  to  uphold  the  Union,  should  have  con- 
vinced an  impartial  observer  on  Avhich  side  victory  would  rest, 
assuming  a  like  earnestness  on  the  question  at  issue,  on  either 
hand  ;  but  much,  after  all,  depending  upon  careful  and  states- 
manlike management  of  affairs,  so  that  public  opinion  should 
not  bo  shocked  by  violent  action,  which  might  have  reacted 
against  success.  Wealth,  population,  philosophy',  and  right 
were  on  the  side  of  the  North  ;  but  on  the  other  were  brave  men, 
trained  to  statesmanship,  to  negotiation  and  to  war,  who  had 
loiig  controlled  the  resources  of  the  Union,  with  the  expectation 
of  such  a  time  supervening,  and  who  had  arranged  the  forces 
and  supplies  at  that  moment  expressly  to  suit  their  aims,  un- 
checked, if  not  absolutely  assisted  by  President  Buchanan. 
Abraham  Lincoln  was  called  to  the  work  of  u  giant,  and  ho 
was  equal  to  the  task. 


Iiod, 
so 
lave 
leru 


1}  ■i.flf' 


IP 


412 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


THE   AMERICAN   CIVIL   AVAR. 


1.  Lawless  designs  were  so  .apparent  when  the  day  ap- 
proached for  inaugurating  the  new  president,  tliat  it  was  found 
necessary  for  Mr.  Lincohi  to  expedite  his  movements  and  arrive 
in  Washington  before  the  schemes  of  his  enemies  w^ero  ready  for 
execution.  The  rumor  tliat  he  travelled  in  disguise  through  the 
disaffected  State  is  a  popuhir  falUicy ;  ho  only  passed  through 
before  he  was  expected,  and  that  course  of  action  better  suited 
every  good  purpose.  The  inauguration  of  the  president  was  a 
solemn  event  in  the  history  of  the  Union,  and  the  troops  under 
Gen.  Scott  were  no  idle  form  in  that  pageant.  None  oou;  'ell 
in  what  quarter  danger  might  even  then  be  lurking,  i.a.I  ucce 
was  a  delusive  confidence  in  the  tone  of  the  Confederate  party. 
Officers  iii  both  arms  of  the  service  were  resigning  to  join  their 

fortunes  with  those  of  tlie  seced- 
ing States.  It  was  oelieved  that 
the  Union  party  Avas  strong  in  the 
North,  although  circumstances 
kept  them  comparatively  silent 
for  a  time,  and  the  great  ma- 
jority still  hoped  that  Avar  Avould 
not  become  inevitable.  The 
government  must  carry  Avith  it 
public  opinion,  and  that  is  not 
the  A'icAV  of  the  foremost  thinker, 
but  the  resultant  from  nuuiy 
minds  ;  hence,  the  necessity  for 
such  cautious  procedure  asAvould 
keep  from  the  skirts  of  the  ad- 
ministration the  stain  of  precipi- 
tating strife.  If  bloodshed  must 
come,  the  responsibility  should  rest  on  the  other  side.  That 
lino  of  policy  made  the  early  days  of  President  Lincoln's 
government  seem  hesitating  and  Aveak,  when  truly  ho  Avas 
jmusing  in  Avisdom  aiul  mercy,  hoi)i ng  against  hope  that  sonn* 
means  might  be  devised  to  save  the  l^nion  Avithout  a  baptism 
of  lire.     There  was  vigor  ou  the  other  side,  and  every  sound  ot 


A  UK  AH  AM    LINCOLN. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


413 


preparation.  Arms  and  arsenals  had  been  seized  and  appro- 
priated, troops  were  on  the  march,  recruits  were  coming  in  with 
enthusiasm,  money  and  supplies  were  voted,  and  a  vigorous 
prosecution  of  the  Avar,  if  war  it  was  to  be,  was  freely  promised 
by  men  who  still  retained  their  seats  in  Congress. 

2.  The  first  gun  in  the  era  of  strife  was  tired  against  Fort 
Sumter  on  Friday  morning,  April  12,  1801,  and  the  .war  had 
commenced.  The  unarmed  steamer,  sent  Avith  supplies  during 
the  last  days  of  President  Buchanan,  had  been  iired  upon  and 
driven  back ;  liut  the  friend  of  the  Confederacy  saw  no  ground 
for  continued  action,  so  that  there  were  only  seventy  men  scantily 
provisioned  in  Fort  Sumter,  opposed  to  fully  seven  thousand, 
backed  by  the  whole  force  of  the  seceding  States.  There  had 
come  into  the  presidential  office  a  friend  to  the  Union,  and  he, 
after  a  careful  survey  of  all  the  facts,  concluded  that  the  fort 
must  bo  reinforced  and  supplied,  peacefully  if  possible,  but  at 
avy  rate  the  duty  must  be  accomplished.  That  fact  being 
known,  the  commander  of 
the  confederate  troops. 
Gen.  Beauregard,  demand- 
ed the  surrendei"  of  the  fort, 
and  upon  Maj.  Anderson's 
refusal  there  Avas  a  cannon- 
ado,  Avhich  lasted  thirty-four 
hours,  the  barracks  Avcrc 
set  on  tiro  by  shot  and  shell, 


FOUT     SUMTEn. 


the  garrison  Avas  exhausted 
in  a  fruitless  contest,  and 
capitulation  Avith  the  honors 
of  Avar  ended  the  fight.  The  garrison  saluted  their  flag  before 
they  lowered  it  to  the  enom}',  and  the  North  Avas  united  as  one 
man.  Democrats  and  llepublicans  Avcre  now  prepared  for  Avar  ; 
the  Rubicon  Avas  passed.  Lincoln  called  for  seventy-five  thousand 
troops  ;  his  old  rival  and  quandam  enemy,  Douglas,  urged  upon 
him  to  increase  the  requisition,  and  defended  his  course  before 
the  Democratic  party ;  his  dying  Avords  to  his  sons  soon  after 
Avere :  "  Obey  the  laws  and  support  the  constitution  of  the 
United  States."  Three  hundred  thousand  volunteers  answered 
the  call  for  aid  ;  the  Hag,  lowered  at  Fort  Sumter,  Avas  raised 
all  over  the  North,  evoking  the  si)irit  of  'TG,  and  the  best  men 
Avere  ready  to  march  to  the  front. 

3.     The  South  Avas  inllamod  ])y  the  first  victor}",  and  looked 
forward  Avith  enthusiasm  throuffh  the  smoke  and  din  of  battle 


I  >:  . 


414 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


to  a  result  Avliich  might  justify  the  terril)lo  arbitrament.  Vir- 
<^inia  joined  the  Confederacy,  closely  followed  by  Arkansas, 
North  Carolina,  and  Tennessee  ;  the  armory  at  Harper's  Ferry 
and  the  navy-yard  at  Norfolk  were  seized  by  the  Virginian 
troops,  and  liichmond  was  made  the  capital.  Washington  was 
in  danger,  and  a  regiment  of  jNIassachusetts  militia,  marching  to 
aid  in  its  defence,  was  attacked  in  Baltnnoro  city,  on  the  anni- 
versary of  the  battle  of  Lexington,  a  number  of  men  being 
killed.  The  war  had  commenced  in  earnest.  Virginia  was  the 
scene  of  operations,  because  the  capital  of  the  Union  must  be 
protected;  and  Col.  Elmer  E.  Ellsworth,  with  his  Zouaves, 
occupying  Alexandria,  was  shot  at  the  very  beginning  of  the 
conflict.  Arlington  Heights,  opposite  the  capital,  was  seized  by 
national  troops  on  the  24th  of  May,  18G1.  Fortress  Monroe,  at 
the  entrance  of  the  Chesapeake,  Avas  garrisoned  under  Gen. 
Butler,  awl  soon  afterwards  an  expedition  was  sent  against  Big 
Bethel,  wiierc  the  Confederates  had  fortitications.  Several 
forces  were  despatched  at  midnight,  June  1),  18G1,  by  Gen. 
Butler,  to  make  the  assault  on  the  following  morning ;  but  the 
dift'erent  bodies  mistook  each  other  for  enemies  in  the  uncertain 
light,  and  the  assault  failed,  after  causing  the  United  States  a 
loss  of  one  hundred  men.  The  Confederate  force,  under  Col. 
Magruder,  immediately  fell  back  to  Yorktown. 

4.  Union  victories  were  rare  in  the  first  year  of  the  war ; 
the  troops  were  raw  levies,  enthusiastic  but  untrained  ;  and  there 
is  an  apprenticeship  necessary  for  officers  and  men  before  even 
the  bravest  can  look  unmoved  upon  the  probability  of  instant 
death,  leaving  the  care  of  those  dearest  and  best  loved  to  tiie 
sympathies  of  strangers.  Western  Virginia  Avas  loyal  to  the 
Union,  l)ut  it  was  held  by  Confederate  forces,  and  a  series  of 
engagements  at  Philippi,  Rich  Mouiitain,  and  Carrick's  Ford, 
under  the  command  of  Gen.  McClellan,  won  the  whole  State  for 
the  Union.     The  Confederates,  under  Wise  and  Floyd,  tried  to 


recover  the  lost  ground ;  but  Rosecrans  attacked  the  ex-var 
secretary  at  Carnifex  Ferry,  Gov.  Wise  did  not  give  support 
to  Floyd,  and  there  was  another  defeat  for  the  seceders.  Gen. 
Lee  tried  to  sustain  the  failing  cause,  but  his  repulse  at  Cheat 
Mountain  was  not  followed  by  any  decisive  gain  for  his  side, 
and  the  Union  remained  master  in  V'irginia  to  the  end  of  1861. 

5.  On  to  Richmond  was  the  cry  of  the  inexperienced  public, 
and  the  battle  of  Ball  Run,  July  21,  resulted  from  a  desire  to 
satisfy  that  impatient  demand.  Gen.  McDowell  commanded 
the  army  of  the  Potomac,  and  the  opposing  forces  were  each 


m  till 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


415 


about  thirty  thousand.  The  Confederates  were  driven  from  the 
field  in  the  beginning  of  the  fight,  but  they  were  rallied  by  the 
example  of  (Stone- 


STONBWALL  TACXSON  AT  BULL  RUN. 


wall  Jaekson,  and  a 
reinforcement  from 
"Winchester,  coming 
up  before  the  still 
continuing  contest 
could  be  ended, 
caused  a  "panic" 
among  the  northern 
men,  such  as  hap- 
pily never  occurred 
again  during  the 
war.  The  North  2^!^» 
was  cast  down,  but 
not  dismayed ;  the 
war  must  be  a  trial 
of  strength  and  of 
moral  purpose 
among  men  constitutionally  unused  to  surrender,  and  an  effort 
proportioned  to  the  purpose  must  bo  made.  Congress  voted 
five  hundred  thousand  men  and  live  hundred  million  dollars  for 
the  service,  and  jNIcClellan  was  made  connnander  of  the  army 
of  the  Potomac.  His  promotion  to  the  command-in-chicf  fol- 
lowed shortly  after.  Col.  Baker,  senator  from  Oregon,  one  of 
the  ablest  and  best  men  on  the  side  of  the  Union,  fell  at  Ball's 
Bluff,  October  21,  in  an  action  in  which  a  reconnoitring  party 
of  two  thousand  was  overMhelmed  by  superior  numbers  ;  but  a 
victory  at  Dranesville,  after  a  s[)irited  engagement,  December 
20,  vestored  the  courage  of  the  Federals,  when  all  around  looked 
dark. 

G.  Missouri  remained  neutral  in  spito  of  the  attempts  to, 
carry  a  secession  ordinance ;  but  the  troops  of  both  parties 
selected  this  ground  for  many  battles.  Gen.  Lyon,  with  a  small 
Federal  force,  broke  up  Camp  Jackson,  defeated  an  attempt  on 
the  Union  arsenal  at  St.  Louis,  and  on  the  17th  of  June  routed 
a  Confederate  forco  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  men  in 
an  entrenched  camp  at  Booneville,  capturing  guns,  clothing,  and 
camp  equipage.  Gen.  Sigel,  outnumbered  by  the  combined 
forces  of  the  Confederates  under  Jackson  and  Price,  after  a  well- 
fought  battle,  M'as  compelled  to  retire  on  Carthage  and  Sarcoxie, 
on  the  5th  of  July,  and  Lyon,  left  unsupported,  chose  to  attack 


iliiljil 


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416 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


the  firmics  of  Price  and  McCulloch  at  Wilson's  Creek,  on  the 
10th  of  August.  lie  fell  leading  a  bayonet  charge  in  that  un- 
successful action,  and  Col.  Mulligan  was  subsequently  compelled 
to  surrrender  Lexington.  Gen.  Fremont,  assuming  the  com- 
mand, forced  the  Confederates  under  Price  to  retreat  to  Spring- 
field ;  but  he  was  superseded  by  Hunter  before  a  decisive  battle 
could  be  fought.  Gen.  Ilalleck,  who  soon  succeeded  Hunter, 
continued  the  course  commenced  by  Fremont,  and  Price  re- 
treated to  Arkansas.  On  the  Gth  of  November  Gen.  Grant, 
with  four  thousand  troops,  descended  the  Mississippi  river,  from 
Cairo,  and  on  the  following  morning  drove  the  Confederates 
from  their  camp  at  Belmont,  after  a  prolonged  engagement,  and 
destroyed  the  camp  with  all  its  contents  ;  but  strong  reinforce- 
ments from  Columbus,  under  Polk,  coming  to  the  rescue  of  t|ie 
enemy.  Grant  was  eventually  driven  back  to  his  boats,  without 
losing  a  gim,  and  carrying  with  him  artillery  captured  during 
the  assault ;  thus  the  year  ended  favorably  for  the  Union  in 
Missouri. 

7.  Coast  and  sea  oifered  a  field  for  operations,  of  which 
Jefterson  Davis  proposed  to  avail  himself  by  issuing  commis- 
sions to  privateers,  and  in  consequence  the  southern  ports  were 
blockaded.  The  Union  navy  had  been  scattered  all  around  the 
world  by  the  Buchanan  administration,  and  of  the  forty-two 
ships  in  commission  there  was  but  one  efficient  vessel  on  the 
northern  coast.  Before  the  cud  of  18G1  the  navy  consisted  of 
two  hundred  and  four  diips  of  war.  The  "  Savannah  "  privateer 
was  the  first  to  sail  under  the  Confederate  flag,  and  she  was  cap- 
tured after  making  only  one  prize.  The  "Petrel"  was  sunk  b}'- 
the  St.  Lawrence,  having  mistaken  a  war-frigate  for  an  un- 
armed merchant  ship,  and  Captain  Semmes  sold  the  "Sumter"  in 
Gibraltar  15ay,  to  prevent  her  falling  into  northern  hands.  The 
forts  at  Ilatteras  Inlet,  N.  C,  were  captured  by  a  joint  attack 
of  land  and  sea  fcrces,  and  a  similar  combination  carried  Tybee 
Island,  at  the  mouth  v^+'the  Savannah,  and  Port  llo3'al  entrance, 
S.C.,  which  became  the  depot  of  the  Union  fleet. 

8.  Belligerent  rights  had  been  conceded  by  England  and 
France  to  the  Confederates,  and  the  South,  hoping  for  foreign 
aid,  sent  Commissioners  Slidell  and  Mason  to  those  courts. 
The  British  steamer  "Trent"  w'as  boarded  by  Captain  AVilkcs,  of 
the  "  San  Jacinto,"  and  the  commissioners  captured  ;  but  the  gen- 
eral government  disavowed  the  act,  and  the  prisoners  were  set 
at  liberty.     France  and  Louis  Napoleon  would  have  joined  Eng- 


land in  rendering  aid  to  the  Confederates 


but  the  English  gov- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


417 


eminent  was  held  in  check  by  public  opinion,  and  iv  was  desir- 
able that  tlie  sympathies  of  the  British  people  should  bo  carried 
with  the  Nortli  through  the  war. 

9.  The  end  of  18G1  showed  a  somewhat  mixed  result.  The 
losses  at  Harper's  Ferry  and  Norfolk  were  material,  but  they 
were  not  defeats  for  northern  arms,  such  as  they  had  sustained 
at  Bull  Run  and  Wilson's  Creek.  There  had  been  reversei 
also  at  Big  Bethel,  Lexington,  and  Ball's  Bluff.  Carthage,  not 
a  defeat,  had  compelled  a  retrograde  movement,  and  the  brill- 
iant aiiair  at  Belmont  was  not  entirely  a  success  ;  still,  on  the 
whole,  there  were  compensations.  Northern  inen  were  becom- 
ing trained  to  war,  and  that  was  everything  in  the  great  result. 
Fort  Pickens,  near  Pensacola,  had  been  saved  to  the  Union  by 
a  wise  (;oncentration  of  force,  and  Fort  Monroe,  on  Old  Point 
Comfort,  Va.,  Avas  also  in  Federal  hands,  as  also  Ilatteras  Inlet 
and  Port  Royal.  Missouri,  Maryland,  and  West  Virginia  had 
been  rescued  from  the  secessionists,  and  besides  winning  the 
battles  of  Philippi,  Rich  Mountain,  Booneville,  Carrick's  Ford, 
Cheat  Mountain,  Carnifex  Ferry,  and  Drau.svillc,  the  whole 
South  had  been  thrown  into  a  state  of  siege,  shut  in  by  armies 
on  land,  and  by  a  formidable  blockade  upon  the  coast. 

10.  Looking  Ahead.  The  force  voted  by  Congress  — 
half  a  million  of  men  —  had  been  raised  to  meet  the  Confeder- 
ate force  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand.  The  disparity 
was  not  overpowering,  but  it  gave  an  earnest  of  the  inexliaust- 
ible  power,  back  of  the  Union  half  million,  which  could  be 
drav/n  upon  as  a  reserve  force  to  the  bitter  end.  The  campaign 
on  the  Union  side  began  with  three  purposes  :  opening  the  Mis- 
sissippi, completely  closing  all  southern  ports,  and  capturing 
Richmond,  the  capital  of  the  Confederacy.  Fort  Henry  and 
Fort  Donelson,  on  the  Tennessee  and  Cumberland  rivers,  must 
be  captured,  and  impregnable  Columbus  opened  to  northern 
troops  ;  so  that  there  was  no  child's  play  before  them.  Cum- 
berland Gap,  Mill  Spring,  and  Bowling  Green,  were  also  strong 
positions  in  Confederate  hands,  and  it  was  hoped  that  if  the 
Tennessee  river  could  be  carried  there  would  be  valuable  re- 
sults before  the  commencement  of  1862. 

11.  On  the  Tennessee.  Gen.  Grant  and  Com.  Foote, 
with  the  army  and  gun-boats,  moved  from  Cairo,  February  2, 
and  on  the  Gth  the  combined  attack  was  to  be  made  on  Fort 
Henry ;  but  before  the  army  could  come  up  the  foi-t  surren- 
dered, and  the  troops  driven  out  by  the  bombardment  escaped 
to  Fort  Donelson,  increasing  its  defence  by  three  thousand 


m  i 


V 


Im 


■ii    :>i 


418 


IIISTCnV  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


men.  The  general  in  command  and  seventy  men  were  taken 
with  the  works.  Grant  moved  ujjon  Fort  Donclson  on  the 
12th,  having  waited  until  the  gim-boat8  had  been  rei)aired.  The 
force  to  be  assailed  was  very  strong,  hsiving  been  reinforced  by 
the  Confederate  Generals  Pillow,  Bnckner,  and  Floyd,  an  i  the 
battle  lasted  three  days.  Fighting  began  v...  18th,  when, 
after  a  vigorous  cannonading,  au  assault  was  made,  and  repulsed. 
On  the  r4th  reinforcements  to  the  number  often  thousand  men 
joined  Grant,  and,  the  gun-boats  having  come  up,  the  battle  was 
renewed ;  but  before  the  afternoon  closed  Com.  Foote  Avas 
compelled  to  retire  with  the  gun-boats,  and  the  lines  of  invest- 
ment by  land  were  drawn  closer.  On  the  15th  the  Confederate 
generals  tried  to  cut  their  way  through  Grant's  force,  but  their 
aim  had  been  divined  and  they  were  driven  back  with  consider- 
able loss.  An  advance  along  the  whole  line  forced  the  defend- 
ers back  within  their  works,  with  no  alternative  but  surrender. 
Pillow  and  Floyd  made  their  escape,  and  the  surrender  de- 
volved upon  Buckncr.  Grant  was  ready  on  the  IGth  for  a 
general  attack,  but  with  early  dawn  came  a  messenger  asking 
for  an  armistice  and  terms  of  capitulation.  The  reply  was 
worthy  of  Grant :  "  No  terms  but  unconditional  surrender  can 
be  accepted.  I  propose  to  move  upon  your  works  at  once." 
The  sui render  Avas  made  on  those  conditions,  and  the  fort,  with 
ten  thousand  prisoners,  forty-eight  guns,  and  large  quantities 
of  ammunition,  fell  into  Federal  hands  February  10.  The  con- 
sequence was,  as  hud  been  anticipated,  that  Bowling  Green  and 
Columbus  were  abandoned  by  the  Confederates  and  Buell  took 
possession  of  Nashville.  Corinth  was  the  next  rally ing-poiut 
of  the  Confederates,  and  Gens.  Johnson  and  Beauregard  con- 
centrated their  strength  at  that  point,  the  railroad  centre  of 
Mississippi  and  Tennessee.  Grant,  in  command,  ascended  to 
Pittsburg  Landing,  and  Buell  was  to  come  up  with  reinforce- 
ments. The  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad  was  lo  be  se- 
cured by  northern  forces,  and  the  Confederates  saw  the  purpose 
to  be  important. 

12.  Pittsburg  Landing.  Grant,  who  had  won  the  first 
great  success  of  the  war,  was  now  major-general,  but  subordi- 
nate to  Halleck,  and  he  was  commanded  not  to  attack  Corinth. 
He  encamped  at  Shiloli  with  thirt}'-eight  thousand  men,  and 
waited  for  Buell.  Five  thousand  of  his  troops  were  beyond 
supporting  distance,  when  the  Confederates,  fifty  thousand 
strong,  advanced  from  Corinth  to  crush  Grant  before  he  could 
procure  reinforcements.     The  slaughter  was  terrible,  and  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


419 


national  forces  slowly  retired  to  the  river,  where  they  were  held 
by  (irant  until  dark,  when  Buell's  force  began  to  arrive.  Tho 
guns  were  worked  all  night  upon  the  Confedorato  cami),  and 
early  on  tho  following  day  Grant,  with  the  combined  forces, 
drove  tho  Confederates  back  to  Corinth.  Johnson  was  slain, 
and  Heauregard  returned  with  a  loss  of  eleven  thousand  men. 
Tlu)  loss  on  tho  northern  side  had  been  very  severe,  but  tho 
ground  fought  over  was  in  their  hands,  and,  although  the  sur- 
prise had  boon  a  severe  shock,  the  prestige  of  victory  remained 
with  their  forces.  The  evacuation  of  Corinth  and  its  possession 
by  Ilalleck,  on  the  30th  of  May,  wrs  a  consequence  of  tho  des- 
perate struggle  on  the  6th  and  7th  of  April,  as  no  lighting  had 
since  that  time  occurred. 

13.  liKSULTS  OF  Shiloii.  When  the  Confederates  aban- 
doned Columl)us,  they  occupied  Island  No.  10,  in  the  Missis- 
sippi, Avhcrc  they  were  bombarded  for  three  weeks  by  Com. 
Foote  ;  but  the  surrender  of  the  force,  seven  thousand  strong, 
on  the  day  of  tlic  victory  at  Shiloh,  was  compelled  by  the  action 
of  Gen.  Pope.  The  troops  of  the  South  had  been  concentrated 
at  Corinth,  and  New  Orleans  was  left  almost  unprotected.  The 
Confederate  iron-clad  fleet  was  defeated  on  the  river  by  the 
Union  gun-boats,  May  10.  Fort  Pillow  fell  immediately 
after  Corinth,  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad  was  se- 
cured, Memphis  was  taken,  and  the  Confederate  flotilla  in  front 
of  Memphis  destroyed  by  northern  gun-boats  ;  and  indeed  Ken- 
tucky and  all  western  Tennessee  were  in  possession  of  the 
North.  From  Memphis  almost  to  Chattanooga  the  Federal  line 
was  unbroken,  and  Buell  was  on  the  advance  to  tho  point  last- 
named.  Bragg,  Price,  and  Van  Dorn,  the  Confederate  gen- 
erals, at  Chattanooga,  luka,  and  Holly  Springs,  were  under  an 
imperative  necessity  to  break  the  Union  line  or  retreat.  They 
chose  the  former  alternative. 

14.  Battle  at  Perryville.  Gen.  Bragg  advanced  with 
fifty  thousand  men,  and  Buell  retired  to  Nashville,  where,  having 
ascertained  that  his  opponent  meant  to  reach  Louisville,  he  made 
a  forced  march  of  three  hundred  miles  to  cut  off"  Gen.  Bragg, 
beating  him  by  just  one  day.  Buell,  being  reinforced,  had 
now  one  hundred  thousand  men  under  his  command.  Grant 
had  sent  every  veteran  that  could  be  spared,  and  Bragg  slowly 
retreated  to  Perryville,  whore  a  desperate  fight  occurred  on  the 
8th  of  October.  Bragg  drew  oft*  during  tho  night  succeeding 
the  battle,  carrying  a  vast  quantity  of  plunder  which  had  been 
gathered  on  his  march,  and  Gen.  Buell  was  superseded  by 


I  ■  I 


i'  i 


lis 

ill 


Ivi 


li! 


420 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


Rosccnins  on  the  hist  day  of  October.     The  retreat  from  Ken- 
tucky was  now  inevitable. 

15.  luKA  AND  Corinth.  AVliilo  Grant  was  wcakonod  by 
the  absence  of  the  men  sent  to  assisft  Buell,  Price  :ui(l  Van 
Dorn  meditated  the  recapture  of  Corinth.  Grant  also  had  a 
design,  and  he  moved  upon  luka  September  19,  hoping  to  cap- 
ture l*rice ;  but  Kosecrans  did  not  carry  out  his  instructions, 
and  Price  escaped,  and  to  that  extent  the  victory  was  incom- 
plete ;  but  the  Confederates  lost  nearly  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred men.  The  Confederate  generals  then  carried  out  their 
scheme,  and  made  a  combined  assault  on  Corinth  with  forty 
thousand  men.  Grant  strengthened  the  fortifications  and  di- 
rected the  defence  which  resulted  in  another  Confederate  defeat 
on  the  'M  and  4th  of  October,  followed  up  by  the  battle  of  the 
Hatchie  on  the  5th,  the  losses  of  the  enemy  being  more  than 
six  thousand  men. 

IG.  RosECiiANS  AT  MuRFREESBORo'.  Before  abandoning 
Kentucky,  Bragg  determined  upon  a  final  effort,  and  advanced 
with  sixty  thousand  men  to  Murfreesboro',  where  he  was  met 
by  Rosecraus  December  31.  The  Confederate  right,  strength- 
ened for  the  purpose,  attacked  the  Union  right,  which  had  been 
weakened  to  carry  out  a  similar  project  of  assaults  by  llose- 
crans  ;  and  the  assault  would  have  been  fatal  but  for  the  courage 
of  Gen.  Sheridan,  who  held  his  men  together  until  Rosecrans 
could  reform  his  order  of  battle.  The  Confederates  advanced 
four  times  after  the  first  assault,  but  were  defeated  with  great 
slaugnter.  On  the  2d  of  January,  1863,  Bragg  renewed  the 
battle  ;  but,  after  one  of  the  most  sanguinary  contests  of  the  war, 
one-fourth  of  the  united  forces  being  destroyed  in  the  two  days' 
fighting,  he  was  compelled  to  retreat  and  to  stand  only  on  the 
defensive.  Kentucky  was  beyond  recovery,  and  the  way  was 
open  for  farther  advances  on  Chattanooga. 

17.  Moving  AGAINST  ViCKSBURG.  Major-Gen.  Grant  moved 
into  Mississippi  on  the  2d  of  November,  to  threaten  Vicksburg 
in  the  rear  with  thirty  thousand  men,  while  Sherman  attacked 
the  place  by  the  river  with  forty  thousand,  descending  from 
Memphis.  Grant  had  reached  Oxford,  fifty  miles  in  advance, 
when  Col.  Murphy  surrendered  Holly  Springs  to  Gen.  Van 
Dorn's  cavalry.  Murphy  was  dismissed  from  the  army  for  his 
incompetency,  or  worse ;  but  the  campaign  had  to  be  aban- 
doned. Sherman,  unaware  of  this  change,  made  his  attack  at 
Chickasaw  Bayou,  but  was  defeated  with  great  loss.  Arkansas 
Post  was  captured  by  Sherman  on  the  11th  of  January,  1803, 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


421 


und  the  campaign  of  18G2,  on  tho  Mississippi,  was  closed  by 
that  act.  Missouri  was  still  the  scene  of  operations,  hut  Gen. 
Curtis  drove  Gen.  Price  into  Arkansas  in  February,  18(53,  and 
when  Van  Dorn,  with  a  connnand  of  twenty  thousand,  at- 
temi)ted  to  recover  the  lost  ground,  ho  was  totally  defeated  at 
Pea  Kidge,  March  7,8,  and  no  farther  important  battles  wcro 
fought  in  Missouri. 

18.  Faruaout  at  New  Orleans.  Tho  southern  armies 
being  concentrated  at  Corinth,  left  New  Orleans  an  easy  i)rey  to 
northern  arms ;  but  the  defences  on  tho  sea-front  Avero  tremen- 
dous. As  soon  as  the  capture  was  resolved  upon,  Commodore 
Farragut  was  nominated  to  the  command.  Ilis  preparations  and 
his  orders  for  the  attack  were  worthy  of  the  success  that  was 
achieved ;  ho  left  nothing  to  accident,  and  no  mishap  marred 
his  victory.  Ilis  fleet  of  forty-four  vessels  carried  eight  thou- 
sand men,  under  Gen.  Butler.  The  defences  at  tho  mouth  of 
the  river  were  bombarded  for  some  days,  but  at  length  it  was 
concluded  to  run  in  past  the  forts  and  come  to  close  quarters 
with  the  city.  Tho  daring  movement  was  eminently  successful. 
Shot,  shell,  and  Hre-rafts,  failed  to  destroy  the  Union  fleet,  and 
the  Confederate  force  of  thirteen  armed  steamers,  the  steam 
battery  "  Louisiana,"  the  Ram  "  Manassas,"  and  the  forts  at  short 
range,  were  all  in  turn  vanquished,  and  twelve  of  the  flotilla 
destroyed.  The  city  was  then  defenceless  under  the  Union 
guns,  and  the  forts,  menaced  from  the  rear,  surrendered. 
Thus  New  Orleans  was  reached  and  conquered  through  an  array 
of  defences  which,  to  that  day,  had  been  deemed  invincible. 
The  commodore  proceeded  up  the  river  in  the  summer  of  18G2, 
ran  the  Vicksburg  batteries,  passing  through  tho  awful  fire  of 
the  forts  at  Port  Hudson,  and  joined  Flag  Officer  Porter  in 
command  of  the  fleet  on  the  Upper  Mississippi,  assisting  in 
the  capture  of  Port  Hudson,  as  he  had  already  taken  Baton 
Rouge  and  Natchez.  He  well  deserved  the  thanks  and  promo- 
tion bestowed  upon  him  by  Congress.  Porter  Avas  also  made  a 
rear-admiral. 

19.  Capture  of  Roanoke.  Gen.  Burnside  rendered  an 
important  service  to  the  Union  cause  in  the  capture  of  Roanoke, 
the  key  to  the  defences  of  Norfolk,  as  it  made  the  blockade  of 
the  South  more  than  ever  effective.     This  island  was  well  said 


to  unlock  "two  sounds,  eight  rivers,  and  four  railroads."  The 
forts  at  Roanoke  were  captured,  the  fleet  annihilated,  Newbern, 
Elizabeth  City,  and  Macon  were  taken,  so  that  Beaufort  Harbor 
and  the  whole  coast  of  North  Carolina  fell  into  northern  hands. 


!! 


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!1 1 


l&!i 


It  '■ 


422 


IIISTOUY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


THB  MONITOR. 


Port  Koyiil,  havliifr  beon  cnpturod  in  1801,  was  now  a  l)asc  of 
opomtions  ngainnt  Florida  and  (icorgia,  and  durinf;^  this  cam- 
pai<ifn  lAu'nandina,  Fort  Clinch,  Jacksonvillo,  Darien,  St.  Au- 
gii.stino,  mid  Fort  Pnlaski  were  taken  in  succession.  The  last- 
named  capture  closed  the  port  of  Savannah  ;  and  every  city  on 
the  Atlantic  coast  except  Mobile,  Charleston,  and  Savannah  was 
Iield  by  northern  troops. 

20.     "Meuhimac"    and   "Monitor."    The  iron-clad  " Mer- 
riniac,"  really  named  "  Virginia,"  steamed  into  Hampton  Roads 

March  8,  at  noon,  steering 
directly  for  the  "Cumber- 
land "  sloop  of  war,  i>i  whose 
side  she  made  a  hole  large 
enough  to  admit  a  man.  The 
?  slooj)  sank  at  once  Avith  all 
on  board,  the  men  working 
their  gmis  as  they  went 
down,  with  colors  flying.  The  "Congress"  frigate  was  run 
aground  to  save  her  from  the  same  fate,  but  she  was  compcUe'l 
to  surrender  to  this  irresistible  power.  Th^re  was  no  longcv  a 
place  on  the  coast  Avhero  wooden  vessels  Id  be  safe  agj.inst 
su(!h  an  enemy,  and  the  "Merrimac,"  sur  ictory,  reserved 

the  feast  of  destruction  until  the  next  day.  The  Confederates 
were  full  of  Joyous  auguries.  No  blockade  was  possible  while 
the  "Merrimac  "  kept  afloat.  Just  then  the  "Monitor,"  built 
by  Ericsson,  arrived  in  Chesapeake  Bay,  with  the  revolving 
turret,  armed  for  attack,  and  a  form  almost  invulnerable.  The 
occasion  was  critical.  Should  she  answer  the  expectations  of 
her  friends  the  Confederacy  might  be  broken  ;  but,  otherwise, 
who  could  foresee  the  result  ?  Her  tonnage  was  a  bagatelle 
against  that  of  the  "Virginia," — nine  hundred  tons,  compared 
with  live  thousand.  Ready  for  service  in  the  Hampton  Roads, 
she  Avaitod  the  arrival  of  the  monster  from  whose  sides  and 
roof  the  shot  of  the  "  Cumberland  "  had  rolled  off  harmlessly  as 
hail  from  a  cliff.  The  morning  brought  the  destroyer,  and  the 
"  Minnesota  "  steam  frigate  was  chosen  as  the  first  victim  ;  but 
from  under  the  lee  of  that  ship  came  the  "  Monitor,"  delivering 
shot  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  pou'ids  in  Aveight ;  masses  of 
iron  whose  impact  was  destruction.  The  "Minnesota"  was 
spared  until  the  little  termagant  could  be  silenced.  Shot  failed 
to  affect  her,  she  must  be  run  down ;  and  five  times  the  experi- 
ment was  tried ;  but  the  "  Monitor "  came  from  under  the 
"Virginia's"  prow  untouched.     The  world  had  never  witnessed 


.jiJi  aniJiu-LM 


ENGLAND,   AM)   TIIK   UNITED  STATES. 


423 


It  would  Imve  been  an  ill  wind  for  Magrudcr  that 


a  duel  8o  strange  ;  'out  the  victory  was  with  the  Union  ;  as  the 
"Virginia"  gave  up  tius  contest,  antl  sleanieil  hack  into  Nor- 
folk, leaving  the  "Monitor"  8ul)stantially  unharmed.  Kries- 
son's  8hi[)  of  iron  and  white  oak  was  worth  tlu;  ransom  of  four 
million  slaves.  Perhaps  the  "Monitor"  even  saved  the  Ke- 
puhlie. 

22.  YoHKTowx  liEsiEOEU.  Gcn.  McClellan,  landing  on 
the  8th  of  April  at  Fortress  Monroe  with  one  hundred  th<»usand 
men,  eonnneneed  the  Peninsula  campaign  hy  a<lvaneing  to 
Yorktown,  where  Gen.  Magruder,  with  live  thousan<l,  held 
him  at  hay  for  one  month,  until  heavy  siege-guns  could  Im;  pro- 
cured from  ^^'ashington,  and,  when  all  was  ready  for  a  terrible 
beginning,  Magruder  gave  u})  his  untenable  position,  where 
many  of  the  guns  were  found  to  be  Avooden  substitutes,  painted 
in  mockery, 
blew  him  into  McClellan's  hands  at  that  time. 

23.  Uattle  of  Williamsburg.  Gen.  Joseph  E.  Johnston, 
posted  at  liichmond,  having  sent  reinforcements  to  the  Confed- 
erate rear-guard  in  the  forts  at  Williamsburg,  Gen.  Hooker  was 
aiibrded  an  opt  itunity  for  a  battle,  as  the  retreating  troops 
determined  to  make  their  stand  at  this  point.  Nine  hours  the 
battle  raged,  but  the  assaulting  party  being  reinforced,  Gen. 
Hooker  carried  the  works  by  storm,  and  pursuit  continued 
mitil  the  fugitives  were  within  seven  miles  of  Richmond. 
The  city  would  probably  have  fallen  an  easy  prey  at  that  time. 

23.  Confederate  Panic.  The  Congress  sittinjj  in  Rich- 
mond  hastily  adjourned,  and  an  attack  was  hourly  expected  in 
the  capital,  where  all  was  hurry  and  confusion  ;  but  Mc(jlellan 
had  learned  that  there  was  a  force  at  Hanover  Court-House 
which  might  endanger  his  base  of  supplies,  and  the  time  passed 
for  operations.  Hanover  Court-House  was  captured  May  27, 
18f)2,  and  the  army  waited  for  Gen.  McDowell ;  but  the  junc- 
tion was  rendered  impossible  by  other  movements. 

24.  Stonewall  Jackson  was  hurled  towards  Washington,  not 
with  the  expectation  that  an  opportunity  for  an  assault  upon  the 
national  capital  would  arise,  but  for  the  purpose  of  relieving 
Richmond.  His  action  in  the  Shonandoixh  valley,  concentrating 
upon  himself  the  attention  of  a  force  of  seventy  thousand  men, 
yet  eluding  pursuit  and  being  always  on  hand  to  deliver  telling 
strokes  against  the  Union  forces,  provoked  admiration  among 
those  who  deprecated  the  cause  to  which  his  abilities  were  ded- 
icated. The  Union  troops,  under  Gen.  Banks,  marching  thirty- 
five  miles  in  one  day,  crossed  the  Potomac,  as  a  necessary 


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t  :[ 


■!    iP 


424 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


movement  under  the  circumstances.  The  president  took  mili- 
tary posscsijion  of  all  the  railroads,  and  consternation  was  gen- 
eral in  AN'^ashington,  Tiic  northern  States  were  called  upon  to 
send  militia  to  defend  the  city,  and  three  generals — r  Fremont, 
Banks,  and  McDowell — were  coriimanded  to  make  Jackson 
tiicir  prisoner ;  but  it  was  as  dangerous  an  operation  as  grasp- 
ing an  electric  eel,  and  apparently  impossible.  He  dashed 
throngh  every  obstacle  in  his  retreat,  burning  the  bridges  by 
which  he  passed ;  and  when  Fremont  attacked  him  at  Cross 
Ivej's,  June  8,  he  fought  from  nine  in  the  morning  until  night, 
and  then  continued  his  retreiit  in  the  darkness.  At  Port  Jack- 
son, on  the  iJth,  he  engaged  and  defeated  Gen.  Shields,  cap- 
turing seven  guns,  and  returning  to  his  starting-point  with 
nearly  three  thousand  prisoners  and  over  nine  thousand  stand 
of  captured  arms.  These  exploits,  with  fifteen  thousand  men, 
diverted  attention  from  liichinond,  and  prevented  a  junction 
between  McDowell  and  McClellan. 

25.  McClellan  at  Fair  Oaks.  The  general  had  pushed 
his  left  wing  across  the  Chickahominy,  just  when  a  storm  had 
changed  the  creek  into  a  torrent,  and  the  Confederate  com- 
mander in  Richmond  came  down  upon  a  semi-detached  force 


with  terrible  effect,  sweeping  all  before  him  for  a  time ;  but 
Gen.  Sumner,  by  a  brilliant  movement,  saved  the  fortune  of 
the  day,  and,  when  night  fell,  the  Confederate  leader,  Johnston, 
was  severely  wounded,  so  that  the  command  fell  into  less  able 
hands  the  next  day.  June  1  saw  the  Confederates  driven  back 
into  Richmond,  with  tremendous  losses  of  men  and  arms,  and 
the  pursuers  followed  them  to  within  five  miles  of  that  city ; 
but,  once  more.  Gen.  McClellan  did  not  see  his  way  to  make 
one  of  those  bold  strokes  which  are  possible  only  to  military 
genius. 

26.  Gen.  Lee  now  took  command  of  the  Confederate  army, 
but,  in  consequence  of  the  influence  exerted  by  his  political 
chief,  the  supreme  control  of  military  operations  was  not  vested 
in  him,  and  the  forces  were  scattered  over  a  wide  range  of 
territory,  in  services  which  did  not  permit  of  continuous  sup- 
port. Ho  was  much  loved  l)y  his  troops ;  an  able  defensive 
soldier,  but  not  a  good  disciplinarian,  nor  a  very  successful 
general,  as  a  rule,  save  in  defence.  His  knowledge  of  the  art 
of  war  was  well-nigh  perfect,  but  he  seemed  to  lack  first-class 
capacity  to  mass  his  troops  and  direct  their  operations  in  the 
field.  Perhaps  there  was  not  another  man  in  the  Confederacy 
who   could,  with  the  same   means,   have  made   a  defence  so 


i^..r    t,: 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


425 


GENEKAL   ROBERT   E.  LEE. 


brilliant  as  that  which  -will  perpetuate  his  fame  in  connec- 
tion with  the  name  of  Richmond.  He  would  have  abandoned 
Itichmond  at  a  much  earlier  date,  but  that  he  was  overruled 
by  the  Confederate  f^overnment  in 
that,  as  in  many  other  particulars, 
and  the  intellectual  merit  of  his 
work  is  enhanced  by  the  fact  that 
he  was  laboring  nnich  of  his  time 
under  difficulties  all  but  insuper- 
able. The  appointment  of  Lee  to  the 
Confederate  conunand  was  speedily 
followed  by  a  severe  check  to  the 
Uinon  arms  under  McClellan.  That 
officer  approached  Richmond  onco 
more.  Hookers  pickets  were  in 
sight  of  its  steeples  when  Gen. 
Stuart,  on  the  12th  of  June,  made 
a  movement  with  cavalry  round  the 
Union  forces,  burning  supplies  along 
the  roads  most  important  for  northern  purposes,  and  re- 
turned initouched.  Stonewall  Jackson  threatened  Hanover 
Court-House  and  the  Union  White-House  communications,  so 
Hooker  was  called  off  from  the  advance,  and  a  retreat  to  the 
James  river  conniienced  on  the  2Gth  of  June. 

27.  Confederate  aggressions  began  by  an  attack  on  the 
Union  right  at  IVIechanicsville,  at  dawn  of  day  on  the  20th, 
which  was  repuls<;d,  and  the  Federal  troops  fell  back  to  Gaines' 
mill,  where  Porter  held  the  bridges  across  the  Chickahominy, 
until  darkness  shrouded  the  Union  movements  ;  the  retreat, 
hotly  contested,  going  on  all  the  time.  As  soon  as  the  Federal 
baggage-tiain  had  crossed,  the  bridges  were  burned,  and  the 
retrograde  movement  continued  all  night.  Similar  operations, 
the  localities  only  being  changed,  continued  for  seven  days  and 
nights.  The  retreat  was  an  act  of  consunnnate  generalship  on 
the  part  of  McClellan  ;  but  Lee  had  discovered  his  aim,  and 
troops  were  thrown  forward  by  all  roads  to  intersect  his  line;  of 
march.  On  the  29th,  at  r^avage's  station,  Magruder  Avas  on  the 
flank ;  but,  as  before,  the  position  was  held  until  night,  when 
the  retreat  wan  resumed.  On  the  30th  Longstrect  and  Hill 
tried  to  cut  the  Union  lines  at  Frazier's  Farm,  but  Avere  beaten 
off,  and  that  night  the  northern  forces  concentrated  at  Malvern, 
on  a  position  favorable  for  defence,  where  the  last  battle  of  this 
series  was  fought.     Batteries,  lier  above  tier,  on  the  sloping 


is:,  !■«■ 


11= 


426 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


h,    I 


r  I 


I 


sides  of  the  plateau,  told  the  Confederates,  on  the  morning  of 
July  1,  that  the  retreating  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  ready 
for  action.  Keally,  the  brave  fellows  Avere  reduced  to  the  last 
pitch  of  exhaustion  by  the  harassing  work  of  the  preceding 
days  and  nights,  but  none  would  have  recognized  that  fact  in 
the  proceedings  of  the  day.  Naval  support  on  the  James  river 
protected  the  left ;  but,  nothing  daunted,  the  Confc^deratcs  hoped 
to  carry  the  position  and  completely  destroy  IMcClellan's  power. 
The  repulse  sustained  by  Lee's  army  at  this  point  was  tre- 
mendous, and  the  Union  army  [)roceeded  to  Harrison's  Landing 
without  farther  molestation  afterwards.  But  the  etfect  of  the 
Confederate  movements  under  Lee,  taken  as  a  whole,  gave 
great  conlidence  to  the  secessionists.  Twenty  thousand  men 
lost  at  Malvern  Hill  was  a  small  price  to  pay  for  a  succession  of 
victories  up  to  that  point,  which  had  driven  McClellan  from 
under  the  works  a^  Richmond,  taken  ten  thousand  prisoners, 
destroyed  and  sccnired  stoi-es  of  enormous  value,  demoralized 
an  army  of  one  hundred  thousand,  or  nearly  that  number,  and 
only  left  them  when  naval  forces  came  to  the  rescue.  McClcl- 
lan's  loss  in  killed  nnd  wounded  was  terrific;  the  North  was 
depressed  beyond  measure,  and  the  president  made  a  fresh 
levy  of  three  hundred  thousand  men. 

28.  Pope's  record  on  (he  Ka[)idan;  commanding  the  troops 
intended  to  defend  Washington,  was  the  next  ob^ject  of  atten- 
tion. The  Confederates,  no  longer  lighting  for  their  own  capital, 
now  threatened  the  North,  and  McClellan  was  subordinated  to 
Gen.  Pope,  being  ordered  to  bring  his  army  to  Acquia  Creek. 
Lee  determined  to  crush  Pope  before  relief  could  arrive,  and, 
having  detailed  Jackson  to  tlank  him,  compelled  that  general 
to  light  the  whole  force  of  the  Confederacy  under  his  command, 
on  the  old  battle-ground  of  Manassas,  or  Bull  Run.  The  actions 
of  August  2i)th  and  PiOth  cost  the  >Jorth  a  terrible  discomfiture, 
in  which  the  losb  of  (hirty  guns  and  a  vast  quantity  of  military 
stores,  very  valuable  to  the  South,  formed  the  smallest  items  in 
the  accoimt.  The  Army  of  the  Potomac,  all  but  demolished  by 
this  new  loss  of  thirty  thousand  men,  and  the  prestige  of  utter 
rout,  found  safety  in  the  fortifications  of  Washington. 

21).  McClellan  resumed  command  of  the  army,  such  as  it 
had  become  under  Pope,  and,  after  reorganizing  the  force,  he 
followed  Gen.  Leo  into  Maryland.  Having  ascertained  that 
Leo  had  despatched  Stonewall  Jackson  with  twenty-five  thou- 
sand men  to  capture  Harper's  Ferry,  defended  by  Col.  Mills, 
with  only  eleven  thousand  men,  McClellan  overtook  the  Con- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


427 


federate  main  hotly  at  South  Mountain  and  forced  the  battle  of 
Antictam,  on  the  17th  day  of  September.  The  battle  might 
have  been  fought  on  the  l(3th,  but  McClellan  lost  twenty-four 
hours,  and  that  allowed  Jackson  to  return  with  part  of  his  com- 
mand before  the  engagement  came  to  an  end.  But  for  that  de- 
lay Lee  would  have  been  crushed,  or  at  any  rate  that  was  the 
general  impression  in  the  North.     At  dawn  on  the  17th  Hooker 


fell  upon  tiie  Confederate  left,  Burnside  waiting  a  favorable 
moment  to  carry  the  bridge  and  attack  the  right.  Hooker  was 
wounded  and  his  attack  repulsed ;  but,  both  sides  being  rein- 
forced, the  battle  continued  until  night,  the  advantage  at  the 
close  of  the  engagement  being  with  Lee,  who  retired  into 
Virginia  shortly  afterwards,  and  was  not  followed  by  INIcCIellan 
until  a^ter  a  delay  of  six  weeks.  Lee  had  been  compelled  to 
abandon  his  scheme  of  invasion,  "Washington  Avas  safe,  and  the 
battle  of  Antictam  had  thus  the  results  of  a  victory. 

30.  Ej[ancipation  of  Slaves.  President  Lincoln,  whose 
mind  had  long  pondered  the  question  of  slavery  as  an  a))oli- 
tionist,  and  the  policy  of  emancipation  as  a  statesman,  issued 
his  famous  proclamation  on  the  2 2d  of  September ;  but  tlui 
actual  operation  of  its  conditional  clauses  only  commenced  when 
the  supplementary  document  followed,  on  January  1,  18G3. 
The  original  draft  had  been  made  in  Jul^s  but  the  president  had 
waited  for  some  favorable  moment  to  publish  his  intention,  when 
it  should  not  appear  to  have  been  forced  out  of  him  by  reverses. 
The  declaration  was  opjiortune,  as  it  gave  fresh  courage  to  many 
who  had  been  dishearten  d  by  Avhat  hatl  seemetl  the  want  of 
purpose  in  a  war  arising  out  of  slavery.  The  South  was  already 
so  bitter  that  nothing  coultl  increase  its  animosity  against  the 
North,  consetjuently  there  was  no  reason  for  farther  delay  ;  still 
it  was  important  with  many  in  the  North  to  make  it  evident 
that  emancipation  was  necessary  as  a  war  measure. 

31.  McClellan  Superseded.  Public  opinion  had  long 
been  wavering  as  to  McClellan  ;  but  the  campaign  of  1802  was 
fatal  to  his  popularity,  and  he  Avas  superseded  by  Gen.  Burn- 
side,  November  7th,  who  advanced  to  Fredericksburg  on  the 
17th,  crossing  the  Rappahannock  on  pontoon  bridges,  and  found 
Lee  ready  to  make  a  masterly  defence  of  his  position  in  the 
blootly  conflict  of  December  13.  The  position  to  be  assailed 
on  the  13th  of  December  could  have  been  taken  with  case,  when 
Gen.  Sumner  asked  Burnside  for  orders  to  capture  the  place  on 
the  night  of  November  17  ;  but  the  newly  pointed  conunander 
seemetl  rosolvcd  that  he  would  prove  his  ability  to  move  so 


u 


111 


Hi 


"I 


;l»i 


428 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


i'r 

■  '!,:■    .  ■ 


large  ail  army,  of  which  he  had  ah'eady  publicly  spoken,  and  he 
waited  until  the  force  of  one  regiment  of  cavalry  had  been 
changed  to  the  entire  Confederate  army  under  Leo  in  person. 
The  battle  was  a  scries  of  blunders  on  the  northern  side,  in 
which  orders,  half  understood,  Averc  executed  or  attempted  with 
useless  heroism,  and  the  slaughter  under  the  stone  wall  at 
Maryc's  Hill,  defended  by  Gen.  Longstreet,  was  an  entirely 
fruitless  massacre  of  l)rave  men  before  an  impassable  obstacle. 
Twelve  thousand  men  fell,  and  half  of  that  number,  at  Marye's 
Hill,  dying  like  heroes, but  without  result,  except  that  Burnside's 
estimate  of  his  own  powers  had  been  fully  sustained,  and  eight 
days  later  he  was  relieved  from  the  command. 

32.  Results  of  the  Campaign.  The  victories  of  the  South 
had  been  won  almost  entirely  against  the  Army  of  the  Potoma' 
and  it  Avas  evident,  at  almost  every  movement,  that  the  Union 
forces  were  outgeneralled  by  superior  men,  with  whom  they  had 
been  associated  at  West  Point,  until  every  minutia  of  their 
minds  had  been  read.  The  victories  of  Stonewall  Jackson  and 
of  Lee  in  the  Peninsular  campaign,  and  against  Pope  at  Ma- 
nassas, followed  by  Cedar  Mountain,  Chickasaw  Bluff",  and 
Fredericksburg,  almost  ended  the  record  ;  as  the  operations  of 
Bragg  in  Kentucky  had  been  considerably  checkered  by  re- 
verses. The  victories  of  the  North  had  still  been  such  as  to 
counteract  all  these  drawbacks,  and  to  prove  that  there  were  on 
the  Union  side  commanders  who  kncAv  how  to  move  mrsses  of 
men  with  deadly  celerity  upon  points  of  attack,  and  to  win 
victories  by  land  and  sea.  Forts  Henry,  Donelson,  Pulaski, 
Macon,  Jackson,  St.  Philip,  and  Island  No.  10,  taken  by  the 
Federal  army,  proved  the  bravery  of  northern  troops  and  the 
capacity  with  which  they  were  directed  in  the  opening  of  the 
Mississippi  early  in  the  year.  The  same  river  opened  to  Vicks- 
burg,  the  capture  of  New  Orleans,  Roanoke  Island,  Newbern, 
Yorktown,  Norfolk,  and  Memphis,  the  battles  of  Pea  Ridge, 


Williamsburg,  Fair  Oaks,  South  Mountain,  Antietam,  luka, 
Corinth,  and  Murfreesboro',  the  destruction  of  the  flotilla  before 
New  Orleans,  and  the  defeat  of  the  "Mcrrimac"  by  the 
"  Monitor,"  made  a  good  showing  for  the  work  of  the  year ;  but 
most  men  saw  that  the  command  of  the  Union  resources  in  the 
West  and  along  the  coast  had  been  much  more  conducive  to  glory 
and  success  than  that  which,  under  several  heads,  had  sacrificed 
the  North  in  Virginia. 

33.     Indian  difficulties  came  in  to  increase  northern  compli- 
caticns  during  18G2.     The  Sioux,  unable  to  procure  their  pay- 


I 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


429 


ments  from  Indian  traders,  committed  horrible  massacres  in 
Dacotah,  Iowa,  and  Minnesota,  driving  thousands  from  their 
Lome,  and  murdering  about  seven  hundred  whites.  Colonel 
Sibley  pursued  the  savages  for  one  month,  took  five  hundred 
captives,  and  thirty-nine  were  hanged  at  Mankato,  after  Christ- 
mas, 18G2,  thereby  ending  the  outbreak. 

34.  The  campaign  of  18GH  opened  with  the  emancipation  of 
the  slaves  ;  they  were  no  longer  merely  "  contrabands  of  war  ;  " 
they  were  free  within  the  boundaries  of  the  Union  ;  and  there 
were  seven  hundred  thousand  men  in  arms  to  carry  out  that 
policy.  Already  the  Confederates  were  being  destroyed  by 
the  mere  continuance  of  the  war,  as  their  numbers  in  the  field 
were  hardly  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand.  The  occupation 
of  Tennessee  was  now  added  to  the  former  plans  of  action. 

35.  CArxuKE  OF  VicKSBURO.  Grant,  in  command  of  all 
the  troops  in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  in  January,  1863,  took  a 
position  in  front  of  Vicksburg,  and  determined  to  carry  the 
place.  Some  months  were  spent  in  unceasing  devices  in  the 
North,  before  the  general  concluded  to  pass  the  river  below 
Vicksburg,  in  April.  The  gunboats  ran  the  batteries,  and  the 
troops  were  crossed  on  the  last  day  of  the  month.  Pemberton, 
not  yet  shut  up  in  Vicksburg,  was  in  the  field  with  fifty-two 
thousand  men,  and  was  on  the  point  of  being  reinforced  by 
Johnston,  who  had  preceded  Lee  in  the  connnand  at  liichmond. 
Grant's  command  was  only  forty-three  thousand,  therefore  it 
was  important  that  the  Confederates  should  be  taken  in  detail. 
Pushing  himself  between  the  two  armies  he,  on  the  1st  of  May, 
defeated  part  of  Pcmberton's  command  at  Port  Gibson  ;  on  the 
12th  he  destroyed  a  force  coming  from  Jackson,  and  on  the 
14th  scattered  Johnston's  army,  capturing  Jackson  at  the  same 
time.  Two  days  later  he  routed  Pemberton's  entire  force  at 
Champion's  Hill,  and  on  the  17th,  having  overtaken  him  in 
pursuit,  ho  inflicted  upon  him  another  ilefeat  at  Black-river 
Bridge,  driving  him  into  Vicksburg  the  following  day.  Assaults 
failing  to  carry  the  city  on  the  IDth  and  22d,  siege-work  began 
on  the  23d,  and  the  4th  of  July  Avas  signalized  l)y  the  surrender 
of  Vicksburg,  with  thirty-one  thousand  men  and  one  huiulred 
and  seventy-two  cannon,  besides  other  stores.  The  Confeder- 
ate loss  in  that  campaign  was  forty  thousand  prisoners,  and 
about  twenty  thousand  killed,  wouiulod,  missing,  and  deaths  by 
disease.  Thus  the  great  river  was  open  to  the  sea,  and  the 
Mississippi  Valley  saw  no  more  heavy  fighting.  The  Union 
loss  altogether  was  under  nine  thousand  men,  in  winning  five 


M/^ 


Ml 


if  "Iwiii 


I 


430 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


battles  and  capturing  two  cities,  besides  which  the  fall  of  Port 
Hudson,  which  had  resisted  Gen.  Banks  for  many  weeks,  fol- 
lowed innncdiately  on  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg,  and  the 
Confederacy  was  completely  severed. 

36.  CiiiCKAMAUGA.  The  energy  displayed  by  Grant  was 
not  emulated  by  liosecrans  in  Tennessee,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  the  voice  of  the  people  called  the  pacificator  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley  to  higher  commands.  He  was  forthwith 
made  a  major-general  in  the  regular  army,  llosecrans  made 
no  movement,  after  Murfreesboro,  until  June,  when  he 
marched  against  Bragg,  with  sixty  thousand  men,  and  com- 
pelled that  general  to  abandon  Chattanooga,  September  8,  to 
preserve  his  communications.  Assuming  Bragg  to  be  in  full 
retreat,  Rosecrans  followed  precipitately,  and  was  nearly  de- 
stroyed by  the  sudden  movements  of  Bragg,  near  Chick'imauga, 
when  the  pursuing  force  was  scattered  along  a  line  of  about 
forty  miles.  The  battle  lasted  two  days,  September  19  and 
20.  The  first  day  saw  no  advantage  gained  by  either  side, 
but,  about  noon  on  the  20th,  Longstrcet  broke  the  Federal  line 
and  swept  away  the  centre  and  right,  llosecrans  being  among 
the  fugitives.  Gen.  Thomas,  with  the  left,  held  the  field 
against  the  entire  Confederate  army  until  night,  when  he  re- 
tired to  Chattanooga,  taking  some  prisoners  as  he  went.  The 
army  of  the  Union  was  shut  up,  and  Bragg  cut  off  all  communica- 
tions, threatening  the  garrison  with  famine.  Thomas  was 
afterwards  known  as  "The  Rock  of  Chickaiuauga." 

37.  Chattanooga  was  closely  beleaguered  when  Grant's  com- 
mand Avas  extended  to  cover  that  region,  October  1(5.  One 
week  from  that  date  he  was  on  the  spot,  and  on  the  27th  the 
battle  of  Lookout  Valley  relieved  the  army  of  the  Cumberland. 


There  was  no  Rosecrans  now  to  dally  Avith  danger.  Hooker 
came  from  the  Potomac  by  rail,  with  two  corps,  twenty-five 
thousand  men,  and  Sherman  dashed  into  the  scene  of  glory  by 
forced  marches  from  luka.  November  23,  24,  and  25 
saw  Bragg  defeated  in  the  battle  of  Chattanooga,  (I.iven  from 
positions  supposed  to  be  impregnable,  losing  five  thousand 
prisoners  in  the  open  field,  and  forty  pieces  of  artillery.  The 
Confederates  reported  two  thousand  five  hundred  men  killed 
and  wounded.  Orchard  Knob  was  seized  by  Gen.  Thomas  on 
the  23d,  and  on  the  24th  Lookout  Mountain  was  carried  in  a 
grand  charge  by  Hooker,  who  the  next  morning  advanced  on 
the  south  of  Missionary  Ridge.  Sherman  disturbed  the  equa- 
nimity of  Bragg  by  his  operations  on  the  northern  flank,  and  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


431 


centre  was  wcaker.od  to  resist  him.  Grant,  at  Orchard  Knob, 
saw  liis  opportunity,  and  sent  Thomas  to  carry  the  rifle-pits  at 
the  foot  of  tlie  ridge ;  but  his  men,  forgetting  all  limitations, 
bettered  the  instruction  by  sweeping  up  the  ridge  with  headlong 
impetuosity.  A  charge  along  the  whole  lino  was  the  crowning 
movement  of  the  day.  Bragg's  army  was  annihilated,  his  own 
guns  were  turned  upon  him  ;  there  was  no  longer  a  hostile  army 
west  of  the  Allcghanies,  and  Georgia  w'as  open  to  northern 
arms,  with  Virginia,  the  Carolinas,  and  the  complete  control  of 
East  Tennessee.  Bragg  resigned  his  command  immediately 
afterwards,  and  Grant  became  the  idol  of  the  North. 

38.  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  now  the  abiding-place  of  Gen. 
Burnside,  who,  after  his  misfortunes  in  command  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  had  achieved  many  successes  in  this  region, 
but  had  been  shut  up  in  Knoxville,  Sept.  17,  by  Longstreet, 
with  a  superior  force.  Immediately  after  Chattanooga,  the 
commander  sent  Sherman  to  relieve  Burnside,  by  forced 
marches,  with  barefoot  troops,  over  terrible  roads,  a  distance  of 
one  hundred  miles.  Longstreet  made  his  grand  assault  Nov. 
29,  hoping  to  subdue  Burnside  before  aid  could  reach  liim  ;  but 
that  general  knew  how  to  tight  to  the  last  man,  and  the  attack 
was  heroically  defeated.  The  relief  under  Sherman  came  on 
the  4th  of  December,  and  Longstreet  retreated  in  good  order. 

31).  General  Hooker  succeeded  Burnside  in  command,  after 
Fredericksburg,  in  January,  and  ujion  the  departure  of  Long- 
street,  who  was  sent  into  Tennessee  to  help  Bragg,  Hooker  de- 
termined upon  an  advance  with  about  one  hundred  thousand 
men,  to  attack  Lee,  who  had  now  only  about  sixty  thousand 
within  reach.  Sedgwick  was  left  l)cforo  Fredericksburg,  and 
Hooker  pushed  forward  to  Chancellorsville,  taking  up  a  very 
strong  position,  from  which  Lee  was  unable  to  dislodge  him. 
The  tight  continued  two  days,  —  May  2  and  3, — but  on  the 
second  day  Hooker,  having  been  stunned  by  a  cannon-ball, 
which  struck  a  post  against  which  he  was  leaning,  could  not 
direct  the  operations  of  his  side.  A  terrible'  attack  in  the  rear 
of  the  force  by  Stonewall  Jackson,  while  Lee  made  an  assault 
in  front,  partially  demoralized  the  army ;  but  the  great  body 
of  the  forces  held  their  ground.  The  redoubtable  Stonewall 
Jackson  fell  in  this  battle,  being  shot  by  mistake  by  one  of  his 
own  men,  as  is  believed ;  and  the  loss  of  such  an  ofticer  was 
worse  than  the  destruction  of  a  regiment  for  the  Confederate 
cause.  Sedgwick  crossed  the  Rappahannock,  carried  Fred- 
ericksburg by  assault,  and  attacked  the  rear  of  Lee'fe  array  ;  but 


432 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


Tl"  i 


that  ollicer,  concentmtin<i^  hi.s  force  upon  Sedgwick,  drove  him 
back  across  the  river,  and  Hooker,  having  lost  eighteen  thou- 
sand men,  recrossed  the  Rappahannock.  The  Confederates  lost 
about  thirteen  •  thousand.  Sedgwick's  movements  were  well 
executed,  but  tiie  accident  to  Hooker  prevented  the  designs 
originally  formed  from  being  carried  into  execution. 

40.  I'iiiladelphia  and  New  York  Avere  now  the  objective 
points  Avith  Gen.  Lee,  and  he  was  confident  that  he  could  dic- 
tate terms  of  peace  in  the  heart  of  the  northern  States.  The 
successes  at  Vicksburg  and  in  that  neighborhood  were  yet  in 
the  future,  and  the  South  made  a  desperate  effort  to  equip  an 
army  superior  to  anything  ever  yet  attempted  by  the  secession- 
ists. Hooker,  who  Avas  i).  conmiand  of  the  Federal  army  Avhen 
Lee  moved  down  the  vj  'ley  of  the  Shenandoah  and  crossed 
the  Potomac,  advancing  to  Chambersburg,  continued  on  the 
same  lino  along  Blue  liidge  and  South  Mountains.  Fearing 
some  moA'cment  that  would  endanger  his  communications,  Lee 
turned  cast,  to  threaten  Baltimore.  Hooker  continued  in  com- 
mand until  the  army  arrived  in  Frederick  City,  Avhen,  in  con- 
sequence of  his  demands  as  to  the  disposition  of  troops  not 
being  complied  Avith,  he  resigned,  and  the  command  devolved 
upon  Gen.  Meade.  Congress  afterwards  gave  a  vote  of  thanks 
to  Gen.  Hooker  for  his  services  in  averting  the  bloAv  Avhich 
might  have  been  inflicted  upon  the  capital  by  the  Confederate 
forces  under  Lee. 

41.  Gettysburg.  Gen.  Meade  only  assumed  the  com- 
mand of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  June  28,  and  the  great 
battle  connnenced  on  the  1st  of  July,  being  continued  for  two 
days  afterAvards.  The  plans  made  for  the  campaign  by  Hooker 
Avere  eminently  judicious,  and  in  part  his  moA'^emcnts  Avero 
ansAverable  for  the  results  at  Gettysburg.  There  Avas  no  inten- 
tion on  either  side  to  fight  at  that  point,  but  an  accidental 
encounter  betAveen  caA^alry  corps,  on  the  30th  of  June,  led  to 
another  assault  of  a  similar  character  at  Willoughby's  Run, 
near  Gettysburg,  July  1st,  Avhen  Gen.  Buford,  Avith  four  thou- 
sand horse,  held  the  ground  against  thirty  thousand  men  of  all 
arms ;  and  so,  by  the  will  of  God,  the  great  battle  Avas  fought 
on  the  place  allotted.  Other  forces  rallied  to  the  support  of 
both  sides,  and  the  first  day  ended  Avith  some  slight  disadvan- 
tage to  the  Union  forces  ;  but  they  had  taken  up  an  impregna- 
ble position,  and  "  Seminary  Ridge  "  had  given  the  troops  confi- 
dence in  themselves  and  in  each  other.  There  Avero  about 
seventy-five  thousand  men  on  the  side  of  the  Union,  and  on  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


433 


other  side  about  eighty  thousand.     Lee's  force  was  one  hun- 
dred thousand  when  he  started,  hut  many  had  scattered  beyond 
reach  when  the  battle  eonunenced.     The  second  day   was  a 
terrific  struggle  on  both  sides,  but  Leo  had  gained  no  advan- 
tage when  the  sun  went  down,  nor  afterwards  when  the  battle 
was   continued  by  moonlight,  until  both  armies  sought  rest. 
The   position  taken  by  Sickles  on  the  second   day  has  been 
blamed  by  some  military  authorities,  but  the  greatest  authority 
wo  know,  Gen.  Grant,  after  surveying  the  battle-lield  with  a 
full  knowledge  of  all  the  circumstances,  pronounced  Sickles  to 
have  been  "  right."     The  dawn  of  day  on  the  od  saw  the  battle 
reconmicnced  at  Gulp's  Ilill ;  but  the  Confederates  were  repulsed 
after  u  struggle  which  continued  from  about  six  in  the  morn- 
ing until  eleven.     There  was  a  lull  until  about  one  P.M.,  when 
one  hundred  and  fifty  groat  guns  opened  firo  upon  the  Federal 
position,  and  for  two  hours  the  atmosphere  seemed  iVeighted 
with  death  ;  then  came  the  charge  up  Cemetery  liidge,  one  of 
the  finest  charges  of  the  war;  but  heroism  was  met  by  heroism, 
and   position   told    sufficiently  to   more   than    compensate  the 
Union  disparity  of  numbers.     The  attack  was  a  grand  failure, 
and  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  was  won  for  the  North.     The 
losses  on  the  part  of  the  South  were  over  thirty-one  thousand, 
and  Meade  was  genei*ally  blamed  because  ho  did  not  follow  up 
his  advantage.     President  Lincoln  is  reported  to  have  said  that 
"Providence  had  twice  delivered  the  army  of   northern  Vir- 
ginia into. our  hands,  and,   with  such  opportunities  neglected, 
we  ought  scarcely  to  hope  for  a  third  chance."     Meado  allowed 
Leo  ev-^u  to  carry  off  the  prisoners  taken  in  the  first  two  days, 
and  slowly  followed  him  to  the  llapidau.     Grant,  in  the  same 
place,  would  have  ended  the  war  at  Gettysburg.     The  cam- 
paign so  ended,  closed  out  all  fears  of  a  northern  invasion,  and 
Lee  slowly  retired  toward  Richmond  to  wait  the  time  for  a  sur- 
render of  his  hopeless  struggle.     The  veterans  lost  in  the  great 
battle,  added  to  the  death  of  Stonewall  Jackson  at  Chancellors- 
ville,  had  taken  the  heart  almost  entirely  out  of  the  once  in- 
domitable force. 

42.  Admiral  Du  Pont,  on  the  7th  of  April,  18()3,  tried  . 
force  his  way  to  Charleston  with  eight  iron-clads,  but  after 
engaging  Fort  Sumter  for  nearly  two  hours,  and  having  failed 
to  silence  the  batteries,  ho  drew  off  to  reconsider  the  attack, 
and  eventually  concluded  that  Charleston  could  not  be  taken 
without  a  combined  assault  by  land  and  sea.  Fort  Wagner 
was  afterwards  taken  by  regular  approaches,  and  Fort  Sumter 


111 

ri. 

I  111 


m 


434 


HISTORY  OP  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


reduced  to  ruins ;  but  even  then  it  was  found  impossible  with 
the  force  at  hand  to  efTect  a  capture.  Thus  the  year  came  to 
an  end  witli  results  generally  more  favorable  for  the  Union 
arms  than  any  previous  year  since  the  rebellion  commenced. 
The  Confederates  claimed  Chickamauga,  but  the  victory  was 
tempered  by  the  heroism  of  Thomas.  Chancellorsvillc  Avas  not 
a  crushing  defeat  for  the  Union  arms,  and  Galveston  was  the 
only  considerable  gain  made  by  that  side,  except  that  Charles- 
ton had  been  held  against  the  Union  assaults.  The  record  on 
the  Union  side  liad  many  brilliant  features.  The  doubtful  vic- 
tory won  by  Bragg  at  Chickamauga  had  been  followed  by  the 
destruction  of  his  army  at  Chattanooga,  in  the  charge  up  Mis- 
sionary llidge.  The  battles  before  Yicksburg,  and  the  capture 
of  that  fortress  city,  with  the  demolition  of  two  armies,  more 
than  equalled  in  results  the  three  days  at  Gettysburg.  Port 
Hudson  and  Jackson  were  but  small  items  in  a  return  of  such 
magnitude.  The  Mississippi  had  passed  under  the  control  of 
the  North.  The  Confederates  Avere  cut  off  from  supplies,  Ar- 
kansas, East  Tennessee,  Mississippi,  and  much  of  Louisiana, 
with  Texas  to  the  Rio  Grande,  had  submitted  to  Union  arms. 
There  was  substantial  cause  for  rejoicing  in  the  North,  but  the 
price  was  felt  to  be  enormous.  How  much  more  terrible  was 
the  cost  paid  by  the  South  for  its  terrific  failure  ? 


♦  ♦♦ 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE   AMERICAN   CIVIL  W Ali  —  (continued) . 

1.  Lieut.-Gen.  Grant  had  won  the  suffrage  of  all  thinking 
men  by  his  promptitude  and  capacity  for  command,  before  the 
command  in  chief  of  all  the  forces  of  the  North  was  conferred 
upon  him.  Men  spoke  of  his  good  fortune,  which  consisted  in 
his  leaving  nothing  to  chance  where  his  powers  could  be  made 
to  cover  an  emergency.  With  ample  authority  and  sufficient 
force,  he  was  now  to  take  supreme  military  control,  and  the 
armies  of  the  North  would  move  in  concert.  Grant  assumed 
the  task  of  subduing  Leo  in  Virginia,  devolving  upon  Sherman 
the  duty  to  defeat  Johnston  in  Georgia. 

2.  Advancing  on  Atlanta.  Gen.  Joseph  Elleston  John- 
ston was  stationed  at  Dalton,  Ga.,  when  Gen.  Sherman  moved 


ENCfr.AND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


435 


VLYSSES    8.     GKANT. 


upon  his  works,  and  he  had  i)i-oparc'd  for  tho  attack  which  mu.st 
como  by  a  HC>ries  of  almost  imi)rej^nal>le  linos,  which  must  rc> 
tard,  and  wliich  might  prevent,  the  capture  of  Atlanta.  The 
advance,  with  one  hmulred  thousand 
men,  was  made  early  in  May,  and  Sher- 
man was  confronted  by  .Johnston  with 
only  fifty-four  thousancl  men,  who  [)ru- 
dently  avoided  an  engagement  in  the 
open  country.  AtKesaca  Johnston  de- 
fended his  ))osition  with  ol)stinato  valor, 
repulsing  Sherman  with  considerable 
h)S8  ;  but  Johnston,  finding  himself  out- 
flanked, retired  successively  to  Adairs- 
villo  and  Cassville,  hotly  contesting 
every  step.  The  Allatoona  Pass  was  the 
scene  of  a  very  determined  resistance, 
and  many  days  elapsed  before  that  position  conhl  bo  carried. 
Retreating  then  to  Kcnesaw  INIountain,  where  his  field  works 
showed  profound  military  science,  and  the  flanks  of  his  position 
were  strengthened  by  Pine  and  Lost  Mountains,  Sherman  was 
once  more  held  at  bay  by  his  brave  and  able  antagonists,  losing 
three  thousand  men  in  one  assault,  while  the  Confederate  loss 
was  four  hundred  and  forty-two.  Outflanked  at  last,  the  Con- 
federate general  fell  back  on  Atlanta  on  the  10th  of  July,  hav- 
ing fought  over  one  hundred  miles  of  country  more  than  two 
months  against  a  force  nearly  twice  as  strong  as  his  own  ;  and 
as  the  reward  for  his  arduous  labors  he  was  superseded  at  that 
point  by  Jefl'orson  Davis,  who  could  not  appreciate  the  policy 
that  Avas  being  pursued.  Gen.  Hood  took  connnand  of  the  de- 
fence, and  soon  discovered  thai:  there  was  nothing  befor.^  him 
but  escape  or  surrender.  Afte  f  hard  fighting,  and  great  losses 
on  both  sides.  Hood  evacuated  the  city  of  Atlanta  and  made  a 
dash  into  Tennessee.  Atlanta  had  long  been  a  storehouse  for 
the  South,  and  it  was  now  in  northern  hands,  having  cost 
thirty  thousiuid  men  on  the  Uiiion  side  to  forty  thousand  on  the 
other.  Before  Sherman  started  from  this  position  for  his 
famous  'March  to  the  Sea,"  the  inhabitants  were,  as  a  precau- 
tionary measure,  driven  from  the  city  and  the  place  reduced  to 
ashes.  The  supplies  of  clothing,  cannon,  powder,  wagons, 
harness,  and  cannon-balls  w^hich  had  been  drawn  from  Georgia 
were  now  no  longer  available  for  the  southern  armies.  Ten 
battles  had  been  won  and  lost,  but  the  result  attained  was  worth 
the  fighting. 


43G 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OP  CANADA, 


0i: 


3.  Thomas  at  Nashville.  Hood,  with  nn  nniiy  of  forty- 
fivo  tliousiiiul  men,  iil)aii(loiiin<^  Atlaiilii,  scut  ii  dt'tiichint'iit  to 
captui'o  Allatooim  ;  hut  sustiiiued  ii  n'lxdsc!  in  that  (juiutcr,  with 
tciTihlc  slaughter,  at  uoi-thoru  hauds.  lie  surroinuhMl  Kcsaca, 
hut  did  uot  daro  au  attack,  a.s  Shcnuau  was  ch)so  upon  him, 
aud  from  that  point  ho  counucucod  his  march  upon  'i'cnucsscc. 
Shcnnan  sent  reinforcements  to  Gen.  Tliomas  at  is'aslivilici,  and 
was  ready  to  reorganize  liis  force.  Ilood  (h'stroye(l  everything 
as  he  advanced,  and  recruited  his  ranks,  until,  wlien  Ik;  reached 
I'ulaski,  his  force  had  grown  to  iifty-livo  Ihousaml,  against 
which  'J'homiis  could  only  oppose  thirty  thousand,  under  the 
conunand  of  Schofield.  "^riu!  Union  men  retreated  to  Franklin, 
in  a  hend  of  the  I Iar[)eth,  where,  with  twenty  thousand  men, 
Scholield  defended  hiniscdf  des[)cratcly  against  nearly  sixty  thou- 
sand, inllictiug  a  loss  of  live  thousand,  and  never  losing  a  gun. 
Continuing  his  iclreat  in  the  night  of  Novcmher  lit),  Schofield 
joined  Thomas  at  Nashville,  and  the  place  was  almost  imme- 
diately hesiegcd  hy  Hood.  'J'herc  was  an  ominous  inaction  for 
uhout  two  Avccks ;  hut  the  "Itock  of  Chickamauga"  Avas  only 
hiding  his  time.  He  permitted  Hood  to  helievo  that  there  was 
a  glorious  career  of  victory  hcforc  the  ConCcderato  arms  in 
Tennessee,  and  then,  when  every  preparation  had  heen  com- 
pleted, sallied  upcm  his  ])csiegers,  whom  ho  defeated  and 
drove  in  every  direction  during  two  dii3's  of  terrihie  lighting, 
Decemher  15  and  1().  Thomas  secured  sevent}-tw()  guns, 
twelve  thousand  prisoners,  one  of  them  a  mnjor-general,  and 
more  than  two  thousand  two  hundred  men  took  tho  amnesty 
oath  as  deserters.  Tho  over-contident  Hood  escaped  over  the 
Tennessee,  at  Bainhridge,  with  harely  the  fragment  of  an  army. 
His  force  was  uot  merely  demoralized,  it  was  destroyed.  East 
Tennessee  was  cleared  of  armed  Confederates,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent, for  the  first  time,  that  tho  war  in  every  department  had 
fallen  into  right  hands.  Tho  war  at  the  West  was  ended,  save 
as  to  a  few  petty  operations,  and  Sherman  was  already  otf  upon 
his  celehrated  march. 

4.  Sherman's  March.  Confident  that  Thomas  could  do 
all  that  was  required  in  Tennessee,  Sherman  started  from  At- 
lanta, on  tho  IGth  of  Novemher,  with  sixty-five  thousand  five 
hundred  men.  Skirmishers  and  Kil})atrick's  cavalry  disguised 
the  direction  of  tho  army  as  it  moved  onward  in  four  columns, 
and  none  knew  its  direction  until  a  place  had  hecn  struck. 
Kailroads  and  works  likely  to  succor  tho  Confederates  were 
destroyed.     Telegraph  wires  were  cut  so  that  no  intelligence 


ENOI-ANl),    AND   THE   UNITKD   STATES. 


437 


of  his  movcmcntM  could  l)o  tninsmlttccl  by  such  means,  nnd,  in 
Hvo  weeks  iVoui  llio  outset,  with  soni*^  ti<.chtiii<i^  at  river  cross- 
ings, tlu)  iii-niy  hutl  reachetl  the  sea  ut  Sa\annah.  Fort  Mc- 
Allister, (,n  tho  Ogechoe,  Avas  carried  by  assault  on  the  l.'Uh 
of  December,  and  Hcveii  davs  lat(>r  Savannah  was  al)aniloned. 
Th(^  (Jonfederaty  was  once  morci  simdered.  Sherman's  suboi- 
dinat(i  oflicers  had  cariied  out  his  orders  by  disLressini^  the 
secessionists,  mid  ono  hundred  and  sixty-seven  guns,  Avith  over 
one  thousand  three!  hundred  lu'isoners  and  immenso  stores  of 
provisions,  had  been  i-aptured.  'V\n\  moral  ellect  of  that  march, 
however,  entirely  transcended  its  j)hysical  resuUs.  The  <  annon 
and  twcnty-livo  thousand  bales  of  cotton  were  transmitted  from 
Savannah  to  President  l-.iiu'oln  as  a  Christmas  pi'i^sent  for  tho 
nation;  and  within  a  few  days  the  march  through  (ieorgia  was 


the  only  cvi-nt  of  Avhicli  any  person  si)oUo  or  sang. 

5.  'PiiK  WiLDEiJNKss.  ^^'hen  tho  army  under  (irant  had 
como  into  the  Chaucellorsvillo  country,  after  crossing  the  Uapi- 
dan,  the  Confederate  army  under  Leo  attacked  them,  toiling 
along  tlu!  narrow  roads  in  tho  Wilderness.  The;  butchery  was 
terrible!  ;  l)ut  tho  men  on  both 
sides  stood  their  ground  ui^^b 
Avo'.idi'ous  resolution.  Two  days 
the  battl(!  raged,  and  on  the  thir(. 
both  armies  rested  iu  their  en- 
trenchments. Grant's  army  was  ^ 
reduced  by  twenty  thousand  ;  Lee 
admitted  a  loss  of  ten  thousand  : 
and  there  Avas  some  hope  that  the 
Union  men  Avould  retire  behind 
the  llapitlan  once  more,  (irant 
made  other  arrangenuMits.  The 
r)tli  and  two  following  days  had 
been  spent  in  the  Wilderness,  and 
on  the  8th  of  May  he  outflanked 
Lee,  making  for  Spottsylvania 
Court-IIouse.       The    C(mfederate 

commander    was    playing    his    best  Crossing  tlioRapldan  — Grant's  Tdcgram. 

card,  —  defence,  —  and      every 

movement  Avas  calculated  upon.  When  Grant  arrived  at  his 
destination,  a  Confederate  army  Avas  before  him,  and  for  live 
days  more  there  Avas  hard  pounding  between  men  as  nearly  as 
possible  compeers  of  each  other  in  courage  and  skill.  On  the 
12th  of  May  Grant  determined  that  he  Avould  once  more  turn 


'm^  ':  \M- 


I*  > 


11 

I 


t  t  I* 


i'>  'iiT 


4 


438 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


the  right  fhink  of  his  jintagonist ;  but  Lcc,  divining  the  inten- 
tion, Avas  before  him  at  the  North  Anna,  and  the  battle  of  Cold 
Hari)or  resulted  on  the  3d  of  June.  It  was  during  this 
tenil)le  series  of  battles  that  Grant  wrote  his  Avell-known 
despatch,  "I  propose  to  light  it  out  o»*  'lis  hue  if  it 
takes  all  summer."  The  commander-in-chi  .  came  into  this 
region  with  one  hundred  and  eleven  thousand  men,  and  he  was 
oppos(!d  by  Lee,  on  the  defensive,  with  seventy-hvc  thousand. 
Before  reaehii.'sr  the  James  river  he  had  lost  six  thousand  killed, 
twent3'-six  thousand  Avounded,  and  oevcn  thousand  missing. 
The  Confederates  carefully  destroyed  their  own  records  of 
losses,  consequently  there  is  only  a  guess  at  results  ;  but  they 
captm-ed  only  si.,  thousand  prisoners,  Avliile  Grant  captured  ten 
thousand,  and  it  is  probable  that  in  every  particular  their 
losses  were  nearly  as  great,  porlnips  greater,  than  the  Union 
Grant  never  fought  harder  battles  than  those  in  the  Wilderness, 
at  Hpottsylvania,  North  Anna,  and  Cold  Harbor ;  but  after 
every  engagement  Grant  adviuiced  and  Lee  lost  ground.  The 
purpose  in  view  was  the  annihilation  of  the  army  under  Lee,  as 
it  was  very  evident  that  the  Confederacy  could  never  replace 
such  soldiers  in  the  held  ;  and  the  loss  of  a  few  thousand  human 
lives  nnist  not  sland  in  the  way  of  that  result.  The  course  of 
the  army  t'vom  the  Kapidan  to  the  James  before  the  Confederate 
capital  had  l;een  W(>Ii  con-idered,  and  the  cost  was  on  the  whole 
more  distressing  to  the  Somh  than  to  (he  North.  The  attack  on 
Petersburg  proved  the  prescience  uf  Lee,  as  the  works  Avere  so 
defended  that  nolhhig  Ic.js  than  a  regular  siege  could  compel 
submission,  and  Grant  commenced  his  entrenchments  without 
delay.     The  works  were  begun  in  Juno. 

0.  Before  Hiciijmond  There  were  but  few  events  of 
national  importance  in  the  early  days  of  the  siege  upon  this 
spot,  but  the  whole  military  scheme  of  the  Union  converged 
here.  The  siege  kept  Lee  so  completely  oc(!upied  that  he  could 
do  nothing  to  assist  the  other  victors,  while  Grant  was  calmly 
directing  every  consideral)le  movement.  The  conquest  of  At- 
lanta and  the  march  to  the  sea  all  contributed  to  the  success 
which  had  to  be  secured  at  Richmond.  Thomas,  reinforced, 
not  only  made  Sherman's  n)arch  a  possibility,  but  destroyed  an 
army  also;  and  Sheridan,  here,  there,  and  everywhere,  carried 
defeat  into  the  <  iiemy's  ranks  wherever  ho  struck.  The  forces 
were  not  greatly  dissimilar,  allowing  for  the  re(iuirements  of 
attack  and  defence.  Grant,  joined  by  Butler's  foi-ce,  had  one 
hundred  and  ten.  thousand  men,  and  Lcc  had    '  )ined  to  his 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   '■.FATES. 


439 


rcguliu*  force  of  scvcnty-fivc  thousand  men,  five  thousand  more, 
including  tiic  local  militia  and  gun-hoat  crews.  There  was  an 
explosion  of  a  mine  under  a  fort  at  Petersburg  on  the  30tli  of 
July,  and  the  work  became  a  ruin  ;  but  the  result  was  not  of 
such  a  character  as  to  enable  the  Union  forces  to  carry  Peters- 
burg. The  Weldon  llailroad  Avas  captured  by  good  strategy 
and  hard  lighting,  on  the  18th  of  August,  and  although  Lee, 
knowing  the  importance  of  the  communication,  put  forth  all  his 
powers  to  recaptiii-e  that  position,  the  Union  lines  ponnan(;ntly 
closed  in  upon  him  to  that  extent.  The  scheme  Avhich  had  so 
many  times  called  off  the  Union  forces  from  the  capital  of  the 
Confederacy  was  to  be  tried  once  more,  and  \yashlngton  Avas 
threatened  ;  but  Grant  continued  to  devote  his  personal  energy 
upon  Lee,  and  made  ample  provision  for  the  defence  of  the 
northern,  territory  through  other  hands. 

7.  Cedar  Creek.  Gen.  Hunter  had  allowed  himself  to  l)e 
deflected  from  the  lino  of  march  planned  for  him,  and  there  was 
in  consequence  an  oi)portunity  for  Gen.  Loe  to  despatch  Early 
along  tlie  Shenandoah  Valley  toward  Washington,  and  on  the 
10th  of  July  he  threatened 
Fort  Stevens,  one  of  the  de- 
fences of  the  capital,  with 
twenty  thousand  men.  One 
day  lost  there  rendered 
action  an  impossibility,  and, 
with  some  plunder,  having 
l)urned  a  village,  he  Avas 
back  in  the  Shenandoah. 
Sheridan,  despatched  by 
Grant  for  the  purpose,  came 
doAvn  upon  Early  like  a 
cyclone,  striking  him  at 
Winchester,  and  again  at 
Fisher's    Hill,    driving    him 

apparently    into     thin    air. 

The    Confederate      general,     sHEmnAN's  abrival  at  cedar  creek! 
having       been      reinforced, 

struck  Sheridan's  camp  at  daylight  on  the  19th  of  Oc- 
tober, at  Cedar  Creek,  during  the  absence  of  Sheridan,  and 
the  left  flank  was  turncid  and  driven  in  confusion  for  some 
distance.  Sheridan  heard  the  cannonade,  and  returned  at  full 
speed  to  find  the  aspect  of  aft'alrs.  Ills  men  felt  his  presence 
as  an  inspiration,  and  Avhcn  ho  said  to  them,   "  Boys,  wo  uro 


nil  I 


'   ii  I 


IP 

i 


440 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


going  back,"  there  Avas  no  (lifficully  in  routing  the  (!onfbclcrates, 
recapturing  his  own  guns  and  thirty  pieces  of  artillery  Ix'side, 
releasing  his  own  men  and  taking  two  thousand  jirisoners  before 
sundown.  Early  and  his  force  Avcre  completely  broken  by  this 
brilliant  campaign  of  only  one  month,  and  AVashington  was 
threatened  no  more.  The  joint  expedition  on  Ived  river,  "which 
was  to  have  capturcMJ  Shreveport,  proved  a  failure  Ixn-ause  of 
the  incom[)etency  of  Gen.  Banks,  Avho  was  routed  by  the  Con- 
finlerates  at  Sabin(!  Cross-roads.  Gen.  Banks  was  at  oniie 
relieved  of  his  conunand. 

8.  Mobile  was  the  ol)ject  of  an  expedition  nnder  the  com- 
mand of  A(hniral  Fari-agut,  and  his  ships  fought  lluM'r  way  i)ast 
the  Confederate  Ibrts  to  engage  the  iron-clad  fleet,  all  t)f  which 
were  eai)tured  or  put  to  flight.-  The  iron  ram  "  Tennessee  "  was 
one  of  the  prizes.  Fort  Fisher,  the  defence  of  A\'ilniington 
Harbor,  X.('.,  "was  attacked  by  Connnodoro  Porter,  and  a  land 
force  under  (Jen.  Butler,  Dec.  24,  2.")  ;  but,  after  bomharding 
the  fort,  Butler  was  convinced  it  could  not  bo  taken,  so  he  re- 
turned to  Fortress  Monroe.  The  licet  remained  off  the  harbor, 
as  Porter  was  certain  that  the  fort  could  b(^  reduced,  and  upon 
his  request  the  trooi)s  originally  sent  Aven;  returned  to  him  with 
one  thousand  five  hundred  more,  and  the  Avorks  Averc  carried 
by  a  hand-to-hand  fight  on  the  loth  of  January,  18G5  ;  the  as- 
sailants being  two  colunms,  one  of  soldiers  and  the  other  of 
sailors.     The  defenders  behaved  heroically. 

9.  Besults  of  the  Caaipaign.  The  unification  of  the  Avar 
mider  th(>  lieutenant-general  showed  excellent  results.  The 
blockade  had  l)ecome  so  eflectual  that  the  Confederacy  Avas  at 
its  last  gasp.     Fort  Fisher,  just  taken,  closed  the  last  C'onfed- 

erate  port.  Confederate 
cruisers,  so  called,  had 
damaged  northern  com- 
merce, but  the  South  Avas 
Avithout  connuerce  of  any 
kind.  The  iVl-abama,  suf- 
fered by  the  British  to  es- 
cape from  an  Fnglish  port, 
had  done  inunense  injury, 
for  Avhicli  Great  Britain 
ultimately  paid  ;  and,  before  the  Avar  ended,  Cai)t.  AVinslow,  of 
the  Kearsarge,  destroyed  that  AX^ssel  off  Cherbourg  harbor, 
Connnander  Senunes  escaping  in  aii  English  yacht  after  he  had 
surrendered.     The  Avauts  of  tlie  men  under  arms,    and   more 


Tlin:  ALABAMA. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


441 


especially  of  the  wounded  and  suflering,  called  forth  an  amount 
of  philanthropy,  in  all  classes,  such  as  was  never  exceeded  in  the 
annals  of  civilization.  Over  seventeen  millions  of  dollars  were 
expended  by  the  sanitary  and  Christian  connnissions  in  such 
works  of  mercy,  their  modes  of  operation  luMni^  numberless. 
Despite  the  load  of  debt  incurred  by  the  atUninistration  in  con- 
ducting the  war,  Abraham  Lincoln,  renominated  by  the  Repub- 
lican i)arty,  with  George  li.  McClellan  for  his  opponent,  put  for- 
ward by  the  Democrats,  carried  the  Uiuon  by  a  majorit}'  of  over 
four  hundred  thousand,  and  McClellan  had  only  three  States. 
The  gains  of  the  Confederacy  in  field  or  fort,  this  year,  had 
been  small  indeed.  Olustee  and  the  Sabine  Cross-roads,  Ber- 
muda Hundred  and  ^Ionoca(y,  were  all  their  victories,  except 
that  they  held  Grant  at  arm's  length  at  Ivichmond,  and  had  de- 
feated expeditions  at  Eed  riv(>r  and  into  Florida.  On  every 
side  they  were  giving  way.  North  and  South  Carolina  w.jre 
their  only  States  east  of  tlu;  Mississi[)pi.  Mississippi,  Alabama, 
Virginia,  Tennessee,  Georgia,  and  Florida,  had  been  overrun 
by  northern  troops.  The  Wilderness,  Spottsylvania,  and  Cold 
Ilarbor  had  been  followed  by  the  results  of  victory  for  the 
North,  a:.d  there  had  been  undoubted  victories  for  the  Union 
arms  at  liesaca,  Dallas,  Kencsaw,  and  Atlanta,  at  Pleasant 
Hill,  Winchester,  Fisher's  Hill,  CV'dar  Creek,  and  at  Nashville. 
Tlie  forts  in  Mobile  harbor,  Fort  McAllister,  Fort  I)(>liussy; 
the  march  through  Georgia;  the  ca[)ture  of  Atlanta  and  Savan- 
nah; the  devastiition  of  the  Shenandoah  N'^allev,  and  tiie  dem- 
olition  of  its  army  of  defence  ;  tlie  annihilation  of  Hood's  army 
by  Thomas  ;  the  coast  blockaded  by  our  navy  ;  the  destruction 
of  the  flotilla  at'  Mobile,  and  the  iirm  g-asp  by  (Jrant  of  every 
avenue  to  victory,  as  well  as  of  Lee  juid  the  last  shred  of  Con- 
federate force  at  Richmond,  left  it  now  only  a  question  of  a  few 
months  at  lonirest,  when  the  rebellion  should  be  reckoned 
among  the  things  of  the  past. 

10.  The  Last  Campaiox.  The  beginning  of  the  end  had 
ome,  and  already  the  Union  forces  were  concentrating  u})on 
li'chinond,  Avith  the  desire  of  the  huntsman  to  be  in  at  the  death. 
Siiernian,  after  a  brief  rest  at  Savannali,  had  only  to  end  the 
military  career  of  Johnston,  and  he  could  then  join  (irant. 
Sheridan  was  already  in  the  lines  of  circiunvallation.  Wilson 
and  Stoncman  were  Avithin  hail,  ready  for  whatever  duty  the 
commander-in-chief  might  find  necessary,  and  the  courage  of 
the  nation  stood  never  at  a  higher  ))itch  of  enthusiasm. 

IL     Sherman's  march  through  the  Carolinas,  from  Savannah, 


■  I 

in  ; 


1 1 


i  ft 


0° 


442 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


commenced  Februjiry  1,  18G5,  sifter  a  brief  rest,  was  a  move- 
ment as  rapid  us  tiie  conditions  of  tiie  time  and  hot  haste  could 
render  possible,  llivers  that  had  no  bridges  without  a  long 
distance  were  waded,  and  one  battle  was  fought  by  his  army 
shoulder  deep  in  a  stream.  Grant's  orders  were,  that  he  should 
come  north  without  delay ;  and  Sherman  obeyed  to  the  letter 
and  spirit.  Fifty  miles  was  his  front,  and  the  army,  sixty  il>ou- 
sand  strong,  marched  in  four  columns,  leaving  the  broad  prnit 
of  their  footsteps  in  desolation.  Hardee  evacuated  Charleston 
and  retreated  north  towards  Lee,  with  twelve  thousand  men. 
Columbia,  the  State  capital,  was  burned  by  accident.  Kiipat- 
rick,  routed  by  a  sudden  rush  of  Wade  Hampton's  forces,  re- 
covered the  surprise,  gathered  up  his  men,  and  retrieved  his 
fortune.  Fayetteville,  North  Carolina,  saw  the  iirst  decided 
stand  against  the  Union  armies.  Johnston  had  collected  forty 
thousand  men  under  Beauregard,  Hardee,  Cheatham,  and  Bragg, 
with  cavalry  forces  under  \Vheelcr  and  Hampton.  A  halt  was 
called  on  the  11th  of  March,  to  mass  the  forces  of  the  Union, 
and  on  the  1 5th  the  word  was  once  more,  "  Forward  ! "  Hardee, 
on  the  left  wing,  attacked  him  in  a  narrow  pass,  but  the  force 
was  beaten  oft'.  The  right  was  attacked  near  BentoiiviHc  by 
Johiiston  Avith  his  main  body,  but  there  was  another  defeat  for 
the  Confederates  on  the  18th.  Halting  his  forces  at  Goldsboro', 
on  the  19th  of  March,  Sherman  hastened  forward  to  City  Point 
to  consult  with  his  commander.  A  junction  of  forces  between 
Lee  and  Johnston  was  now  the  forlorn  hope  of  the  Confeder- 
ates, and  the  chance  was  microscopic,  with  Grant  on  the  alert 
as  usual,  and  so  many  forces  converging  toward  the  Union  lines. 
Still  Lee  would  not  abandon  his  hope  as  long  as  a  possibility 
remained. 

12.  Before  RicHxMOnd  Again.  An  attacK  on  the  right 
was  the  device  that  was  to  divert  Grant's  attention  from  the 
more  important  movements  contemplated  by  the  (Confederate 
general,  and  Fort  Stedman  was  surprised  and  captureu  at  day- 
break, jNIarch  25,  with  a  loss  of  two  thousand  live  hundred 
troops  on  either  side,  including  the  assault  b}^  which  the  posi- 
tion was  recovered ;  and  Lee  lost  two  thousand  prisoners  out 
of  his  force  of  only  five  thousand.  Hardly  live  hundred  re- 
turned to  report  the  substantial  failure  ;  and  Grant,  not  called 
off  from  his  main  purpose,  closed  in  with  fatal  tenacity  upon  the 
works.  He  saw  that  the  time  for  the  evacuation  or  surrender 
of  Richmond  was  at  hand,  and  his  watchfulness  was  communi- 
cated to  every  man  in  the  ranks. 


it 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


443 


13.  Five  Forks.  The  movement  of  Sheridan  toward  Five 
Forks  Avas  part  of  a  much  larger  operation  commenced  by 
Grant  on  the  last  day  of  March  to  turn  Lee's  right.  The  Con- 
federate general  fought  Avitli  his  whole  force  to  avoid  the  ca- 
lamity ;  but  on  the  1st  of  April  the  brilliant  affair  at  Five  Forks 
completed  the  operation,  taking  nearly  five  thousaud  prisoners, 
and  renderiug  Lee's  position,  in  a  military  sense,  untenable. 
The  Union  loss  was  only  about  one  thousand,  and  the  end  was 
now  within  easy  reach. 

14.  Petersburg  and  Eichmond  were  evacuated  on  the  fol- 
lowing days  ill  consequence  of  an  advance  of  the  whole  line  u})on 
the  works.  President  Davis  Avas  informed  soon  after  —  ten  in 
the  morning  of  the  2d  —  that  the 
city  could  be  held  no  longer,  and 
before  the  next  morning  at  four, 
Kichmond,  damaged  as  much  by 
fire  and  explosions  as  their  means 
would  permit,  had  been  aban- 
doned by  the  army  under  Lee, 
whose  hope  Avas  now  that  ho  might 
escape  from  the  toils  of  his  able 
adversary.  Davis  escaped  to  Dan- 
ville, hoping  to  hear  tidings  of 
success  in  the  field  from  Lee  ;  but 
the  case  Avas  hopeless.  He  then, 
fled  towards  Johnston,  and  re- 
mained a  Avhile  at  Greensboro', 
N.C.  ;  but  seeing  no  hope  there, 
started  for  Georgia  Avitli  a  cav- 
alry force  of  two  thousand,  Avhich 
soon  dwindled  to  very  meagre  proportions.  Then,  putting 
aside  the  dignity  of  ofHce,  he  tried  to  escape  Avith  his  family, 
and  Avas  captured  on  the  10th  of  May,  to  be  confined  in  Fort- 
ress jNlonroc  for  two  j-ears,  and  then  liberated  on  the  bail  of 
Horace  Greeley,  a  moiiuinent  of  northern  mercy.  Turning 
now  to  Lee,  a  lion  at  bay,  Ave  find  him  at  Amelia  Court-IIouse 
Avith  thirty-five  thousand  men,  trying  in  vain  to  provision  his 
army  ;  and  Avith  Grant  close  upon  his  tracks,  outnumbered,  out- 
generalled,  borne  downe  a^  every  point,  his  ranks  thinned  out 
by  the  hourly  desertions  of  starving  men,  Avholo  corps  sur- 
rounded and  captured,  the  heroic  defender  of  the  cause  of  the 
Confederacy  proposed  to  meet  Grant  and  discuss  the  terms  of 
peace.     Hemmed  in  on  all  sides,  he  Avas  at  the  mercy  of  his 


JEFFEUSON    DAVIS. 


444 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


II ;  ill 


t; 


S    'IgM 


foes  ;  l)iit  still  ho  was  ji  bravo  iimn,  and  that  secured  him  consid- 
eration. (Jrant  could  otl'er  no  terni.s  but  to  receive  his  sur- 
render, and  on  the  iHh  of  April  he  accei)ted  that  hard  condition 
in  the  open  tleld  at  Appomattox  Court-IIouse,  M'itii  all  that  re- 
mained of  his  once  powerful  army,  now  reduced  to  twcntN-seven 
thousand  men.  An  army  of  seventy  thousand  men  had  been 
umiihilated  in  ten  da3s,  and  there  was  no  longer  a  plank  on 
which  the  Confederacy  could  iloat.  His  treatment  of  J^ee  had 
in  it  so  much  of  magnanimity  that  the  outlying  generals  speedily 
came  in  to  share  the  terms  u[)()n  which  (he  war  was  endetl. 
There  wore  some  operations  after  this  date,  and  I)efore  the  news 
couhl  be  ilashed  along  the  coast ;  but  the  rebellion  had  now 
been  extinguished  in  the  blood  of  nearly  a  million  of  men. 

15.     CoNSUMMATiox  OF  TiiK  TuAGKDV.     Grant  rctumod  to 
Washington  to  dishaiul  the  army  which  had  won  such  laurels  ; 

and  there,  on  the  Lfth 
li'l  of  April,  Abraham  Lin- 
'  coin  Avas  assassinated  in 
the  midst  of  universal 
rejoicings.  Grant  had 
been  invited  to  share 
the  president's  box  that 
night  in  Ford's  theatre, 
l)Ut  his  engagements 
prevented  ac(;eptance , 
or,  ])erhaps,  ho  also 
would  have  fallen  a  vic- 
tim to  the  savao-c  hate 
of  men  who  could  not 
appreciate  the  mercy 
shown  to  tluur  mis- 
guided champions.  The 
news  Avcnt  over  the 
laud  and  around  the 
Avorld  with  the  etfect  of 
a   funeral    pall   in    tho 


ASSASSINATION    ()!•'    TUIiSIDKNT    LINCOLN. 


presence  of  a  bridal  party;  and  such  tears  were  shed,  even  in 
distant  lands,  over  the  heroic  life  thus  ended,  as  told  of  an  in- 
fluence over  the  souls  of  civilized  man  everywhere,  unexampled 
in  the  history  of  rulers. 

16.  Compared  with  Lincoln's  death,  men  all  over  the  Union 
held  the  heavy  cost  of  the  war  as  nothing.  Three  hundred 
thousand    brave    citizens   had    died   faciuij    tho    foe    in   battle 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


445 


array,  or  in  diaoascs  .siipcriiiducoil  by  war;  two  hundred  tliou- 
sand  maimed  and  crippled  remained  to  tell  of  the  stinirglos 
throinih  which  the  Tnion  had  passed  ;  and  the  armies  in  gray 
had  probably  sullered  more  severely.  The  Union  d(d)t  had  in- 
creased to  two  billion  seven  hnn(h-ed  and  iiflv  million  dollars  ; 
but  all  these  items  were  as  nothini;  for  a  time  in  the  presence  of 
that  sold  of  mercy  and  patriotism,  sl.mirhtered  by  an  insane 
zealot,  with  the  cry  "/ibVc  temper  fi/ninnis.'''  The  "words  seemed 
accursed,  and  tiie  cowardly  raire  which  at  such  an  hour  could 
fruitlessly  slaughter  the  best  man  of  his  time  and  country,  pro- 
cured, as  it  merited,  the  rei)robation  of  the  Innnan  race.  The  end 
of  the  Jjincoln  epoch  had  arrived.  Andrew  Johnson  had  become 
president;  but  upon  the  hero  of  the  war,  after  Lincoln,  the, 
greatest  man,  all  eyes  were  tufned.  The  uation  was  growing, 
and  demand(Ml  al)le  administratiou,  for,  even  while  the  war  jjro- 
gressed,  new  States  had  sought  admission  to  the  Union.  West 
Virginia  and  Nevada  had  brought  up  the  numbers  to  thirty-six 
in  June,  18(53,  and  in  October,  18G4 ;  besides  which  the  prob- 
lem of  reabsorbing  the  seceded  States  presented  a  task  for  every 
leading  mind  to  ponder. 

♦-♦-♦ 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

ENGLAND  FROM   1840  TO    1856. 


REION    OF   VICTORIA  ■ 


AFFAIRS    IN     IRELAND 
SKIIASTOPOI.. 


•THE     CRIMEA 


FALL    OF 


1.  Our  next  work  must  be  to  trace  the  fortunes  of  Great 
Britain  from  1840.  The  good  Queen  Victoria  had  ascended  the 
throne,  as  we  have  already  noted.  Sir  Robert  Peel's  ministry 
fell  soon  after  the  passage  of  tlu?  Corn  Law  Repeal  Pill. 
Ireland,  with  the  Roman  Catholi(^  Emancipation  Bill,  was  not 
yet  satisfied.  One  great  cause  of  the  disturbjuice  remained. 
The  population  of  Ireland  embraced  si.\  and  a  half  milHons 
of  Roman  Catholics,  while  the  members  of  the  Clur.ch  of  Eng- 
land on  the  island  numbcr(Ml  but  little  over  eight  hundred  and 
tifty  thousand,  yet  the  Church  of  England  was  bylaw  (sstab- 
lishcd  in  Ireland,  and  the  whole  population,  Roman  Catholic 
and  Protestant  alike,  were  taxed  for  its  support.  "  In  1834 
the  revenues  of  the  establishment  in  Ireland  were  more  than 


ift^'  \'W- 


1|  i 

II         % 


m 


446 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


QUEEN   VICTORIA. 


eight  hundred  thousand  pounds.  There  were  foiu'tcen  hundred 
parishes,  of  which  forty-one  did  not  contain  a  single  Protestant ; 
twenty  had  only  five  each,  and  one  hundred  andsixty-tivo  could 

number  only  twenty-iive  each ;  yet  there 
were  four  Prot«!stant  archbishops  and  eigh- 
teen bishops.  The  Konian  Catholic  Church 
received  no  support  by  law.  Its  priests 
were  ])oor,  and  the  little  which  their  poor 
parishioners  could  offer  them  —  the  cow, 
the  pig,  the  sack  of  corn,  or  the  bit  of 
money  —  was  cari'ied  off  by  the  tithe  col- 
lector ;  often  backed  by  an  armed  police,  to 
support  the  clergymen  of  the  establish- 
ment." In  view  of  these  things  we  wcmder 
only  that  the  peasant  hatred  of  the  Church 
Avas  not  even  greater  than  it  was.  In 
the  midst  of  these  things  the  English 
Parliament  debated,  session  after  session,  the  subject  of  Irish 
difficulties  ;  and  from  1835  to  1840  a  system  of  national  educa- 
tion was  introduced  into  Ireland  with  beneficial  results.  But 
from  1841  to  1843  Daniel  O'Connell  raised  the  cry  for  the  re- 
peal of  the  union  in  Ireland,  and  the  sentiment  was  caught  up 
by  every  tongue  and  repeated  with  patriotic  zeal.  The  llepeal 
Association  was  the  organic  form  assumed  by  the  agitation. 
Funds  were  raised  to  support  the  cause,  at  the  rate  of  three 
thousand  pounds  a  week.  But  finally,  before  it  was  too  late, 
government  interfered.  A  proclamation  was  issued,  forbidding 
the  assembling  of  a  great  public  meeting  summoned  by 
O'Connell.  "  A  few  days  later,  O'Connell  and  other  loaders 
of  the  Repeal  Association  w^ere  arrested,  and  tried.  They  were 
convicted  of  conspiracy,  sedition,  and  unlawful  assembling  ;  but 
an  appeal  having  been  made  against  the  sentence,  some  tech- 
nical diffi<nilty  was  allowed  by  the  judges  to  whom  the  last 
reference  Avas  had,  and  the  prisoners,  in  consequence,  were  set 
at  liberty.  This  magnanimity  on  the  part  of  the  British 
government  had  a  great  effect  in  lessening  the  moral  influence 
which  O'Connell  possessed  over  his  countrymen.  His  political 
sincerity  was  questioned,  his  popularity  deserted  him,  and  a  few 
years  later  he  died  at  Genoa." 

2.  In  the  midst  of  these  things  Father  Mathew  came  to 
the  front  with  the  temperance  movement.  This  was  in  1841. 
This  movement  exerted  a  wholesome  influence,  for  some  four  or 
five  years,  over  the  affairs  of  Ireland.    Drunkemiess,  and  its  ten 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


447 


thousand  crimes,  disappeared  ;  but,  unfortunately,  this  reforma- 
tion was  associated  Avith  the  repeal  movement,  so  that  when  the 
latter  was  overcome,  the  former  also  hui<^uished,  and  the  evils 
of  intemperance  again  triumphed, — trii  ajihed  amid  fearful 
results.  "  Sir  liobertPeel  attributed  these  calamities,  in  a  great 
measure,  to  the  want  of  a  liberal  provision  for  religious  and 
secular  education  among  the  priests  and  people  of  that  unhappy 
country.  To  supply  this  want,  a  bill  for  the  establishment  of 
three  colleges,  at  Belfast,  Cork,  and  Limerick,  was  introduced 
and  passed  through  Parliament.  To  insure  to  the  priests  an 
education  in  their  own  land,  another  bill  proposed  an  enlarge- 
ment of  the  grant  to  Maynooth  College.  This  institution,  for 
the  training  of  Roman  Catholic  priests  in  their  own  faith,  had 
been  founded  in  the  year  1795  ;  but  the  grant  made  to  it,  being 
only  nine  thousand  i)ounds  per  aniunn,  was  inadequate  to  the 
numbers  requiring  education  there  ;  nor  could  it  secure  a  very 
high  order  of  instruction.  The  bill  for  increasing  the  grant  to 
Maynooth  met  with  violent  opposition,  being  regarded  by  many 
as  injurious  to  the  principles  of  the  Protestant  Reformation, 
and  providing  for  the  maintenance  of  religious  error.     It  was 


carried,  houever,  and  the  grant  to  the  college    increased    to 
twenty-six  thousand  three  hundred  and  eighty  pounds." 

3.  But  a  greater  woe  awaited  Ireland  !  In  184G-47  one  of 
the  most  terrible  of  famines  ever  recorded,  spread  its  desolating 
terrors  over  the  island.  "  This  wasowingto  the  failure  of  the  potato 
crop,  the  staple  food  of  the  Irish  laborer.  The  disease  in  the  potato 
plant  extended  with  such  fearful  rapidity  as  often  to  convert  in  a 
single nightacres of bloomintoa massof putrefaction.  Thcscenes 
of  sufferingpresented  during  this  calamitous  time  were  heart-rend- 
ing. Often,  when  the  door  of  the  wretched  cabin  was  opened, 
there  was  found  a  whole  family  lying  dead  in  a  group.  The 
wail  of  the  starving  arose  in  every  district.  The  w^orkhouse 
doors  were  besieged  bj' famishing  multitudes  begging  for  bread. 
Government, , roused  by  the  magnitude  of  the  calamity,  applied 
itself  to  immediate  measures  of  relief.  Above  half  a  million 
of  peasantry  had  been  deprived  of  their  usual  food,  — potatoes. 
There  was  grain,  but  they  had  no  money  to  buy  it.  To  afford 
employment  and  wages  to  the  laborer,  government  appropriated 
several  millions  sterling  to  the  erection  of  public  works  in  Ire- 
land, and  in  March,  1847,  seven  hundred  and  thirty-four 
thousand  laborers  found  employment,  their  aggregate  wages 
amounting  to  two  h»mdred  thousand  pounds.  Large  suras  were 
subscribed  for  sending  food  to  Ireland.     All  duties  were  taken 


IllSil 


■I,  (I" 


I 


i 


li  mF'^ 


448 


IlISTOllY   OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


!i  I 


oft'  of  trrain,  tho  navii^atlon  laws  were  suapondctl,  so  that  relief 
might  be  traii.sniitt(.'(l  imiiu;(iiately,  and  food  iinpoitod  iVoiu 
forei/jn  countries.  Yet  with  such  fearful  strides  had  disease 
and  deatli  followed  in  the  train  of  famine,  that  hundreds  died 
before  relief  could  be  brought  to  them,  or  perished  from 
exhaustion  before  they  could  reacli  the  public  works.  Tho 
scenes  of  horror  exceeded  anything  which  the  pen  of  Dante  or 
Defoe,  or  the  canvas  oi'  Poussin,  had  dcj)ictcd.  In  tho  words  of 
Lord  John  Ivussell  :  '  A  famine  of  tho  thirteenth  had  fallen  on 
the  [)opulatiou  of  the  nineteenth  century.'  Tho  conduct  of  the 
British  government  reflects  the  highest  honor  on  its  character 
for  generous  liberality.  During  these  years  of  wide-spread 
distress  no  less  than  (>ight  millions  of  pounds  were  bestowed 
upon  Ireland  eitlicr  in  tho  form  of  public  appropriations  or 
private  subscriptions.  Nor  were  the  people  anil  government  of 
the  United  States  less  liberal  in  their  eftorts  to  mitigate  the 
horrors  of  the  Irish  famine.  Private  subscriptions  Avero  opened, 
large  supplies  of  provisions  collected,  and  ship[)ed  in  a  public 
armed  vessel  to  ^'m;  coast  of  Ireland.  During  tho  year  of  the 
famine  and  tho.  immediately  succeeding  tho  immigration  of 
the  Irish  to  foreign  shores  was  innnense.  The  population, 
which  in  1841  was  over  eight  millions,  was  in  18G0  but  little  over 
six.  The  Irish  left  the  land  of  their  birth,  to  lind  subsistence 
in  the  country  of  strangers,  but  their  affections  still  centied  in 
the  home  they  have  left.  In  proof  of  this,  tho  remittances 
made  to  Ireland,  from  her  children  abroad,  amounted  in  tho  year 
1858  to  nearly  seven  millions  of  dollars.  Theirs  is  tho  feeling 
which  breathes  so  touchingly  in  the  familiar  song  of  '  The  Irish 
Emigrant's  Lament ' :  — 


'  They  say  there's  bread  and  work  for  all, 
And  the  sun  shines  ahvays  there, 
But  I'll  ne'er  forjjiet  old  Ireland, 
Were  it  fifty  times  as  fair.* 


In  July  of  1848  an  insurrection  broke  out  in  Ireland,  headed  by 
Smith  O'Brien,  Thomas  Francis  Meagher,  and  others.  It  had 
for  its  object  the  old  aim,  repeal  of  tho  union  and  restoration  of 
the  ancient  constitution  and  native  rule.  This  rebellion  was 
put  down  with  little  difficulty  on  tlu;  part  of  tho  government. 
O'Brien  and  other  leaders  were  arrested,  tried,  and  sentenced 
to  death.  Tho  sentence  was  commuted  to  that  of  transportation 
for  life.  At  tho  conclusion  of  the  Russian  war  jm  amnesty  was 
proclaimed,  under  which  these  political  exiles,  excepting  only 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


440 


those  who  liiul  broken  thoir  parole,  returned  to  their  country 
after  an  ab.sonco  of  ci^ht  years." 

4.  In  1^>48  tho  revolution  in  Franco  tlrovo  Kinj^  Loui« 
Philippe  from  his  throne  ;  and  it  was  tho  apparent  success  of 
this  revolution  which,  togeth<>r  with  tho  grciit  distress  among 
tho  manufacturing  districts  of  England,  caused  tho  Chartists  to 
adopt  measures  Avith  a  \'w\v  to  force  their  charter  upon  the 
government.  To  afford  them  a  pretext  for  assembliug,  they 
got  up  a  monster  petition,  to  bo  presented  on  tho  lOth  of  Ai)ril 
by  as  many  as  could  gain  entrance  to  the  House  of  Connnons. 
In  this  way  they  expected  to  alarm  the  govennnent  to  fear,  and 
proclaim  a  republic.  15ut  tho  great  Duke  of  Wellington  was 
sufKcient  for  tho  defeat  of  this  grand  scheme.  A  proclamation 
forbade  more  than  ten  persons  to  present  a  petition  at  any  one 
time,  and  otherwise  prohibited  the  assembly  of  large  bodies  in 
connection  therewith.  Police,  cannon,  and  troops  were  placed 
in  position  to  command  the  crowd,  should  it  assemble  ;  "regi- 
ments  were  kept  in  reserve  at   various  other  unseen  points, 

and    artillery    was 

in  readiness  at  the  ^^^^^^^v^----'-"-^—'-'^-:-  -  -  -  -... -t :"'-'■  ":^ 
Tower,  to  be  con- 
veyed on  !)oard 
armed  steamers  to 
any  part  of  tho 
metropolis  Avhicli 
might  require  such 
defence.  All  the 
pul)lic  offices  were 
Avell  guarded,  and 
the  Bank  of  Eug- 
land  was  occupied 
by  bodies  of  in- 
tiintry ,  and  strongly 
barricaded.  One 
hundred  and  seven- 
ty thousand  specitil 
constables,  previously  trained  for  duty,  were  stationed  through- 
out London  ;  and  among  these  served  on  that  important  occa- 
sion, Louis  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  afterwards  Emperor  of  the 
French.  These  wise  precautions  eifectually  frustrated  the 
hopes  and  designs  of  the  Chartists.  Being  informed  by  a  few 
resolute  policemen  that  they  might  send  their  petition  in  a 
proper  manner  to  the  house,  but  that  any  attempt  to  pass  the 


TOAVER    OF    I.OXnOX. 


I 


mn^:^: 


B  ^^ 


&^    t<' 


I   i! 


450 


IIIRTOIIV   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


bridgrs  in  proeossioii  would  be  rosistcd,  llio  liir^^c  body  otKoino 
fifty  thousaiul  men  brokt;  their  ranks  and  <^avo  up  tlieir  attempt. 
A  lew  bodies  of  Cluutists  tried  t(i  force  llieir  way  into  West- 
minster, but  wore  repelled  by  the  i)oliee,  and  by  seven  o'clock 
in  the  evening  all  had  dis[)ersed,  and  order  and  quiet  reigned 
in  the  vast  metr()i)olis.  The  most  violent  Chartist  lea(h»rs, 
who  still  kept  up  the  spirit  of  insurrection  in  liondou,  were 
seized  dm-iug  the  course  of  the  sunnner,  tried,  convicted,  und 
transported  tor  life." 

f).  In  lHf)4:  occurred  the  singular  spectacle  of  a  union 
army  of  English  and  French  marching  to  defend  the  empire 
of  Mohammed  against  the  Russians.  liussia  now  threat- 
ened to  become  the  contvolling  power  of  Christendom  ;  'I'urkey 
lay,  as  she  does  to-day,  prostrate  at  the  feet  of  ii  liussian  army  ; 
and  the  peace  of  Adrianople,  concluded  between  these.nutions 
in  1821),  threatened  the  very  existence  of  the  Ott(jman  Empire. 
At  these  successes  England  became  jealous,  and  all  Europe 
was  tilled  with  alarm.  The  tottering  dominions  of  the  sultan 
wore  all  that  prevented  the  czar's  control  of  the  Mediterranean. 
These  once  overcome,  and  England  would  have  a  rival  on  the 
seas  in  the  military  advantages  of  llussia,  and  the  eastern  em- 


pire of  the  English  Avould  be  overcome.  But  the  circumstances 
which  i)recii)itated  the  war  arose  from  a  conflict  between  the 
Latin  and  Grccl^  churches  on  the  subject  of  the  holy  places  in 
Jerusalem.  This  circumstance,  as  related  by  JJerard,  in  his 
history  of  England,  are  as  follows  :  "Syria  was  a  province  of 
Turkey,  but  the  sultan  permitted  both  (iieck  and  Latin  Chris- 
tians to  maintain  places  for  worship  in  the  holy  city.  There 
for  centuries  had  been  established  churches,  shrines,  and  grot- 
tos, commemorative  of  various  scenes  in  our  Saviour's  life, 
sutl'erings,  and  death.  Among  these  the  Church  of  the  Holy 
Sepulchre,  built  over  the  supposed  site  of  the  tomb  of  our 
Lord,  was  held  especially  sacred.  For  the  exclusive  posses- 
sion of  this  holy  place  the  monks  of  the  Greek  and  Latin 
churches  kept  up  incessant  disputings.  Some  idea  of  the  extent 
of  these  disgraceful  quarrels  may  be  gathered  from  the  follow- 
ing conversation,  which  took  place  between  an  English  mission- 
ary and  a  Turkish  pasha  of  Jerusalem,  M'hom  the  former 
sought  to  convert  to  Christianity  :  '  What  are  the  advantages 
of  your  religion  over  mine?'  asked  the  pasha.  'Peace  on 
earth,  and  glory  after  death,' replied  the  missionary.  'As  to 
the  latter,'  said  the  Turk,  'our  Prophet  promises  that  too  ;  and 
for  the  peace  on  earth,  the  Church  of  the  Sepulchre  has  a  band 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


451 


(f  ( I  reek  ("hrisCians  on  llio  ono  side,  and  a  hand  of  IJoinan 
Christians  on  the  other,  and  in  the  centre  is  a  'J'nrkish  <ruard, 
to  keep  tliein  i'roni  euttin;^  each  others'  throats.'  'I'lie  iinssiaii 
<*ziir,  iNieholas,  as  head  of  the  Ureek  Chnrch,  and  Lonis  Napo- 
leon as  the  representative  and  protector  of  the  Latin  Christians, 
demanded  of  th(>  sidlan  for  their  respe<tive  chnrchi's  exchisivo 
privih'^es  (piite  inconipatil)le  with  each  otiier.  The  sultan, 
Alxhd-Mejdid,  was  phiced  in  an  eniharrassini^  position,  —  l)e- 
tween  two  forniidal)le  and  rival  claimants,  hoth  of  whom  ho 
was  desirous  to  please.  After  much  delay  and  perplexil}'  ho 
issued  a  firman  (or  decree)  desi<;ned  to  he  sulliciently  liheral 
towards  the  (Jreek  Church,  and  \'et  not  so  partial  as  to  <rive 
und)ra<jfc  to  the  I^atin  Christians.  The  Czar  iNicholas,  on  tho 
very  day  the  firman  was  issued,  demanded,  through  his  am- 
bassador, the  ri<;ht  of  al)s()lute  protection  over  all  (Jreek  Chris- 
tians. This  demand,  it  was  asserted,  im})lied  the  control  over 
twelve  millions  of  tho  sultan's  suhjects.  It  was  refused  hy  tho 
Ottoman  Porte.  Tho  western  powers  then  interfered,  and  at 
the  end  of  eight  months  of  di[)lomatic  negotiations  England 
and  Franco  announced  their  intention  to  take  u[)  arms  in  aid 
of  tho  sidtan,  against  tho  'unprovoked  aggression  '  of  the  czar. 
Then  those  western  powers  united  as  the  ally  of  Turkeys  and 
the  troops  of  these  nations  saw  service  in  strangely  foreign  parts. 
On  the  4th  of  the  preceding  October,  the  New  Year's  Day  of 
tho  jMohanmiedans,  the  sultan's  declaration  of  war  against 
Russia  had  been  road  in  all  tho  mosques,  and  largo  Turkish 
armies  Avore  collected  in  the  Danubian  provinces  and  on  tho 
frontiers  of  Asia.  In  tho  wild  mountain  region  of  Caucasus 
tho  native  tribes,  to  tho  number  of  twenty  thousand,  under 
their  brave  chief  and  prophet,  Schamyl,  united  with  a  Turkish 
army  to  attack  the  Kussians.  The  heroism  of  this  moinitain 
chief,  and  tho  enthusiasm  which  ho  awakened  in  his  followers, 
occasioned  severe  reverses  to  tho  Russian  arms  during  tho  year 
1854.  Tho  latter,  however,  finally  prevailed,  and  tho  czar 
triumphed  in  that  quarter,  by  the  capture  of  the  important  town 
of  Kars,  towards  the  close  of  18r)r)."  The  defence  of  Kars 
had  been  conducted  by  Gen.  Williams,  afterwards  governor 
of  Nova  Scotia. 

7.  Honor  was  reflected  upon  the  armies  of  the  sultan  in 
their  desperate  performances  in  the  Dohrudscha,  an  unhealthy 
section  between  tho  Danube  and  Black  Sea.  "  Tho  Kussians 
with  a  powerful  army  occupied  the  Danubian  priicipalities  of 
AVallachia  and  Moldavia,  and  the  Turks,  under  Oriar  Pasha,  in 


452 


HISTORY   OF   r^OMINIOX   OF   CANADA, 


the  autuum  of  1853,  addressocl  themselves  to  the  difficult  task 
of  opposing  their  farther  advance  upon  the  dominions  of  Turkey. 
Tile  victory  of  01tenit/,a,"\von  in  November,  and  other  successes 
obtained  during  the  winter,  animated  the  spirits  and  courage  of 
the  Turks.  In  the  spring  of  1854  a  Russian  army  laid  siege  to 
Silistria,  an  important  town  situated  on  the  Danube.  From  the 
11th  of  May  to  the  22d  of  June  the  place  was  besieged.  The 
defence  was  maintained  with  great  spirit,  sl<ill,  and  braver^'  on 
the  part  of  the  Turks,  under  the  command  of  Mussa  Pasha.  At 
length  the  IJussians  —  aware  that  the  allied  armies  had  reached 
Vurna ;  that  a  detachment  of  French  and  Enirlish  had  been  sent 
forward  for  the  relief  of  Silistria;  and  that  the  eoml)ined  lleet 
had  passed  the  i>osph()rus  —  raised  the  siege,  and  turned  to 
the  defence  of  their  dominions,  now  formidably  threatened,  on 
the  shores  of  the  IJlack  Sea.  At  the  expiration  of  forty-two 
days  the  Russian  army,  which  at  one  time  had  numbered  sixty 
thousand,  and  had  thrown,  from  sixty  pieces  of  ordnance,  no 
less  than  tiftv  thousand  shot  and  shell  into  the  town,  were  forced 
to  aba''  \)n  the  hrst  siege  of  this  campaign,  the  defence  having 
been  maintained  by  the  skill  and  valor  of  Turks  alone.  Mean- 
while, the  armies  of  the  English  and  French  allies  had  arrived 
in  Turkey.  Owing  to  lamentable  mismanagement  on  the  part 
of  the  connnissariat,  when  the  troops  reached  that  country  no 
adequate  i)rovi.sion  had  been  made  for  their  support.  This 
neglect  occasioned  a  vast  amount  of  suflcring,  especially  at 
Varna,  a  port  on  the  lilac k  Sea,  where  the  allied  forces  were 
quartered  from  June  until  August,  1854.  The  soldiers  were  in 
want  of  tents,  proper  food,  bedding,  and  medical  stores.  Dur- 
ing the  stay  at  V^arna  the  cholera  and  typhus  fever  broke  out, 
and  these  frightful  diseases,  spreading  through  the  camps  and 
in  the  iieets,  added  to  the  intense  sufferings  which  the  allied 
armies  endured  throughout  the  entii'<'  war 

7.  But  the  most  thrilling  scenes  of  the  war  were  enacted  in 
the  Crimea,  a  peninsula  extending  ii'ito  the  lilapk  Sea,  on  Avliich 
stood  the  Russian  naval  depot  of  Sebastopol.  The  most  power- 
ful fortifications  protected  the  Russian  tleet  in  the  harbor.  The 
great  batteries  of  Forts  Constantine  and  Alexander,  which 
crowned  the  northern  and  southern  extn^mities  of  the  entrance 
to  the  harbor,  wein;  not  all.  The  plac^o  was  also  protected 
by  sunken  ships,  which  barred  the  entrance  against  the  approach 
of  the  in\  ;iding  fleet.  The  governments  of  Englnnd  and  France 
res'dved  upon  the  destruction  of  this  strong  fortilication,  by 
which  it  was  hoped  to  render  it  impossible  for  Russia  to  obtain 


no 


3  tiUiea 

Lcted  iu 
ii  which 
powcr- 
iv.    The 
1,  -which 
l-ntvuncc 
lotcctod 
Ippronch 
France 

[lion,  l)y 
lo  obtain 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


453 


uaviil  supremacy  in  the  waters  of  the  ^leditcrrancan  Sea.  On 
the  14th  of  September,  1854,  an  army  of  twenty-seven  thousand 
Englisli,  twentj'-tive  thousand  French,  and  eight  thousand 
Turkisli  troops  arrived  in  the  Crimea,  and  on  the  lOth  this  vast 
army  marched  towards  Sebastopol,  about  thirty  miles  distant, 
Prince  Mentschikolf,  with  fifty  thousand  Kussian  troops, 
awaited  the  allies  at  the  Alma,  one  of  the  rivers  which  lay  in 
the  nnite.  The  English  were  connnanded  by  Lord  Kaglan,  and 
the  French  by  Marshal  de  St.  Arnaud.  T\v  '.  He  of  the  Alma 
was  a  tierce  one,  and  the  Russians  were  dc  .i!  J,  after  which 
the  invading  army  marched  on  for  Sebastopin.  The  work  of 
bombarding  tlu  'ity  began  on  the  17th  of  October,  1854,  and 
the  siege,  such  a^;  will  forever  form  one  of  the  most  thrilling 
themes  in  all  the  annals  of  war,  was  continued,  with  vaiied 
success,  until  the  tinal  bombardment  of  Septeniher,  1855. 
For  three  days  the  work  was  continued,  with  peculiar  irregu- 
larity. These  changes  in  the  mode  of  tire,  from  slow  to  quick, 
and  i'rom  an  entire  suspension  to  a  rapid  rate,  were  designed  to 
bewilder  the  enemy,  and  the  plan  was  successful.  The  fearful 
struiTijrle  Avas  brou^jht  to  a  close  the  followiufj  ni<>ht.  when  the 
Russians  quietly  withdrew  across  the  harbor,  and  when,  a  few 
minutes  later,  the  llanies  of  the  burning  city  burst  upon  the 
darkness.  The  proclamation  of  peace  reached  the  allied  armies 
in  Sebastopol  on  the  2d  of  April,  185G,  and  a  few  weeks  later 
the  trooj)s  returned  home,  leaving  in  the  soil  behind  them  the 
graves  of  many  thousand  brave  English  and  French  soldiers. 
The  darkness  of  this  terrible  war  is  relieved  by  a  stranire,  fasci- 
nating  light,  which  shines  in  the  noble  deeds  of  Florence  Night- 
ingale, —  tb  it  heroic  English  woman  who  devoted  herself  with 
so  nnich  skill  and  tenderness  to  the  care  of  the  sick  and  the 
wounded. 

8.  In  the  winter  of  1855-6  the  London  "Times,"  in  re- 
ferring to  the  war,  remarked  that  whatever  were  the  losses  and 
disappointments  England  had  undergone,  whatever  the  reverses 
of  her  arms,  whatever  the  drains  u[)()n  her  treasury,  these 
evils  had  been  as  nothing  compared  with  the  tremendous  visita- 
tion that  had  fallen  on  her  stubborn  and  overbearing  enemy. 
While  England's  trade  had  undergone  no  diminution,  Kussia's 
was  almost  completely  annihilated.  "  If  we  have  felt  a  little 
tightness  in  the  money  market,  hhe  has  been  driven  to  suspend 
specie  payments.  If  we  have  increased  our  debt  by  sixteen 
million  pounds^  she  would  esteem  it  the  greatest  good  fortune 
to  borrow  half  that  sum  on  the  most  unfavorable"  terms.     If  we 


iBrn 


'1 


fl 


454 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


have  lost  a  few  thousand  men,  she  has  sacriiicod  whole  heca- 
tombs of  thousiuids.  If  we  do  not  )-ceruit  as  fast  as  avo  would 
wish,  Russia  has  already  drained  the  classes  ( f  men  from  which 
she  can  renew  her  armies.  l)esi)ondency  and  terror,  wo  arc 
well  assured,  rei<j^n  throughout  her  vast  dominions." 

9.  One  year  later,  the  same  journal,  in  referring  to  the 
same  war,  said  :  "  The  great  war  is  over.  Ilurd  terms  have 
been  rung  from  the  exhaustion  of  Ivussia,  and,  after  much 
subsi  jwcnt  wrangling,  she  has  been  held  to  the  letter  and  spirit 
of  her  bond.  We  have  celebrated  that  peace  Avith  great  and 
cordial  rejoicing.  Prussia  was  admitted  at  the  eleventh  hour 
to  a  share  in  its  honors.  Our  tleets  and  armies  have  returned, 
and  have  had  their  ovations."  Thus  ended  a  great  war,  mainly 
between  England  and  Russia. 


*  ♦ « 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 


THE  DOMINION   OF  CANADA. 


FROM    1867   TO    1878 — UOVEHNMENT    of   lord   MONCK  —  LEGISLATION. 


1*  tH'i 


1.  We  lind  it  most  convenient  to  leave  for  a  while  the 
afliairs  of  English  history,  and  return  to  Canada.  Afler  wo 
have  followed  the  fortune  of  the  Dominion  during  the  lirst 
eleven  years  of  its  existence,  from  18U7  to  1878,  we  will  bring 
forward  to  the  latter  date  a  record  of  events  in  the  United 
States,  and  then  resume  the  narrative  of  important  all'airs  con- 
nected with  Great  Ikitain,  commencing  at  18')(),  where  wc  now 
leave  them,  and  following  the  current  forward  which  will  bring 
us  to  our  account  of  the  Turko-Russian  war,  and  the  sul)se- 
quent  diplomatic  war  between  England  and  Russia.  On  the 
Lst  of  July,  18G7,  Her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria,  by  proclama- 
tion, declared  the  proviiices  of  Ontario  (Upper  Canada), 
Quebec  (Lower  Canada),  Nova  Scotia,  and  New  Brunswick 
united  under  one  federal  government,  to  be  known  thereafter 
as  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  This  was  perhaps  the  most 
important,  the  most  salutary  measure  ever  adopted  by  the 
mother  country,  in  behalf  of  the  Canadas,  nor  was  it  by  any 
means  the  measure  of  England,  The  scheme  originate(l  in 
Britisli  America,  in  the  minds  of  provincial  statesmen  ;  but  it 
was  through  the  good  ollices  of  the  English  Parliament  and 


ENGLAND,    AND  TFIE   UNITED   STATES. 


^55 


hcca- 
wouUl 
which 
v'o  arc 

to  the 
s  have 

nuich 
1  spirit 
nit  and 
h  hour 
turned, 

mainly 


TION. 


English  stiitcsmcn,  that  the  confederation  was  consummated  at 
su<,'h  an  early  date. 

2.  The  Dominion  was  launelied  with  but  four  i^roA'inccs  iu 
the  bond  of  union.  Since  the  confederation  the  number  has 
been  increased  to  seven.  Three  other  provinces,  viz.,  i'rince 
Edward  Island,  British  Columliia,  and  the  recently  established 
province  of  Manitoba,  have  since  joined  the  compact.  During 
the  ten  years  which  have  elapsed  since  confederation  the  young 
nation  has  had  a  prosperous  experience  in  many  respects.  The 
immediate  etiect  in  the  two  Canad  is,  for  instance,  has  been  to 
facilitate  the  settlement  of  questions  which  were  before  sources 
of  angry  recrimination.  In  the  Province  of  Quebec,  a  Legis- 
lature representing  an  enormously  excessive  constituency  of 
lloman  Catholics,  conceded  to  the  Protestant  minority,  on  a 
question  of  education,  what  i)rol)abh'-  they  would  never  have 
yielded  to  the  more  equally  proportioned  forces,  when  Ontario 
and  Quebec  were  under  one  government.  Each  Provincial 
Legislature,  relieved  of  the  more  general  subjects  of  legislation 
and  debate,  is  now  vigorously  pursuing  the  policy  of  develop- 
ment, extending  education,  promoting  colonization,  roads  and 
railways,  and  encouraging  immigration. 

3.  The  immediate  causes  leading  to  the  confederation  of 
the  British  American  provinces  were  threefold,  —  emanating, 
first,  from  the  mother  country,  secondly,  from  the  United  States, 
and,  thirdly,  from  within.  Of  these,  that  growing  out  of  the 
peculiar  attitude  of  the  United  States,  at  that  time,  was  pi-ol)a- 
bly  as  strong,  or  stronger,  than  any.  For  several  years  bidbro 
the  confederation  England's  policy  towards  Canada  was,  in 
effect,  a  friendly  warning  to  prepare  for  a  more  independent 
existence.  At  length  the  provinces  M'cro  told,  hi  very  explicit 
terms,  that  they  could  no  longer  cousider  themselves,  in  the 
matter  of  defence,  in  the  same  position  they  formerly  occupied 
towards  Great  Britain.  But  not  on!)  did  the  policy  of  the 
home  govermnent  demand  confederation,  but  the  attitude  of 
the  United  States  deminded  it.  'fhe  abrogation  of  the  Iteci- 
proeity  Treaty,  the  military  o[)erations  on  the  great  lakes  con- 
trary to  the  provisions  of  the  addenda  to  the  treaty  of  1818  ; 
the  passport  system  ;  the  projected  shij)  canal  round  the  falls  of 
Niagara;  the  wonderful  exp.'msion  of  the  American  army  and 
navy,  and  the  civil  war,  wcr.^  features  in  the  policy  of  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  L^nitcd  Stntes.  demanding  r  union  of  the  British 
l)rovinces  for  ])U' poses  of  nuitual  defence  But,  aside  from 
these  actuating  causes,  there  were  interr.al  intiuences  tending 


■a" 


;.  ^%"is/'\rV,:'^*'V 


Ilffl 


456 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


towards  confederation,  a  voice  from  the  experience  in  tlie  gov- 
ernment of  the  provinces.  In  tlie  then  province  of  Canada, 
constitutional  government  had  touclied  a  low  ebb,  when  the 
premier  was  obliged  to  confess  that  he  had  had  tive  administra- 
tions in  two  years.  Under  this  condition  the  house  was  fast 
losing  its  iiold  on  the  country.  The  administrative  departments 
were  becoming  disorganized  under  such  frequent  changes  of 
chiefs  and  policies.  'I'hese,  with  many  other  causes  which  are 
more  fully  mentioned  in  the  proper  place,  combined  with  such 
force  that  in  IJSOO  public  oi)inion  in  the  provinces  Avas  ripe 
for  union.  Indeed,  with  some  considerable  exceptions  in  favor 
of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick,  there  Avas  hardly  a  man 
of  prominence  in  the  whole  of  British  America,  who  in  18G7 
would  not  have  been  in  favor  of  some  kind  of  union.  There 
w'crc  those  who  did  not  like  the  plan  proposed,  and  some  of 
the  leading  public  men  of  the  liberal  party  in  both  Nova  Scotia 
and  Sew  Brunswick  fought  the  scheme  with  great  vehemence. 
But  the  opposition  of  these  gentlemen,  especially  that  of  Hon. 
Joseph  Ilowe,  in  Nova  Scotia,  was  not  wholly  consistent  with 
their  ]n*evious  acts.  IIoAvever,  the  great  measure  triumphed, 
for  Avhich  every  wise  citizen  of  Canada  to-day  is  devoutly 
thankful. 

4.  Under  the  Federal  Constitution  of  18G7  the  Parliament 
of  Canada  consists  of  the  Queen,  a  Senate  appointed  by  the 
crown  for  life,  and  a  House  of  Connnons.  The  members  of 
this  Parliament  were  fixed  ))y  the  constitution  as  follows  :  — 


For  Ontario 

•'   Quebec 

"   Nova  Scotia     .... 
"   New  Brunsv/ick       .         .        . 

Tho  number  of  senators  was  fixed  (except  that  six  additional 
senators  might  be  appointed  by  the  crown),  that  of  meni!)ors  of 
the  House  of  Conunons  Avas  to  vary  according  to  tho  i)opulation 
ascertained  at  each  decennial  census,  Quebec  retaining  the  same 
nuujber.  Term  of  election,  five  years,  unless  the  house  be  sooner 
dissolved.  Sessions,  annual.  Tho  property  qualification  Avas  : 
for  senators,  tho  possession  of  four  thousand  dollars  real  and 
personal  estate  over  and  above  all  liabilities ;  for  members  of 
the  House  of  Connnons,  in  Ontario  and  Quebec,  five  hundred 
pounds  sterling  of  real  estate.  In  New  BrunsAvick,  the  posses- 
sion, for  six  months  previous  to  the  issue  of  the  Avrit  of  election, 


Mcmlipi-s  of  tho 

Senators. 

IIousu  uf  Coiiioiuns 

24 

24 

1   ' 

12 

■•■■-■■#'- 

12 

.  >     19 

ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


457 


j^m 


of  one  thousand  two  hundred  dollars  of  real  estate ;  in  Nova 
Scotia,  "a  legal  or  equitable  freehold  estate  in  possession  of 
the  clear  jxnirly  value  of  eight  dollars  ($8.00),"  or  the  candi- 
date must  he  "  qualified  to  be  an  elector."  The  following  were 
electors  :  in  Ontario  and  Que])cc,  eve/y  male  subject  being  the 
owner  or  occupier  or  tenant  of  real  property  of  the  assessed 
value  of  three  hundred  dollars  or  of  the  yearly  value  of  thirty 
dollars,  if  within  cities  or  towns,  or  of  the  assessed  value  of 
two  hundred  do'dars  or  the  yearly  value  of  twenty  dollars,  if 
not  so  situate.  In  New  Brunswick,  every  male  subject  of  the 
age  of  twenty-one  3'ears,  not  disqualified  l)y  law,  assessed  for 
the  year  for  which  the  register  is  made  up  in  respect  of  real 
estate  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred  dollars,  or  of  personal 
property  or  personal  and  real  amounting  together  to  four  thou- 
sand dollars,  or  four  thousand  dollars  annual  income.  In  Nova 
Scotia,  all  subjects  of  the  ago  of  twenty-one  years,  not  disquali- 
fied l)y  law,  assessed  for  the  year  for  Avhich  the  register  is  made 
up  in  respect  of  real  estate  to  the  value  of  one  hundred  and 
rifty  dollars,  or  in  respect  of  personal  estate  or  of  real  and  per- 
sonal tojjether  to  the  value  of  three  hundred  dollars.  Votini; 
in  Quebec,  Ontario,  and  Mova  Scotia  was  open,  on  inquiry  by 
the  returning  officers,  after  the  person  desirous  of  voting  has  by 
reference  to  the  registration  list  established  his  right  to 
vote.  In  New  Brunswick  votes  were  taken  by  ballot.  The 
executive,  called  the  "Privy  Council,"  consists  of  thirteen 
members. 

5.  The  Constitution  or  Union  Act  fixed  the  local  or  pro- 
vincial governments  as  follows :  The  local  Legislature  of 
Ontario  consists  of  a  Lieutenant-Governor,  appointed  by  the 
Dominion,  and  one  house  only,  ot  eighty-two  members,  called 
the  Legislative  Assembly.  Limits  of  constituencies  the  same  Jis 
for  the  Commons  of  Canada.  Qualifications  of  members  and 
electors  the  same  as  above.  Terms  four  years,  unless  sooner 
dissolved.  Sessions,  annual.  The  local  Legislature  of  Quebec 
consisted  of  a  Lieutenant-Governor,  appointed  by  the  Dominion, 
a  nominated  Legislative  Council  of  twenty-four,  and  a  Legis- 
lative Assembly  of  sixty-five.  Limits  of  coustituencics  the 
same  as  for  the  Senate  and  Commons  respectively.  Qualifica- 
tion of  senators,  meml)ers,  and  electors,  the  same  as  for  the 
Dominion.  Term  of  Parliament,  four  years,  unless  sooner  dis- 
solved. Sessions,  annual.  The  local  Legislature  of  Nova 
Scotia  consisted  of  a  Lieutenant-Governor,  appointed  by  the? 
Dominion,  a  nominated  Legislative  Council  of  twenty,  and  an 


1 .  »is*n 


458 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINIO      OF   CAXADA, 


I 


'    •  :!: 


ililiinrs 


1: 't  >  -ij.ii. -'•■■'■•' 


I 


Hi; 


elective  Legislative  Assembly  of  iifty-tliree.  Term,  lour  years, 
unless  dissolved.  Sessions,  annual.  Qualifications  as  for  tlio 
Dominion  Legislature  above.  The  local  Legislature  of  Xew 
Brunswick  consisted  of  tiio  Lieutenant-Governor,  appointed  by 
the  Dominion,  a  nominative  Legislative  Council  of  twenty-two, 
and  a  Legislative  Assembly  of  forty  members.  Qualification 
of  senators,  assembly-men,  and  electcu's  the  same  us  for  the 
Dominion.  Duration  of  ]*arliament,  four  3'ears,  unless  sooner 
dissolved.     Sessions,  animal. 

At  this  time  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  Prince  Edward  Island, 
although  that  province  was  still  independent  of  the  Union,  con- 
sisted of  thirty  members,  elected  for  four  years,  unless  Parlia- 
ment be  sooner  dissolved.  The  Legislative  Council  consisted  of 
thirteen  members,  elected  for  eight  years  ;  half  returning  every 
four  years,  but  being  eligible  for  reelection.  Qualification  :  for 
members  of  the  Assem])ly,  the  possession  of  free  or  leasehold 
estate  worth  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars  above  encum- 
brances ;  for  members  of  the  Legislative  Council,  no  qualifica- 
tion Avas  required.  Electors  for  members  of  the  lower  house 
"were  male  subjects  of  twenty-one  3'ears  of  age,  owning  prop- 
erty valued  at  forty  shillings,  island  currency  (six  hundred 
and  forty  dollars),  per  annum,  or  who  were  by  law  liable  to 

statute  labor.  As  by  25  Vic., 
cap.  2,  almost  every  man  "was 
so  lial)lo,  the  sullrago  may  bo 
called  universal.  Electors  for 
members  of  the  upper  house 
should  own  lease  or  freehold 
])roi)crty  valued  at  one  hun- 
drcil  pounds,  island  currency, 
or  three  huiulred  and  twenty 
dollars.  The  Executive  Coun- 
cil consisted  of  nine  members. 
One  only,  the  colonial  secre- 
tary, could  hold  dei)artmental 
ofiice.  His  salary  waa  one 
thousand  one  hundred  and 
twenty  dollars  p;'r  annum ; 
the  other  membcn's  of  the 
executive  received  n</  pay. 
7.  The  first  govcruor-jjeneral  of  the  Dominion  of  C'anada 
was    the    last   who   admiuistered    the    government   of   Cinuda 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


459 


before  confederation,  viz.,  the  Rijjht  Honorable  Charles  Stan- 
ley, Viscount  Monck,  Baron  of  IJallytramon,  in  the  County 
of  Wexford,  in  the  peerage  of  Ireland,  and  Baron  Monck  of 
Ballytranion,  in  the  County  of  Wexford,  in  the  peerage  of  the 
United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  Such  is  the 
title  of  the  Hrst  governor-general  of  the  Dominion.  The  first 
Dominion  ministry  waa  composed  as  follows  :  — 

The  Hon.  Sir  John  Alkxander  Macdonald,  K.C.B,,  Minister  of  Justice 

anil  Att'Tney-GeueiJil. 
The  Hon.  Ktienne  CAHTn.u,  Minister  of  Militia. 
The  Hon   Samuel  Leonauu  Th.eey,  C.B.,  Minister  of  Customs. 
The  Hon.  Alexander  Th^loch  (jALT,  Minister  of  Finance. 
The  Hon.  William  McDougall,  C.IJ.,  l\Iini.ster  of  I'nblie  Works. 
The  Hon,  W^illiam  Teaiice  Howland,  C  li.,  Alinister  of  Inland  Revenue. 
The  Hon.  AOAM.S  Geokge  Arciiiuald,  Secretary  of  Stati;  for  the  I'rovinces. 
The  Hon.   Auam  Johnston  Fekgi'sson  Blair,  President  of  the  Privy 

Council. 
The  Hon.  Peter  Mitchell,  ^linister  of  Marine  and  Fisheries. 
The  Hon.  Alexander  Campbell,  Postmaster-General. 
The  Hon.  Jean  Charles  Chai'ais,  Minister  of  Agriculture. 
The  Hon.  Hector  Louis  Langevin,  Secretary  of  State  of  Canada. 
Tne  Hon.  Edward  Kenny,  lleceiver-General. 

8.  No  sooner  was  Parliament  fully  organized  than  the  vast 
amount  of  legislation  necessary  to  give  full  eflcct  to  the  con- 
federation scheme  "was  entered  upon.  I^aws  for  the  govern- 
ment of  departments  were  enacted,  for  the  collection  and 
proper  distribution  of  revenue,  for  the  organization  of  a 
militia  svstem,  and  for  the  protection  of  trade  and  commerce, 
and  the  administration  of  justice.  ]Many  of  these  laws  enter  so 
largely  into  the  government  of  the  Dominion  that  a  )>rief  sum- 
mary of  the  most  important  of  them  is  thought  advisable  in 
this  place.  An  act  Avas  i)assed  providing  for  the  salaries  of 
the  speakers  and  indemnity  to  meml)crs.  The  speakers  Avero 
to  receive  three  thousand  two  hundred  dollars  per  annum  ;  the 
members  six  dollars  per  diem  up  to  the  end  of  thirty  days. 
For  a  session  lasting  longer  than  that,  six  hundred  dollars, 
with  ten  cents  per  mile  for  travelling  expenses.  Five  dollars 
per  diem  Avero  ordered  to  bo  deductcil  for  every  day's  absence, 
unless  Avhilo  Avifhin  ten  miles  of  the  capital  the  member  Avas 
prevented  by  illness  from  attendance. 

9.  An  act  Avas  jiasscd  imposing  a  stamp  duty  of  one  cent  on 
nil  promissory  notes  and  bills  of  exchange  for  Iwenly-live  dol- 
lars ;  over  twenty-five  dollars  and  not  exceeding  flfiy  dollars, 
two  cents ;  over  fifty  dollars  and  not  exceeding  one  hundred 


■M- 


1. 


II 


K    1 


ftl^i 


460 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


dollars,  three  cents  ;  and  three  cents  for  each  one  hundred  dol- 
lars or  fraction  after  the  tirst.  On  each  draft  or  bill  in  dupli- 
cate two  cents  per  one  hundred  dollars  on  each  part ;  executed 
in  more  than  two  parts,  one  cent  per  one  hundred  dollars  for 
each  part ;  interest  to  accrue  at  n)aturity  of  bill  or  note  to  bo 
coinited  as  part  of  the  sums.  Letters  of  credit  and  receipts 
entitlin<i:  the  possessor  to  draw  the  amount  aj^ain  reckoned  as 
bills  subject  to  duty.  Conmiissariat  or  other  official  drafts  and 
bank-notes,  cheques  on  banks  or  savings-banks,  i)ost-officc 
money-orders,  and  municipal  debentures  and  coupons,  Avere 
oxem[)t.  Duty  was  to  be  paid  by  using  stamped  paper,  or  an 
adhesive  stamp  over  which  the  signature  of  maker  or  drawer, 
or  the  date,  or  some  other  important  part  of  the  bill  or  note,  Avas 
to  bo  written,  to  cancel  it,  or  the  stamp  would  be  of  no  avail.  A 
penalty  of  one  hundred  dollars  was  incurred  for  sfaniping  or 
writing  a  wrong  date  on  such  stamp.  Duties  in  Nova  Scotia 
to  be  reckoned  in  Nova  Scotia  currency.  Minister  of  inland 
revenue  appointed  the  stamp  distributors ;  their  salaries  were 
fixed  by  the  governor  in  council.  On  notes  or  bills  drawn  out 
of  Canada  the  first  indorser  or  acceptor  in  Canada  must  affix 
the  stamp.  Any  one  failing  to  affix  stamps  or  use  stamp 
paper,  or  affixing  insufficient  stamps  to  pay  duty,  Avas  liable  to 
pay  double  duty  or  double  the  amount  by  which  stamps  were  in- 
sufficient, and  pay  a  penalty  of  one  hundred  dollars  ;  and  in 
case  double  duty  had  not  been  paid  the  note  or  bill  was  null 
and  void.  Any  subsequent  party  to  a  note  or  bill  could  relieve 
himself  from  penalty  and  render  the  instrument  valid  by  affix- 
ing stamps  for  double  duty ;  but  did  not  then^by  relieve  the 
parties  previously  in  default ;  and  any  holder  of  a  note  might, 
by  payment  of  double  duty,  render  s.ich  instrument  valid  without 
becoming  a  party  thereto.  To  affix  stamps  already  used  was  a 
misdemeanor  punishable  by  a  fine  of  five  hundred  dollars. 
These  penalties  Avere  incurred  for  each  such  instrument  and  by 
each  such  party  to  them.  Forging,  counterfeiting,  or  imitating 
the  government  stamps,  or  using  or  selling  them  Jcnowing  them 
to  bo  forged,  or  preparing  a  plate  or  die  for  the  purpose  of  the 
forgery,  or  having  such  plate  or  die  in  one's  possession,  or  tear- 
ing off  a  stamp  or  removing  Avriting  or  marks  cancelling  a 
stamp,  Avas  a  felony  punishable  as  forgery,  by  imprisonment  not 
exceeding  twentj-ono  years.  Such  Avas  the  act  passed  for  the 
management  of  revenue. 

10.     The  act  passed  for  the  government  of  the  post-office 
department  repealed  previously  existing  postal  laws  in  these 


I  J 


by 

ing 
em 
the 
ar- 
il 
not 
the 

ice 

586 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


4G1 


provinces,  and  the  wliole  departnient  was  brought  under  the 
Kevi'nuo  Act.  A  department  i)re&ided  over  by  postmasters- 
general,  appointed  1)y  commission  under  the  great  seal,  was 
established  at  Ottawa.  The  governor  was  to  appoint  all  salaried 
l)ostmastcr8  in  cities  or  towns,  the  deputy  postmaster-general 
and  post-office  inspectors  ;  the  postmaster-general,  all  other 
officers  and  servants  of  the  department ;  to  suspend  or  dismiss 
ihem  ;  open  and  dose  m:iil  routes  ;  enter  into  and  entbrco  con- 
tracts ;  make  regulations  respecting  mailable  matter;  establish 
rates  on  such  matter  not  provided  for  in  the  act :  cause  postage 
stamps  and  stamped  envelopes  to  be  prepared  and  issued  ;  make 
arrangements  with  British  or  foreign  postal  authorities,  and  for 
the  refunding  postage  to  military  md  naval  authorities ;  make 
regulations  about  monoy-orders  and  registration  of  letters,  and 
other  regulations,  and  amend  or  repeal  the  same ;  sue  for  and 
recover  postage  and  penalties ;  establish  and  provide  street 
letter-boxes  in  ever}'  cit}^  town,  or  railway  station ;  grant 
licenses  for  the  sale  of  stamps  ;  and  impose  penalties  with  con- 
sent of  the  governor  in  council.  Such  regulations  have  effect 
from  the  day  of  their  pul)lication  in  the  "Canada  Gazette,"  or 
such  subsequent  day  as  is  stated  therein.  The  governor  Avas  to 
appoint  inspectors,  for  such  districts  as  he  might  determine,  to 
superintend  the  due  performance  of  the  mail  service,  the  proper 
discharge  of  their  duties  by  postmasters ;  to  inquire  into  the 
loss  of  letters,  and  generally  to  obey  instructions  of  the  post- 
master-general. The  deputy  postmaster-general  had,  under  tlie 
postmaster-general,  the  general  direction  and  supervision  of  the 
business  of  the  department.  The  officers  and  clerks  of  the 
department  were  to  receive  a  stated  salary,  and  no  other  alloAV- 
ance  or  remuneration  for  extra  work.  The  postmaster-general 
could  grant  reasonable  compensation  to  masters  of  ships  —  not 
post-otfice  packets  —  for  the  conveyance  of  letteis  beyond  the 
sea,  and  the  governor  in  council  could  make  regulations  pro- 
bulk  at  certain 


hibitiuff 


.^  such  ships  from  breaking  bulk  at  certain  ports  m 
Canada  until  such  letters  have  been  delivered.  No  one  but 
the  postmaster-general  and  officers  under  him  could  collect, 
convey,  and  deliver  letters  in  Canada,  under  a  penalty  of  twenty 
dollars,  except  letters  sent  by  a  private  friend  or  by  messenger 
sent  on  purpose  about  private  affairs  of  sender  or  receiver. 
Documents  relating  to  proceedings  in  court  of  justice  ;  letters 
addressed  to  a  place  out  of  Canada  sent  by  sea  and  private  ves- 
sel, or  brought  into  Canada  and  there  delivered  at  nearest 
post-office  ;  letters  to  consignees,  etc.,  about  cargo,  goods,  etc., 


I 

»i'.-  'i 


'■  II 


m 


|M|i|MlHli 


i         iJ 


r„r.. 


X 


'  ir 


1 1 


402 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


and  can  i 0(1  without  foe,  or  cuiTied  by  other  coinmou  carriera 
respecting  goods,  if  they  carried  them  without  payment,  Avei*e 
exempt,  but  such  letters  could  not  be  collected  for  the  })urposo 
of  so  sending  them.  Tvo  person  was  obliged  to  send  newspapers 
or  other  piinted  matter  l)y  ])()st.  In  cases  of  illegal  sending 
letters  could  be  seized  and  charged  with  postage  by  any  revenue 
officer.  The  postmaster-general  could  establish  branch  offices 
in  any  cil}',  and  employ  carriers  to  deliver  letters  and  papers 
and  receive  not  more  than  two  cents  each  for  such  delivery,  or 
could  make  the  delivery  free,  charging  one  cent  per  half  ounce 
on  local  or  drop  letters  besides  the  drop-letter  rate.  He  could 
make  i-cgulalions  and  tix  rates  for  a  parcel  [)ost.  Letters  and 
other  mailable  matter  addressed  to  or  sent  by  the  governor,  or 
any  department  at  the  seat  of  government,  or  the  speaker  or 
chief  clerk  of  the  Senate  or  of  the  House  of  Commons,  or  a  mem- 
ber of  either  house  at  the  seat  of  government,  during  the  session 
of  Parliament,  or  the  ten  daj's  next  befoni,  were  free.  The 
speaker  and  chief  clerk  of  cither  house  could  send  public 
documents  and  printed  papers  to  any  member,  and  members 
could  send  documents  i)rinted  by  order  of  either  house,  free,  at 
any  time.  Letters,  etc.,  about  post-otKce  business  could  be 
sent  free  under  regulations  of  the  postmaster-general.  Petitions 
and  addresses  to  either  of  the  provincial  Legislatures,  and 
l)iipers  i)rinted  by  their  order,  could  be  sent  free  under  regu- 
lations of  the  postma;  ter-general.  From  the  time  mailable 
matter  was  posted,  it  became  the  property  of  the  person  to 
Avhom  it  was  addressed.  The  postmaster-general  was  not  lial)le 
for  any  such  matter  lost,  nor  could  it  be  seized  or  detained  by 
legal  process  while  in  the  custody  of  the  department.  Any  letters 
remaining  undelivered  and  advertised,  or  which  could  not  be 
forwarded,  are  sent  as  dead  letters  to  the  department,  and  there 
opened  and  returned  to  the  senders,  subject  to  any  unpaid 
postage  and  five  cents  additional,  or  otheiAvise  disposed  of. 
ISIoney  in  letters  whose  owner  could  not  be  found  was  carried 
into  the  postal  revenue,  but  a  special  account  kept  of  it,  so  that 
it  could  bo  paid  over  when  the  owner  was  found.  The  bill 
likewise  provided  for  the  details  of  the  mail  service  at  consider- 
able length. 

11.  Public  Works  Department.  An  act  respecting  the 
public  works  of  (^anada  constituted  a  department  presided  over 
by  the  minister  of  public  works,  who  was  to  be  appointed  by  the 
governor-general,  who  also  appointed  deputy,  secretary,  chi(^f 
engineer,  and  such  other  officers  as  might  be  necessary.     No 


I*  1   *   I' 


LI;      .'  ' 

erf:;  '■' 


ENGLAND,   AND   THE   TNITED   STATES. 


403 


pontriut  or  deed  houiul  the  dcpiirtinoiit  or  government  which 
was  not  8i<rned  and  Headed  hy  nnnister,  or  deputy  and  secretary. 
The  governor  might  at  any  time  recjuire  an}'  person,  corpora- 
tion, or  i)rovincial  authority,  to  deliver  ui>  maps,  phms,  rei)orts, 
etc.,  relating  to  pul)lic  works  under  control  of  this  department. 
AH  works,  records,  and  imi)lements  for  improving  the  naviga- 
tion, all  works  for  facilitating  the  transinission  of  timher,  roads, 
bridges,  public  buildings  and  railways,  the  provincial  steamers, 
and  other  property  in  hands  of  former  provincial  govenunenls, 
including  tlu^  ordnance  property  transferred  to  Camida  and 
placed  under  the  control  f)f  tlu^  pnblit^  works  department,  was 
vested  in  her  majesty,  and  under  the  control  of  the  minister  of 
public  works,  except  those  works,  etc.,  transferred  to  the  i)rov- 
inces,  to  municipalities,  private  con»panies,  or  other  parties,  or 
placed  under  the;  control  of  another  dej)artinent,  or  works  aban- 
doned and  left  to  the  control  of  nnmicipalities.  The  governor 
might,  froip  time  to  time,  by  proclamation,  declare  any  work 
purchased  or  constructed  at  publii;  expense,  and  not  transferred 
to  the  provinces,  to  bo  works  under  this  act,  and  subject  to  tho 
public  works  department.  All  [)ublic  works  thereafter  con- 
structed or  completed  at  expense  of  Canada  must  be  imder  its 
control.  Ko  warr.mt  for  money  voted  for  any  public  work 
could  issue  without  certilicatc  of  the  minister  of  public  works  or 
his  deputy.  He  could  rcipiire  accounts  of  contractors  to  l)o 
attested  by  oath,  and  might  send  for  and  examine  parties  on 
oath  respecting  business  of  department.  iVnnual  re})oit  is  to 
be  made  to  governor  and  submitted  to  Parliament.  Tenders 
were  to  be  invited  for  all  works,  except  in  cases  of  j>ressing 
necessity.  When  it  was  deemed  expedient  that  lowest  tender 
should  not  be  taken,  case  to  be  rejjorted  to  governor  and  his 
authority  obtained.  Sufficient  security  in  all  cases  to  be  taken, 
and  no  work  to  be  begun  or  i)ayment  made  till  contract  is  duly 
executed.  The  minister  of  pul)lic  works  can  authorize  persons 
in  emplo}'  of  the  department  to  enter  upon  any  property,  private 
or  public,  for  the  purposes  of  survey  for  [)ul)lic  works.  Surveys 
made  by  employe  of  the  public  works  (lepaitment  should  have 
same  force  and  authority  as  if  made  by  provincial  land  sur- 
veyor. The  minister  of  public  works  might  take  possession  of 
any  property  necessary  for  public  work,  and  might*  acquire  a 
good  title  from  ciu'ators  to  parties  incapable  of  contracting, 
which  as  between  j)rivate  parties  would  not  be  good.  By  his 
agents  he  nnght  take  wood,  sand,  or  other  materials  fr<mi  any 
uncleared  lauds  for  public  works,  and  open  temporary  roads  to 


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HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


them,  and  might  turn  necessary  drains  upon  private  property, 
making  duo  compensation,  such  compensation  to  be  paid  within 
six  months  after  it  has  been  agreed  upon  or  appraised.  Before 
taking  posseasicn  of  property  the  minister  of  public  works  might 
tender  the  reasonable  value,  and  three  days  thereafter  take  the 
property.  When  owners  were  not  residents  on  the  property, 
ho  advertised  his  intention  to  take  possession.  He  might  alter 
the  line  of  any  public  road,  and  remove  fences  and  construct 
ditches  during  the  time  the  work  was  going  on,  repairing  the 
damage  after  its  completion.  The  governor  might  appoint  a 
board  of  arbitrators,  to  consist  o£ not  more  than  four  members, 
to  whom  all  claims  for  laud  or  other  property  taken  by  the  pub- 
lic works  department,  and  for  any  damages  done,  and  for  any 
deductions  from  accounts  for  work,  might  be  referred  by  the 
minister,  after  he  had  tendered  what  he  conceived  a  sufficient 
compensation.  He  might  refer  them  to  one  or  more  ;  but  the 
decision  was  subject  to  appeal  to  the  board  when  not  referred 
to  the  whole  board.  Claims  had  to  be  filed  within  twelve 
months  after  they  arose.  Works  required  for  defence  by  gov- 
ernor in  council,  or  declared  to  be  public  works,  and  claims  for 
land  taken  for  the  same,  or  damage  done,  or  enforcement  of  the 
obligation  to  keep  ground  free  from  obstructions,  may  be  dealt 
with  under  this  act ;  which  should  not,  however,  diminish  pow- 
ers already  possessed  by  the  secretary  of  state  for  war.  The 
governor  in  council  may,  by  order,  impose  tolls  for  the  use  of 
the  public  works,  to  bo  always  payable  in  advance.  Vessels 
running  the  rapids  in  the  St.  Lawrence  were  liable  for  dues  as 
if  they  passed  through  the  canals.  Her  majesty's  troops  were 
exempt  from  tolls,  and  horses  and  vehicles  employed  in  her 
majesty's  service ;  but  not  vessels  on  canals  conveying  them. 
Collector  might  recover  tolls  in  pivil  courts,  and  penalties  were 
recoverable  before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  might  be  levied 
on  goods  and  chattels,  in  default  of  which,  offender  might  be 
committed  to  jail.  Any  goods  on  a  vessel  or  vehicle  seized  for 
tolls,  dues,  or  fines,  were  liable  therefor,  to  whomsoever  they 
belong.     Tolls  on  public  roads  might  be  let  out  to  farm,  and 


farmer  has  the  same  right  as  to  collection  as  collector.  The 
governor  in  council  might  make  regulations  respecting  manage- 
ment and'use  of  public  works,  and  impose  fines  for  their  infrac- 
tion noi  exceeding  four  hundred  dollars,  and  authorize  seizui*es 
and  sales  of  property  for  payment  of  penalties  or  damages. 
The  laws  respecting  railways  and  public  works,  theretofore  in 
forcd  in  Ontario  and  Quebec,  were  extended  to  New  Brunswick 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


465 


and  Nova  Scotia,  so  that  any  person  breaking  regulations  of 
governor  in  council,  or  of  a  railway  company,  so  as  to  cause 
an  accident  or  increase  the  danger  thereof,  was  punishable  at 
the  discretion  of  the  court,  by  a  line  of  not  more  than  four  hun- 
dred dollars,  or  imprisonment  not  exceeding  live  years,  or  both. 
If  no  such  injury  was  done  or  danger  caused,  the  penalty  was 
fifteen  or  thirty  days'  pay. 

12.  The  foregoing  summary  gives  the  pith  of  a  few  of  the 
laws  enacted  at  the  session  of  the  Dominion  Parliament  opened 
on  the  Gth  of  November,  18G7,  and  adjourned  on  the  21st  of 
December.  Pu  suant  to  adjournment.  Parliament  was  reopened 
on  the  12tli  of  March,  1868,  and  prorogued  on  the  22d  of  May, 
at  which  session  other  very  important  laws  were  enacted,  of 
which  the  following  is  a  sunmiary  of  such  as  enter  into  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  nation  permanently  :  An  act  to  secure  the  inde- 
pendence of  Parliament  was  passed,  which  provided  that  no 
person  was  eligible,  or  could  sit  in  the  House  of  Commons,  who 
held  any  office  of  emolument  under  the  government  of  Canada, 
except  members  of  the  privy  council,  or  those  holding  any  one 
of  thirteen  offices  then  held  by  the  privy  councillors,  except 
iilso  one  commissioner  of  the  inter-colonial  railwav,  and  officers 
of  the  army,  navy,  or  militia ;  but  stall'  officers  of  the  militia 
drawing  regular  salaries  were  also  disqualified.  Contractors 
with  her  majesty,  or  a  department,  with  respect  to  the  public 
service  of  Canada,  or  under  which  any  money  of  Canada  was 
to  be  paid,  were  disqualified,  and  their  election  was  to  be  null 
and  void,  and  if  any  such  should  sit  and  vote,  each  should  for- 
feit tv/o  thousand  dollars  for  each  day.  On  accepting  office  or 
a  contract  from  the  government  a  member  vacated  his  seat,  but 
on  accepting  one  of  the  thirteen  cabinet  offices  he  could  be  re- 
elected. This  law  was  susceptible  of  a  sweeping  interpretation, 
and  has  recently  given  considerable  trouble  in  the  house. 

13.  The  Civil  Service.  A  law  was  enacted  providing  for 
the  organization  of  the  civil  service,  but  it  did  not  generally 
apply  to  what  is  termed  the  "outcido  service"  («*.e  ,  servants 
away  from  the  seat  of  government) ,  of  the  customs,  post-office, 
inland  revenue,  and  public  works  departments,  which  arc  placed 
under  the  special  supervision  of  the  separate  departments.  The 
departmental  stafi' consists  of  four  classes,  viz.  :  1.  Deputy  (or 
permanent  non-political)  heads.  2.  Officers  or  chief  clerks. 
3.  Clerks.  4.  Probationary  clerks.  No  one  can  be  appointed 
to  any  situation  younger  than  eighteen,  nor  older  than  twenty- 
five  years.     If  an  elder  person  be  appointed  for  special  capac- 


466 


HISTORY  OF   DO?*IINION  OF  CANABA, 


li  K : 


ity  by  the  head  of  department,  he  must  first  report  the  same 
to  the  governor  in  council  for  approval,  and  the  candidate  pass 
a  special  examination ;  and  if  ovev  forty  the  case  nmst  also 
be  reported  to  Parliament.  Ministers  may  appoint  private  sec- 
retaries, to  receive  not  over  six  hundred  dollars  ;  but  they  do 
'not  thereby  become  members  of  the  civil  service,  and  retire 
upon  the  retirement  of  the  appointing  minister.  All  appoint- 
ments and  promotions  aro  made  by  the  governor  in  council, 
upon  recommendation  of  the  head  of  department.  A  candi- 
date must  pass  an  examination  before  the  civil  service  Ijoard, 
and  produce  satisfactoiy  evidence  us  to  his  age,  health,  and 
character.  lie  enters  as  a  probationary  clerk,  at  three  hundred 
dollars  per  annum.  At  the  end  of  a  year  he  may  bo  promoted 
to  a  clerkship,  or  he  may,  with  an  additional  iifty  dollars,  be  kept 
for  a  second  3'car's  probation.  If  then  he  do  not  show  satisfac- 
tory proof  of  cajjacity  hr  nmst  leave  the  service.  Clerks  arc 
divided  into  three  classes,  first,  second,  and  third.  The  third- 
class  clerk  receives  four  hundred  dollars,  with  an  increase  of 
fifty  dollars  per  annum  up  to  six  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  ;  but 
he  must  serve  not  less  than  five  years  in  that  class.  The  second 
class  is  divided  into  two  parts,  junior  and  senior.  The  junior 
commences  with  seven  hundred  dollars,  and  rises  by  fifty  dol- 
lars per  annum  to  one  thousand  dollars,  but  must  serve  iu  t'lat 
rank  five  years.  Tho  senior  begins  with  one  thousand  dollnrs, 
with  the  same  annual  increase  up  to  one  thousand  four  huuvh-ed 
dollars,  but  is  eligible  at  any  time  for  promotion  into  the  first 
class.  The  first  clerk  receives  not  less  than  one  thousand  two 
hundred  dollars  per  annum,  with  the  same  annual  increase  up 
to  one  thousand  eight  hundred  dollars.  A  first-class  clerk  is 
always  eligible  for  promotion.  An  officer  or  chief  clerk  receives 
such  additional  salary  as  may  be  fixed  for  their  special  duties 
by  tlic  governor  in  council.  If  he  have  no  special  duties,  then 
four  hundred  dollars  may  be  allotted  to  a  first-class  clerk,  with 
rank  of  chief  clerk.  In  each  department  one  deputy  head  is 
provided  for,  and  two  in  that  of  the  minister  of  finance,  viz.  : 
the  auditor-general  and  the  deputy  inspector-general.  They 
are  appointed  by  commission  under  the  great  seal,  and  are  paid 
such  salaries  as  aro  fixed  by  the  governor  in  council.  They 
have,  under  their  political  heads,  general  control  of  their  re- 
spective departments.  In  the  absence  of  a  deputy  head,  an 
officer  or  chiof-clerk  may  be  named  to  supply  his  place.  The 
act  likewise  provides  at  great  length  for  the  details  of  the 
service. 


■ 


EXGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


467 


14.  Department  of  Justice.  Ah  act  was  i)assecl  provid- 
ing for  a  department  of  justice,  Avith  a  minister  of  justice  at  its 
head,  tiie  minister  to  he  ex-officio  attorney-general,  with  duties 
and  powers  such  as  liavc  been  possessed  hy  attorney-generals  in 
England  and  in  British  America,  relating  to  the  adniinistratiori 
of  the  laws  confided  to  the  government  of  the  Dominion.  A 
deputy  and  a  full  staff  of  clerks  are  provided. 

15.  The  Militia.  The  act  passed  in  18G8  creates  a  de- 
partment, and  provides  for  the  militia  and  defence  of  the 
Dominion.  The  command  is  vested  in  the  queen,  to  be  exer- 
cised by  her  representative.  A  department  of  militia  is  con- 
stituted, having  control  of  all  expenditures  for  militia  or  defence, 
with  deputy,  clerks,  etc.  The  militia  consists  of  all  male 
British  subjects  between  eighteen  and  sixty,  who  are  to  be  called 
out  to  serve  in  the  following  order  of  classes,  viz.  :  first  class, 
eighteen  to  thirty,  unmarried;  second,  from  thirty  to  forty-five, 
unmarried  ;  third,  eighteen  to  forty-five,  married  ;  fourth,  forty- 
five  to  sixty.  AVidowers  Avithout  children  rank  as  unmarried  ; 
with  them,  as  married.  It  is  also  divided  into  the  active  and 
reserve.  The  active  inchides  the  volunteer,  the  regular,  and 
the  marine  militia.  The  regular  militia  arc  thoso  who  volimtarily 
enlist  to  serve  in  the  same,  or  men  balloted,  or  in  part  of  both. 
The  marine  militia  i..  made  up  of  persons  whose  usual  occupa- 
tion is  on  sailing  or  steam  craft  navigating  the  wq,ters  of  the 
Dominion.  Volunteers  are  to  serve  for  three  years.  Corps 
now  (18G8)  formed  may  coiitinue  under  the  new  law.  They 
were  to  be  assembled  before  the  1st  of  January,  1809,  the  terms 
of  the  act  explained,  and  those  who  have  not  given  notice  for 
discharge  sworn  in  anew.  New  volunteer  corps  may  be  accepted. 
Persons  who  have  served  three  3'ears  continuously,  and 
who  apply  for  discharge  on  or  after  the  1st  of  0(!toljer,  18G8, 
or  have  hehn  duly  discharged  within  a  year  previous  thereto, 
after  such  continuous  service  for  the  full  term  of  their  enlist- 
ment, are  exempt  from  ballot  for  regulars  until  other  classes 
are  exhausted.  Six  montlis'  notice  for  discharge  is  required. 
The  regular  and  marine  militia  arc  to  serve  for  two  years,  and 
thence  until  other  men  arc  taken  in  their  stead.  Having  served 
two  years  and  been  discharged,  they  cannot  again  be  enrolled 
until  all  the  men  of  the  first,  second,  and  third  classes  in  their 
company  division  have  h:id  their  tu'-n.  Militia-men  in  the 
maritime  provinces  who  have  completed  their  term  of  ser- 
vice during  the  year  ending  1st  of  October,  1808,  are  in  like 
maimer  exempt.     Nino   military  divisions  are  provided  for: 


I 


Ml 


m 


468 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


Nova  Scotia  to  form  one,  New  Brunswick  one,  Quebec  three, 
and  Ontario  four.  Her  majesty  may  alter  these,  and  may  sub- 
divide into  brigade,  regimental,  and  company  divisions.  For 
each  regiment  there  is  to  be  appointed  a  lieutenant-colonel 
and  two  majors  of  reserve  militia  ;  for  each  company  a  t-aptain, 
lieutenant,  and  ensign.  The  company  otficers  are  to  enrol  the 
militia  on  or  before  the  28th  of  February,  18G9,  and  ii\  Feb- 
ruary in  each  subsequent  year.  Their  rolls  to  be  sent  to  the 
lieutenant-colonel,  who  makes  up  and  sends  regimental  roll  to  the 
adjutant-general.  Enrolment  is  embodiment.  Judges,  clergy, 
men  professors,  teaching  in  religious  orders,  officers  of  the 
penitentiary,  infirm  persons,  the  only  son  of  a  widoAV  and  her 
support,  are  exempt  from  enrolment.  Half-pay  and  retired 
officers,  seafaring  men,  pilots,  and  apprentice  [)ilots,  and  teachers 
can  only  be  called  on  to  serve  in  war.  Quakers  and  Tunkers 
may  be  exempted.  All  exemptions  must  be  claimed  and  sup- 
ported by  affidavit.  The  active  militia  to  consist  of  cavalry, 
field  artillery,  r  junted  infantry,  engineers,  garrison  artillery, 
infantry,  and  naval  and  marine  corps.  Horses  may  be  enrolled. 
A  military  train,  a  medical  staff,  and  commissariat  and  hospital 
and  ambulance  corps  may  be  formed.  Every  active  militia-mau 
must  sign  a  roll  and  take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  Volunteer 
corps  may  make  regulations  of  their  own,  subject  to  ap- 
proval. Each  company  division  must  furnish  its  quota  ac- 
the  number  on  the  rolls.  It  receives  credit  for 
or  serving  either  iu  it  or  a  contiguous 


cording  to 

every  man  volunteering 

rcgir;ontal  division.  A  volunteer  corps  disbanded  must  bo 
replaced  by  ballot.  When  enough  men  do  not  volunteer,  or 
when  a  vacancy  occurs  b}^  death  or  otherwise,  a  ballot  must  be 
resorted  to.  Not  more  than  one  son  in  a  family  can  be  taken 
imless  the  number  enrolled  fall  short.  When  a  company  has 
furnished  more  than  its  quota,  it  cannot  again  be  called  on  for 
its  full  number  till  the  others  have  furnished  as  many.  A  man 
drawn  may  be  exempted  b}-^  providing  a  substitute,  or  paying 
thirty  dollars  to  the  captain ;  but  if  his  substitute  is  afterwards 
drawn,  he  must  again  •su[)ply  his  place.  The  governor  iu 
council  may  make  regulations  about  enrolment  and  ballot.  Any 
corps  of  actual  militia  may  be  called  out,  on  requisition  of  the 
mayor,  wai'den  or  two  justices  of  the  peace,  by  the  deputy- 
adjutant-gcneral  or  brigade-major  of  the  district,  or  command- 
ing officer  of  corps,  in  aid  of  the  civil  power,  and  receive 
therefor  —  officers,  the  regular  pay  of  army  officers,  and  two 
dollars  extra  per  diem  for  horse ;  and  private  one  dollar  per 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


4G9 


day,  and  extra  one  dollar  for  horse.  An  adjutant-general  is 
to  be  appointed  who  has  attained  the  rank  of  staff'-otlicer  in  the 
regular  army,  to  have  rank  of  eolonel,  and  the  military  command 
and  control  of  the  discipline  of  the  militia ;  salary  three  thou- 
sand dollars  per  annum.  There  is  to  be  a  deputy  adjutant-general 
at  head-quarters,  with  salary  of  two  thousand  two  hundred 
uoUars,  and  one  in  each  military  district  with  one  thousand 
two  hundred  dollars,  — each  to  have  rank  of  lieutonant-eolonel. 
Such  other  statf-officers  at  such  sahuy  as  the  governor  in  council 
may  appoint.  Officers  now  (18(58)  holding  rank  in  the  militia 
may  be  put  on  the  retired  list  with  or  without  a  step  to  those 
below  a  lieutenant-colonel.  None  can  be  called  on  to  serve 
below  his  rank.  No  one  can  bo  appointed  aa  officer  of  active 
militia  (except  provisionally)  without  a  military-school  or  board 
certificate.  Officers  of  the  regular  army  may  be  exemi)ted  from 
this  rule.  No  higher  rank  than  lieutenant-colonel  can  be  given  in 
peace,  except  to  the  adjutant-general.  In  war,  rank  may  go 
up  as  high  as  major-general.  Relative  rank  of  officers  the  same 
as  in  the  army.  Senior  officers  in  uniform  to  command  on 
parade  or  service,  but  substantive  rank  takes  precedence  of 
provisional,  and  army  of  militia.  The  clothing,  arms,  and 
accoutrements  are  to  be  such  as  prescribed  by  her  majesty. 
Officers  to  furnish  their  own  ;  others  to  last  for  live  years. 
Only  to  be  used  on  duty.  Any  damage  done  to  them  to  be  re- 
covered from  the  captain,  and  by  him  from  men,  except  fair 
wear  and  tear  and  unavoidable  accident.     Arms  and  accoutre- 


ments to  be  left  in  armory,  or  in 


ch  rge  of 


the  connnandins 


officer.  Militia-  men  leaving  Canada  nuist  deliver  up  uniforms, 
arms,  and  accoutrements  in  possession,  and  take  acquittance, 
otherwise  are  liable  for  embezzlement.  Forty  thousand  acdvo 
mllitia-men  ai'e  to  be  drilled  each  year.  In  regimental  divisions, 
where  there  are  volunteer  corps,  regular  militia  only  sufficient 
to  complete  quota  arc  to  be  drilled.  The  drills  are  not  to  be 
less  than  three  hours  per  day,  during  not  less  than  eight  nor 
more  than  sixteen  days  per  anninn.  Allowance,  fifty  cents  pe^ 
day,  sevcnt3'-fivo  cents  extra  per  horse.  Officers  of  the  reserve 
militia  may  also  be  ordered  out  for  drill.  Occasional  drills 
without  pay  are  provided  for.  Her  majesty  may  dispense  with 
drills  in  certain  cases  and  places.  Inspections  are  provided  for. 
Provision  is  made  for  rifle  ranges  at  or  near  the  head-quarters 


of  reffimental  divisions.     The 


governor  m 


council 


under 


f,.."^ '^ -"-  p"- -■—'  i»iiy. 

regulations  made  in  that  behalf,  aid  the  erection  of  drill-sheds 
and   armories.      Military    schools    may    be    established    and 


I 


470 


IIISTOUY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


l« 


carried  on  imdor  r-'gulalious  of  the  governor  in  council.  Her 
mnjesty  may  order  ciunps  of  instruction  foi  military  school  men. 
She  may  sanction  rille  and  drill  associations.  I'rovision  is 
made  for  military  instruction  in  schools  or  colleges,  and  fur- 
nishing arms  and  accoutrements  therefor.  The  otiicer  com- 
manding a  district  may,  in  any  emergency,  call  out  the  militia 
therein  for  service  till  her  majesty's  pleasure  is  known.  Her 
majesty  may  call  all  out,  in  case  of  war,  and  may  })lace  them  under 
the  connnand  of  the  commander  of  her  majesty's  regular  forces. 
The  poiod  of  service  in  war  is  one  year,  which  may  bo  ex- 
tended by  six  months.  AVhen  called  out  for  actual  service  they 
are  to  receive  the  i)ay  of  the  regular  army,  or  such  other  as  tho 
governor  in  council  may  order.  (Since  lixed  at  fifty  cents  for 
privates,  and  non-connnissioned  officers  in  j)roportion,  and  free 
rations,  or  an  allowance,  in  lien  thereof.)  They  are  to  bo  then 
subject  to  the  queen's  regulations  and  articles  of  war.  Flogging 
not  allowed.  Captains  nuist  keep  accurate  rolls,  and  lieutenant- 
colonel,  or  commanding  officer  of  Ijattalion,  nuist  see  that  ho 
does  so.  Any  militia-man  called  out  for  service,  and  not  attend- 
ing for  seven  days,  may  be  punished  as  a  deserter.  Compen- 
sation is  to  be  made  to  men  disabled  in  service,  and  to  tho 
families  of  those  killed.  The  governor  in  council  may  make 
regulations  respecting  the  transport,  cantoning,  and  billeting 
of  militia  on  sr>rvice.  Provision  is  made  for  courts  of  inquiry 
and  court-martials,  with  powers  and  modes  of  procedure  like 
those  of  the  regular  ai-my.  Sentence  of  death  may  bo  pro- 
nounced cnly  for  "mutiny,  desertion  to  the  enemy,  traitorously 
delivering  up  any  garrison,  fort,  post,  or  guard,  or  traitorous 
correspondence  Avith  the  enem3\"  Any  otiicer  Avho  claims  pay 
for  drill  by  men  not  duly  attested  or  belonging  to  his  corps,  or 
includes  such  person  in  a  parade  state,  and  any  non-connnis- 
sioned officer  or  private  claiming,  or  taking  ])ay  for  drill  not 
performed  with  his  own  corps,  is  guilty  of  misdemeanor,  and  is 
also  lial)le  to  court-martial.  Any  officer  or  non-connnissioned 
officer  retaining  pay  of  men  is  guilty  of  misdemeanor,  and  is  to 
be  dismissed  from  the  service ;  or  if  he  sign  a  false  parade 
state  roll  or  pay-list  ho  is  punishable  for  misdemeanor,  and  like- 
wise by  court-martial.  Any  person  refusing  to  give  information 
reijuired  under  this  act,  or  giviugfalseinformation,  forfeits  twenty 
dollars  for  each  item.  Every  officer  refusing  to  make  the  roll 
forfeits  tifty  dollars,  and  non-commissioned  officer,  twenty-five 
dollars.  Every  militia-man  refusing  to  take  the  oath,  when 
drafted,  may  bo  imprisoned  for  six  months,  and  twelve  months 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


471 


L'O- 


not 

is 
ncd 

to 
•ade 
ike- 
Lion 
!nty 
roll 
-live 
rheii 
nths 


more  for  each  subsoqiicnt  refusal  to  do  so.  Personating  another 
person  on  parade  is  a  misdemeanor  i)nnishal)lc  by  a  line  of  one 
hundred  dollars.  Persons  incur  a  iine  of  ten  dollars  if  an  olHccr, 
and  live  dollars  if  a  private,  etc.,  for  refusing  to  attend  drill. 
Of  live  dollars  for  interrupting  drill,  and  may  be  taken  into  cus- 
tody till  drill  is  over;  of  twenty  dollars  for  officer,  and  ten 
dollars  for  private,  etc.,  for  insolent  or  disorderly  behavior 
towards  superior  officer;  of  four  dollars  for  'ailing  to  keep 
arms  and  accoutrements  in  good  order;  and  v.^'  twenty  dollars 
for  disposing  of  any  articles  served  out,  besides  any  greater 
punishment  which  the  law  may  prescribe.  Kefusing  to  turn  out 
to  aid  civil  power,  forty  dollars  for  officer,  twenty  dollars  for 
private,  etc.  llesisting  draft,  or  dissuading  mili+ia-man  from 
performance  of  his  duty,  one  hundred  dollars,  or  si.x  months' 
imprisonment.  Penalties  arc  recoverable  before  a  justice  of  the 
peace  on  complaint  of  the  adjutant -general  or  officer  acting  for 
him,  against  officers,  and  of  officer  connnanding  battalion  or  com- 
pany or  adjutant  against  men,  in  the  disti'ict  or  county  where 
the  offence  is  committed.  Notice  or  orders  need  not  be  in  Avrit- 
ing.  General  orders  are  sufficiently  notified  by  publication  in 
"Canada  Gazette;"  regimental  orders  by  publication  in  local 
paper,  or  .posting  at  place  of  Avorship,  or  other  public  place  in 
each  company  division. 

10.  Secretary  of  State.  This  act,  provided  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  department  of  the  secretary  of  state  of  Canada, 
who,  under  the  original  bill,  should  also  be  register-general  and 
superintendent  of  Indian  afiairs.  It  provided  that  all  Indian 
moneys  iu  all  the  provinces  were  to  be  paid  to  the  receiver-gen- 
eral, etc.  That  no  transfer  of  Indian  lands  should  be  valid 
without  the  consent  of  the  council  of  the  tribe,  given  in  pres- 
ence of  the  secretary,  or  some  one  deputed  by  him,  or  the  gov- 
ernor in  council,  to  attend.  No  intoxicating  liquors  could  be 
introduced  or  used  at  such  meeting.  The  penalty  for  selling  or 
giving  intoxicating  liquors  at  any  time  to  an  Indian,  except  in 
case  of  illness,  and  then  by  order  of  a  physician  or  clergyman, 
was  twenty  dollars  for  each  offence.  Things  pawned  for  liipior 
by  an  Indian  could  not  be  kept.  Presents  from  goveinmcnt 
Avere  not  liable  to  seizure  for  debt.  To  be  within  the  act  and 
hold  jiroperty  with  a  tribe,  a  person  must  bo  of  Indian  l)lood, 
reputed  to  belong  to  the  tribe,  or  must  reside  among  them, 
having  some  Indian  blood,  or  must  be  a  woman  lawfully  married 
to  a  person  of  one  of  the  above  classes,  or  be  the  oll'spring  issue 
of  such  marriage  of  descendants  of  such  ofl'spring.  None  but  such 


472 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


I  ;  '  (8 


persons  could  settle  on  Indian  lands ;  and  unauthorized  persons 
might  be  removed  by  warrant  from  the  secretary,  or  his  agent, 
and  might  be  arrested  and  imprisoned  it'  they  returned.  The 
road-work  on  sueh  lands  was  to  bo  performed  under  the  on'  rsof 
the  secretary.  Persons  cutting  timber,  or  removing  stone  from 
Indian  lands,  without  license  Irom  the  secretary,  or  his  agent, 
incurred  a  penalty  of  four  dollars  if  the  thing  removed  was 
under  the  value  of  one  dollar;  if  over,  twenty  dollars.  The 
secretary  was  to  act  for  Indians  in  obtaining  compensation  for 
land  taken,  or  damage  done,  by  a  railway  or  public  woik.  The 
governor  in  council  might  authorize  surveys,  and  might  make 
regulations  about  the  protection  {uid  management  of  Indian 
lands,  and  the  timber  on  them,  imposing  tines  for  breach  of 
them.  The  secretary  also  had  Iho  management  of  the  ordinance 
lands,  and  of  any  other  crown  lands  belonging  to  the  Dominion 
and  not  under  the  control  of  the  public  works.  The  governor 
might  upi)oint  agents  to  carry  out  the  act.  The  governor  in 
council  might  assign  any  part  of  these  duties  of  the  secretary 
to  any  other  member  of  the  privy  council. 

17.  Customs  Department.  An  act  was  passed  creating  a 
dei)artment  of  customs,  with  a  minister,  and  a  commissioner  as 
his  deputy,  and  assistant  commissioner.  It  authorized  a  board 
of  examiners,  and  special  examinations  for  those  to  be  employed 
in  the  department.  It  provided  for  all  the  details  of  the  de- 
partment, which  is  very  extensive.  Laws  were  also  passed 
relating  to  the  currency,  establishing  a  department  of  inland 
revemie,  also  a  department  of  marine  and  tisheries,  and  pro- 
viding harbor  police,  a  quarantine,  hospitals  for  sick  mariners, 
steaml)oat  inspection,  naturalization  of  aliens,  geological  survey, 
railways ;  also  an  act  was  passed  in  relation  to  treason,  riots, 
forger}',  perjury,  felony ;  also  providing  for  i^olico  commis- 
sioners, penitentiaries,  and  a  great  number  of  private  and  local 
acts. 

18.  At  the  close  of  1808  the  population  of  the  four  prov- 
inces of  the  Dominion  was  estimated  at  nearly  four  millions. 
There  had  been  since  1861  a  considerable  emigration  to  the 
United  States,  but  this  had  been  considerably  counterbalanced 
by  a  large  emigration  thence  to  Canada. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


473 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE    DOMINION    OF   CA-S ADA  —  (continued). 

FBOH     18C8   to    1873  —  GOVERNMENT   OF     LORD    LISGAR  —  HANITOOA   AND   DRITtSU 

COLUMBIA. 


1.  Lord  Monck  was  succeeded,  in  1808,  by  Lord  Li.sgar, 
the  Right  Hon.  Sir  John  Young,  IJuron  Lisgar,  P.C, 
G.C.B.,G.C.M.G.  Sir  John  A.  MacdonaUl  still  remained  at 
the  head  of  the  ministry,  but  with  tlie  following  cabinet :  — 


The 

The 

The 
The 
Tlie 
The 
The 
The 
The 
The 
The 
The 
The 


Hon  Sir  Joux  Ai-exandeu  Macdonald,  K.C.B.,  Minister  of  Justice 

and  Attorney-General. 

lion  Sir  George  Etienne  Cautieu,  Bart.,  Minister  of  Militia  and 

Defence. 

lion.  Samuel  Leonard  Tilley,  C'.B.,  Minister  of  Customs. 

Hon.  Sir  Francis  Hixcks,  K.C'.M.G.,  Minister  of  Finance. 

Hon.  Hector  Louis  Lang^vin,  C.B.,  Minister  of  Tublic  Works. 

Hon.  Alexander  AIorris,  Minister  of  inland  llevenue. 

Hon.  Jos.  Howe,  Secretary  of  Stale  for  the  Provinces. 

Hon.  Ldward  Kennv,  President  of  the  Privy  Council. 

Hon.  Peter  Mitchell, 'Minister  of  Marine  and  Fisheries. 

Hon.  Alexander  Cami'uell,  Postma.ster-General. 

Hon.  CiiRiSTtH'iiER  Duncan,  Minister  of  Agriculture  and  Statistics. 

Hon.  James  Cox  Aikins,  Secretary  of  State  of  Canada. 

Hon.  Jean  Charles  Ciiapais,  Keceiver-General. 


The  following  members  of  the  Privy  Council  were  without 
office  :  Hon.  Sir  A.  T.  Gait,  K.C  AI.G.  Hon.  Sir  John  Rose, 
Hon.  Adam  G.  Archibald,  Ilon.W.  P.  Rowland,  C.B.  Parlia- 
ment met  on  the  loth  of  April,  18G9,  and  Avas  prorogued  on 
the  22d  .Tune,  after  a  busy  and  important  session.  The  following 
is  a  summary  of  some  of  the  most  important  acts  passed  :  — 

2.  Nova  Scotia.  This  bill  enacted  that  the  permitted  debt 
of  Nova  Scotia  at  the  union  was  nine  million  one  hundred  and 
eighty  six  thousand  dollars,  interest  being  chargeable  to  her 
on  any  excess,  and  payable  to  her  on  any  amount  by  which  it  is 
less  than  that  sum.  She  was  to  receive  for  ten  years,  from  the 
1st  of  July,  18G7,  eighth-two  thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety- 
eight  dollars  annually,  in  addition  to  payments  under  the 
British  North  American  Act.  She  was  debited  in  account  with 
Canada  for  five  per  cent,  upon  the  cost  of  the  provincial  build- 


a.      f 

h 


W-  !! 


It 

ty 


474 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


jn«?  until  it  should  bo  pluced  at  tlio  disposal  of  the  Dominion. 

"All   sums  Avcro   payal)lo    in    cumuu-y    of   Old  Canada.     This 

was  in  full  settlement  of  all  demands  of  Nova  Scotia    upon 

Canada. 

.'}.     NoRTir-AVEsT.      This    hill   provided  for    the    temporary 

government  of  these  territories,  to  I)o  known,  Avhen  aecpiired, 

as  the  N(n*th-we8t  Territory. 
It  authorized  the  appointment 
of  a  liiMitenant-governor,  who, 
und(>r  direction  of  orders  of  the 
governor  in  council,  was  to  pro- 
vide for  the  administration  of 
justice  there,  and  peace,  order, 


and 


good   government   of    her 


LORD   LISCAR. 


majesty's  subjects  and  others. 
The  governor  in  council  might 
also  appoint  seven  to  liftecn 
councillors  to  aid  the  lieutenant- 
governor.  All  laws  in  force 
there  not  inconsistent  with  the 
British  North  American  Act, 
this  act,  or  the  terms  of  admissions,  Avcre  to  remain  in  force 
till  altered  or  repealed.  All  i)ublic  oilicers  there,  except  the 
chief,  AV(;ro  to  continue  in  office  till  others  were  appointed. 
'  4.  Depautment  of  Fixance.  This  act  provided  for  a  de- 
partment of  finance,  with  the  auditor-general  and  deputy  in- 
spector-general as  deputy  heads.  The  audit  board  was 
subordinate  to  it.  The  governor  in  council  and  minister  of 
linanco  were  given  powxn*  to  distribute  the  work  among  the 
cmi)loyc'S  and  branches  of  the  dc[)artmcnt.  Provision  was  also 
made  for  a  committee  of  council  to  bo  called  the  treasury  board, 
and  to  consist  of  tho  minister  of  finance,  the  receiver-general, 
tho  minister  of  customs,  and  minister  of  internal  revenue,  to 
consider  all  matters  of  accounts  or  finance  submitted  to  it  by 
council,  or  which  they  deemed  necessary  to  bring  imdcr  its 
notice.  Tho  secretary  of  the  board  may  or  may  not  hold  another 
oCaco  in  t!io  civil  service. 

5.  I-MMiGKATioN  AND  Immighants. — This  act  recited  and 
confirmed  tho  agreement  entered  into  between  tho  Canadian 
govcrnraont  and  tho  provincial  governments  of  Ontario,  Quebec, 
and  Ncvr  I>unsv/ick,  by  •which  the  first  maintained  agencies  in 
London,  and  elsowhcre  in  Europe,  and  at  Quebec,  ^Montreal, 
Kingston,  Toronto,  Hamilton,  Ottawa,  Halifax,  and  St.  John, 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITICD  STATES. 


475 


N.IJ.,  and  qu.'ranlino  stutions  at  firosso  Isle,  St.  John,  and 
Ilulitiix ;  it  [jroviU'd  that  tlio  latter  isliould  appoint  to  sneii 
ugeneieti  a.s  they  see  lit  in  Europe  and  in  their  own  provinees, 
and  t'urnifsli  the  department  ofa^rieuUnn;  and  inuni'rration,  and 
agents  abroad,  with  lidl  information  respecting  their  ])oIi('y  of 
settlement,  etc.  Under  tlu5  hiw  Dominion  agents  eouid  reeeivc 
and  expend  any  moneys  furnished  by  any  province  upon  the 
caro  and  forwarding  of  innnigrants  to  such  province,  blasters 
of  vessels  were  to  pay  one  (h)nar  a  iiead  upon  all  immigrants 
over  one  year  of  age  l)rought  into  the  country  with  tlu;  sanction 
of  the  government  of  the  country  whence  they  canu; ;  one  dollar 
and  fifty  cents  on  those  brought  in  without  such  sanction.  The 
law  also  regulated  the  manner  in  wl.uch  innnigrants  should  bo 
brought  out,  providing  for  their  safety  and  comfort. 

G.  Patents  fou  Inventions.  This  act  provided  for  a  patent 
ofKeeprosidedover  by  the  ministerofagriculture  and  statistics,  and 
made  a  branch  of  his  department,  he  becoming  commissioner  of 
patents.  It  has  a  seal  which  all  judges  and  courts  will  recognize  as 
evidence,  lie  makes  rules,  with  the  approval  of  the  governor  in 
council,  to  carry  the  act  into  effect,  notice  being  given  in  the 
"  Canada  Gazette."  X^roceedings  under  this  act  are  reported  an- 
nually. Any  person  having  been  a  rcident  in  Canada  for  one 
year  next  before  his  application,  and  having  invented  or  dis- 
covered any  new  or  useful  art,  machine,  nriimfacturo,  or  com- 
jjosition  of  matter,  or  improvement  thereof,  not  known  or  used 
by  others  before  his  invention  or  discovery,  or  not  being  in 
public  use  or  on  sale  in  any  province  of  the  Dominion,  Avith  con- 
sent of  the  inventor,  may  procure  a  patent  therefor ;  but  no 
patent  shall  issue  for  an  invention  or  discovery  having  an  illicit 
object,  or  for  a  mere  scientific  principle  or  abstract  theorem. 
A  foreign  patent,  taken  not  more  than  six  months  before,  does 
not  disqualify  from  obtaining  the  Canadian.  An  inventor  or 
discoverer  qualified,  as  above,  may  transfer  or  bequeath  his 
right,  and  his  representative  take  out  the  patent.  A  patent  for 
an  improvement  of  a  thing  already  patented  does  not  give  the 
light  to  make  or  vend  such  article,  nor  to  the  original  patentee 
to  make  or  sell  the  article  withtlvJ  improvement.  The  applicant 
must  make  oath  to  the  residence,  and  his  belief  that  he  is  the 
original  and  true  inventor  or  discoverer,  before  a  justice  of  the 
peace  in  Canada,  or  before  a  British  minister,  consul,  etc.,  or  a 
judge  abroad.  He  must,  in  his  petition,  elect  a  domicile  in 
Canada,  and  state  the  place  or  places  wherein,  for  the  year,  he 
was  a  resident  in  Canada.     He  must  set  up  the  title  of  his  in- 


476 


HISTORY  Oy  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


is 


»= 


vention,  etc.,  with  a  short  description,  aiul  allege  all  facts  neces- 
sary to  entitle  liim  to  a  patent  in  his  petition,  and  with  it  must 
send  a  written  specification,  in  duplicate,  describing  his  inven- 
iion  in  such  full  and  exact  terms  as  to  distinguish  it  from  all 
other  similar  contrivances  or  processes.  The  law  also  provided 
for  the  details  of  the  office,  duration  of  patents,  etc. 

7.  Coinage  Offences.  The  act  provided  that  counter- 
feiting current  gold  ov  silver  coin  was  punishable  by  imprison- 
ment for  life,  or  any  lesser  period.  Coloring  coins  or  mettils, 
with  intent  to  pass  them  as  genume  coin,  or  mauufacturo  them 
to  be  so  passed,  or  to  make  genuine  coin  pass  for  coin  of  a 
higher  value,  the  same.  Impairing  or  lightening  coin,  fourteen 
years  or  any  less  time.  Filing  or  clipping  it,  seven  years. 
Buying  or  selling  counterfeit  coin  for  less  than  its  apparent 
value,  for  life.  Importing  ii;,  the  same.  Exporting  it,  less 
than  two  years.  Uttering  it,  fourteen  years.  Passing  ligiit 
coin,  one  year.  Possessing  counterfeit  coin,  three  years.  Sub- 
sequent offences,  felony,  for  life.  Uttering  foreign  coin, 
medals,  etc.,  as  current  coin,  one  year.  Defacing  coin  by 
stamping  ^yoi•ds  thereon,  one  year.  A  tender  of  coin  so  defaced 
is  not  logri,  and  uttering  it  is  punishable  by  ten  dollars  fine, 
if  the  attornev-Kcncral  consents  to  the  prosecution.  Counter- 
feiting  foreign  gold  or  silver  coin  not  current  in  Canada,  seven 
years.  Bringing  such  coin  into  Canada,  the  same.  Uttering 
it,  six  months.  Second  oftencc,  two  years.  Any  sulisequent 
oflence,  seven  years.  Having  it  in  possession,  three  years. 
Countci bolting  foreign  coin  other  than  gold  or  silver,  one  3'ear. 
Second  offence,  seven  years.  Making,  mending,  or  havmg 
unlawlully  in  possession  coining  tools,  felony  for  life.  Convey- 
ing the  same  out  of  her  majesty's  mints  into  Canada,  for  life. 
Suspected  coin  may  l)c  cut  or  otherwise  tested  by  any  person 
to  whom  it  is  tendered.  If  genuine,  he  bears  any  loss  ;  if  not, 
the  tenderer.  Revenue  officers  must  cut,  break,  or  deface  all 
light  coin  coming  into  their  possession.  Any  person  finding 
counterf'Llit  coin,  or  materials,  machines,  or  tools  for  coiii'ng,  or 
filings,  or  chippings,  or  dust  from  lightened  coin,  might  at  once 
seize  them,  and  take  them  before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  or  a 
justice  of  the  peace  may  issue  his  warrant  to  seize  the  same  by 
day  or  night.  When  no  Itnger  needed  for  evidence,  such 
coin  or  tools,  etc.,  are  to  bo  defaced,  broken,  or  destroyed. 
The  coin  to  be  cut  or  broken  in  open  court  or  before  a  justice 
of  the  peace.     "Where  offences  have  been  couimitted  in  two 


^^\ 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


47T 


i 


proviiicesj  districts,  or  counties  within  ten  day.i  by  the  same 
person  or  by  confederates,  proceedings  may  be  talvcn  in  eitlicr 
of  them  for  the  whole.  The  evidence  of  a  sur^'cyor  or  officer 
of  the  mint  is  not  necessary  to  prove  a  coin  counterfeit ;  that 
of  any  other  creditable  witness  is  sufficient.  Differences  of 
date  between  the  true  coin  and  counterfeit  is  not  u  ground  for 
acquittal.  The  offence  is  complete,  though  the  counterfeit  coin 
made  or  uttered  is  not  finished.  Any  person  may  arrest  and 
debver  to  a  peace  officer  any  one  guilty  of  an  offence  under 
this  act.  A  person  convicted  of  a  misdemeanor  may  be  fined 
and  ordered  to  find  sureties  to  keep  the  peace  and  be  of  good 
behavior,  instead  of  any  other  penalty  ;  if  convicted  of  felony, 
may  be  ordered  to  find  sureties  in  addition  thereto,  but  no  one 
can  be  detained  more  than  one  year  for  the  failure  to  find  sure- 
ties. Laws  were  also  passed  for  the  punishment  of  forger}', 
injuries  to  the  person,  larceny,  iujury  to  property,  perjury,  and 
a  long  list  of  other  offences.  A  very  lengthy  act  relatiug  to 
the  duties  of  justices,  summary  convictions,  etc.,  was  also 
passed  at  this  session,  besides  a  vast  number  of  local  and 
private  acts. 

8.  In  1869-70  Confederation  had  already  greatly  increased 
the  importance  of  British  North  America  in  the  eyes  of  the 
whole  world.     The  best  evidence  of  this  fact  %vas  to  bo  found 


in  the  augmented  flow  of  innnigration  to  our  shores.  It  is 
estimated  that  twenty-five  thousand  immigrants  settled  in  the 
different  provinces  during  1870.  This  is  a  marked  increase 
over  previous  years,  and  indicates  tLi  t  since  the  union  we  have 
received,  as  we  deserve,  increased  attention  from  foreign  coun- 
tries. But  there  were  comparatively  few  abroad,  —  and  not  so 
very  many  even  among  ourselves,  —  who  fully  appreciatetl  the 
vast  extent  of  our  territory,  the  amplitude  of  our  resources,  the 
general  excellence  of  our  institutions,  and  the  important  future 
which,  with  anything  like  wise  statesmanship  on  the  part  of 
our  rulers,  is  certainly  in  store  for  this  country.  With  the 
single  exception  of  Russia,  the  Dominion  of  Canada  embraces 
the  largest  area  of  territory  of  any  country  in  the  world.  This 
may  surprise  those  who  have  not  closely  examined  their  maps, 
but  it  is  borne  out  by  facts.  Our  neighbors,  the  people  of 
the  United  States,  who  sometimes  speak  as  if  the  whole  con- 
tinent were  theirs,  have  to  take  a  secondary  place  to  the 
Dominion  when  boundaries  come  to  be  discussed.  The  Do- 
minion territory,  even  in  1870,  was  as  follows  :  — 


i    I 


478 


niPTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


Province  of  Ontario 
"  Quebec 

"  Nova  Scotia 

«'  New  Brunswick 

••  Manitoba   . 

Northwest  Territories,  say   . 

Total  area 


121,2G0  i 

square  miles 

210,020 

18.CG0 

27,105 

13,000 

2,737,000 

2,127,045 


9.  Adding  to  these  figures  the  area  of  British  Cohimbia, 
whidi  was  afterwards  admitted,  220,000  square  miles,  and 
Prince  Edward  Island  2,100,  Ave  find  the  full  size  of  the 
Dominion  of  Canada  to  be  no  less  than  3,349,045  square  miles  I 
Counting  these  important  provinces  as  part  of  the  Dominion, — 
as  they  now  are,  —  it  occupies,  in  point  of  size,  the  second 
place  among  the  nations,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  state- 
ment of  the  areas  of  the  ten  larorest  countiies  :  — 


Russia  .... 
Dominion  of  Canada  . 
Brazil    .... 

United  States 

Australian  Colonies 

Turkey 

China    .... 

Mexico  .... 

British  India 

Arffentine  Confederation 


7,012,874  i 

3quare  miles 

3,127,041 

2,408,104 

2,999,848 

2,582,070 

1,812,048 

1,297,999 

1,030,442 

933,722 

842,789 

10.  Much  of  our  enormous  territory,  it  must  be  frankly  ad- 
mitted, is  unavailable.  We  have  our  Siberia,  over  portions  of 
which  the  foot  of  civilized  man  has  never  trodden,  and  which, 
from  its  coldness  and  sterility,  will  never  be  fruitful  or  habit- 
able. But,  after  making  due  allowance  for  these  inhospitable 
regions,  the  Dominion  still  embraces  an  area  of  fertile  territory 
sufficiently  large,  Avith  r/?sourccs  suflScicntly  varied  and  inex- 
haustible, to  be  able  to  furnish  homes  for  at  least  100,000,000 
of  the  human  race.  The  natural  resources  of  the  Dominion  are 
abundant  t\nd  varied.  Prominent  among  these  am  our  forests, 
which,  for  extent,  Avealth,  and  beauty,  are  unmatched.  It  is 
estimated  that  the  timber  districts  in  the  valleys  of  the  Sague- 
nay,  St.  Maurice,  Ottawa,  Trent,  and  on  the  shores  of  Huron 
and  Superior  —all  in  the  provinces  of  Ontario  and  Quebec  — 
covvor  no  less  than  297,711  square  miles.  As  regards  the  w^ealth 
of  our  forests,  statistics  have  set  down  the  annual  value  of 
the  lumber  and  timber  produced  by  the  whole  Dominion  at 
^30,000,000.   This  estimate  is  in  all  probability  below  the  mark, 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


479 


for  our  exports  of  lumber,  in  18G8-9  alone,  amounted  to 
$19,838,963,  which  would  leave  only  a  little  over  $11,000,000 
worth  for  our  entire  home  consun)ption*  Beauty  is  but  a 
secondary  consideration  ;  but  wo  may  be  pardoned  for  mention- 
ing it,  Avhen  poets  have  sung  the  glories  of  Canadian  woods, 
and  beggared  language  to  depict  the  gorgeous  coloring  of  th« 
dying  tbliage.  Of  our  agricultural  capabilities  the  extent  ol 
our  annual  exports  afford  satisfactory  evidence.  The  farming 
lands  of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick  are  much  like  those 
of  the  New  England  States ;  those  of  Ontario  produce  crops 
second  to  none  on  tho  continent,  and  the  extensive  prairies  of  the 
North-v,'o.st  arc  now  known  to  be  unsurpassed  for  depth  and  rich- 
ness of  soil.  The  fisheries  of  the  Dominion  come  next  in  impor- 
tance. Both  our  deep  sea  and  fluvial  fisheries  are  valuable  ;  the 
former,  which  lie  along  the  coasts  of  the  maritime  provinces,  are 
admittedly  superior  to  all  others,  and  furnish  this  invaluable 
article  of  food  to  a  large  portion  of  Western  Europe  as  well  as 
America.  We  have  no  means  of  estimating  the  quantity  taken 
annually  by  French  fishermen ;  but  Mr.  F.  II.  Dor])y,  an  ex- 
cellent authority,  estimated  the  catch  of  cod  and  mackerel  by 
New  England  fishermen  at  $12,000,000  a  few  years  ago,  three- 
fourths  of  which  were  taken  in  our  waters.  Our  annual 
exports  of  produce  of  the  fisheries  (including  Newfoundland, 
which  contributes  the  most)  amount  to  nearly  $9,000,000,  and 
the  home  consumption  may  bo  set  down  at  $3,000,000  more. 
They  gave  employment  to  about  50,000  fishermen  and  15,000 
vessels  and  boats.  This  portion  of  the  Dominion's  resources 
exhibits  no  signs  of  exhaustion,  and  now  that  restrictions  have 
been  placed  on  the  fishing  of  foreigners,  must  speedily  increase 
in  value  and  productiveness.  Our  mineral  wealth  is  abundant. 
It  lies  scattered  over  every  portion  of  our  territory,  inviting 
development.  In  the  maritime  provinces,  coal,  iron,  and  gold 
mines  are  regularly  and  successfully  worked ;  Ontario  and 
Quebec  possess  iron,  copper,  silver  and  gold  in  paying  quanti- 
ties ;  in  the  north-west  territories  there  are  coal  measures  said 
to  bo  large  enough  to  supply  the  whole  of  America  for  ages ; 
and  if  we  were  to  cast  our  eyes  across  the  Rocky  Mountains  to 
our  Pacific  provinces,  we  might  see  the  noble  Fraser  river 
"coursing  over  800  miles  of  its  golden  bed,  and  cutting  in 
twain  mountains  of  silver  and  copper  and  iron."  The  annual 
produce  of  our  mines  now  (18G9)  falls  little  short  of  $2,500,- 
000,  but  this  affords  little  indication  of  the  ample  field  which 


480 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


our  mineral  resources  offer  to  capital  and  labor.  The  past 
progress  of  the  Dominion  in  wealth  and  population  has  been 
satisfactory.  In  1867  a  well-informed  statistician  estimated 
the  realized  wealth  of  British  America,  exclusive  of  railways, 
canals,  public  buildings,  etc.,  at  $1,136,000,000.  It  is  be- 
lieved this  is  now  (1861)),  at  least,  considerably  beneath  the 
mark.  The  gross  property  of  Great  Britain  in  1868-9  was 
estimated  by  Mr.  R.  Dudley  Baxter  to  be  worth  $30,000,000,- 
000,  which  gives  nearly  $1,000  to  each  individual,  and  Mr. 
David  A.  Wells  estimates  that  of  the  United  States  at 
$23,400,00Q,000  currency,  or  $600  for  each  person.  Al- 
lowing only  $200  to  each  person,  and  taking  our  popula- 
tion to  be  4,283,103, — which  is  the  estimated  number  at 
January,  1871,  — the  total  realized  property  of  the  Dominion 
would  be  $1,713,241,200.  As  the  evidence  of  the  rapid  accu- 
mulation of  wealth  we  may  refer  to  the  returns  of  our  mone- 
tary institutions.  Their  business  has  greatly  increased  of  late 
years.  In  the  hands  of  building  societies  there  are  now  fully 
$6,000,000,  and  the  deposits  in  the  government  and  other 
savings-banks,  principally  the  earnings  of  the  poorer  classes, 
are  about  $7,000,000.  The  deposits  in  the  banks  of  Ontario 
and  Quebec  have  trebled  —  increased  200  per  cent.  —  since 
18601 

11.  The  following  remarks  on  the  industries  and  resources 
of  Canada  is  from  a  paper  written  by  James  Young,  Esq.,  M.P. 
of  Gait,  Ont.,  in  1870,  and  to  be  of  interest  to  the  reader  its 
date  must  be  constantly  borne  in  mind  :  — 


The  populaticii  of  the  Dominion  is  larcfer  than  was  the  population  of  the 
United  States  when  they  asserted  and  achieved  their  independence.  Their 
numbers  were  then  alJout  3,000,000 ;  the  inliabitants  of  the  provinces,  if 
the  rate  of  increase  during  tliis  decade  has  equalled  the  last,  numbered 
4,149,959  at  the  beginning  of  1870,  and  will  be  4,283,103  by  the  first  of 
January,  1871.  The  population  of  the  whole  of  British  America  is  calcu- 
lated to  be  4,701,309,  and,  if  the  past  rate  of  increase  be  maintained,' it  will 
be  6,441,000  in  1881 ;  8,825,000  in  1891,  and  12,000,000  by  the  close  of  the 
century.  If  we  turn  to  the  records  of  our  annual  commerce,  we  find  no 
evidence  of  dulness  or  stagnation,  but  cheering  signs  of  progress.  Noth- 
ing more  surely  indicates  the  true  condition  of  a  counti-y  than  its  trade 
returns,  and  Canada  has  no  cause  to  fear  such  a  test ;  indeecl,  when  numbers 
are  considered,  we  have  3ome  reason  to  feel  proud  of  the  extent  to  which 
our  commerce  with  foreign  countries  has  swollen.  Confirmation  of  this  will 
be  found  in  the  following  statement  of  our  total  trade  (both  imports  ant* 
exports),  during  each  year  since  1850,  the  figures  being  those  of  Ontaric 
and  Quebec  alone  up  to  the  date  of  confederation,  after  which  those  of  Nova 
Scotia  and  New  Brunswick  ai*8  included :  — 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


481 


Year. 
1850 
1851 
1852 
1853 
1854 
1856 
1856 
1857 
1858 
1859 


Total  Trade. 

Year. 

Total  Trade. 

829,703,497 

1860      . 

.   $68,9.55,093 

34,805,461 

1861     . 

.     76,119,843 

35,594,100 

1862     . 

.      79,398,067 

55,782,739 

1863     . 

.     81,458,335 

63,648,515 

1864  9  year  . 

.     34,586,064 

64,274,630 

1864-5 . 

.     80,644,961 

75,631,404 

1865-6 . 

.      96,479,738 

66,437,222 

1866-7 . 

.     94,791,860 

52,550,461 

1867-8 . 

.    119,797,879 

58,299,242 

1868-9 . 

.    119,411,514 

It  will  bo  observed  by  these  statistics  that  the  volume  of  our.  annual 
trade  increased  from  $29,000,000  in  1850,  to  $68,000,000  in  1860,  —  more 
than  doubled  in  ten  years,  and  has  nearly  doubled  again  since  1860,  having 
amounted  to  $119,411,514,  in  1868-69.  Adding  on  the  amount  of  coin  and 
bullion  infjjorted  and  exported  (which  is  excluded  from  all  the  above 
returns),  the  gross  transactions  of  the  Dominion  in  1869  were  over 
$127,000,000.  Few  countries  possess  better  means  of  transportation,  both 
by  wat«r  and  by  ra?'  The  heart  of  the  Dominion  rests  in  the  lap  of  the 
finest  fresh-water  lakes  on  the  globe,  whose  great  outlet,  the  St.  Lawrence, 
passes  with  majestic  flow  through  our  territory  to  the  ocean ;  the  north-west 
contains  numerous  lakes  and  rivers  not  less  grand  and  beautiful,  if  at  pres- 
ent less  known  and  appreciated ;  whilst  the  front  of  the  Dominion  rests  on 
the  Atlantic,  whence  our  fleets  sail  into  every  navigable  sea.  The  natural 
navigation  has  been  improved  by  an  elaborate  and  eflicient  lanal  system, 
whose  aggregate  length  is  two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  miles,  and  whose 
construction  cost  close  upon  $20,000,000.  When  the  projected  enlargement 
of  these  canals  is  can-ied  out,  the  St.  Lawrence  must  become  the  chief  high- 
way for  the  products  of  the  great  West  to  reach  the  ocean,  and  it  requires 
no  effort  of  imagination  to  picture  the  time  when  the  immense  production  of 
the  interior  will  crowd  every  avenue  of  transportation,  and  the  sparkling 
waters  of  this  noble  river  will  be  whitened  with  sails.  Our  railway  facilities 
are  abundant.  With  the  exception  of  the  American  Pacific,  we  can  boast,  we 
believe,  of  possessing  the  longest  single  line  of  railroad,  and  we  are 
acquainted  with  no  country  so  sparsely  populated  which  has  exhibited 
greater  enterprise  in  the  construction  of  these  useful  works. 

In  referring  to  the  proposed  Canadian  Pacific  Railroad,  we  may  state 
that  if  ever  any  considerable  portion  of  the  trade  of  Western  Europe  with 
India,  China,  Japan,  and  other  Oriental  lands,  can  be  carried  on  across  the 
American  continent,  it  must  be  through  our  territory.  The  writer  con- 
fesses, however,  to  some  scepticism  in  regard  to  so  great  a  change  in  the 
course  of  Eastern  trade,  particularly  since  the  great  work  of  M.  De  Lesseps, 
the  Suez  Canal,  has  become  an  accomplished  fact.  But  Lord  Bury  said  in 
England,  some  years  aj^o:  "  Our  trade  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  with  China 
and  with  India,  must  ultimately  be  carried  on  through  our  American  pos- 
sessions ; "  and  the  late  D'Arcy  McGee,  more  than  once  during  his  more 
eloquent  utterances,  pictured  the  productions  of  the  Orient  passing  across 
this  continent  througlx  British  territory  to  Europe.  Should  such  hopes  be 
realized,  and  a  revolution  take  place  in  the  ct>urse  of  Oriental  trade,  the 
advantages  wliich  a  Canadian  Pacific  Railroad  would  have  over  American 
lines  are  undoubted.  The  most  obvious  advantage  would  be  a  saving  of  at 
least  five  hundred  miles  in  distance.  The  following  is  the  estimated  distance 
by  each  route  from  Liverpool  to  the  Pacific  Ocean :  — 


482 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


i;ii 


American  Pacific  Route. 

From  Liverpool  to  New  York  . 
••     New  York  to  San  Francisco    . 

Total  number  of  miles    . 


2,980  miles 
3,300     " 

___    '• 

6,280     •' 


Canada  Pacific  Route. 

From  Liverpool  to  Montreal     . 
*•     Montreal  to  Thunder  Bay 
"     Thunder  Bay  to  mouth  of  Fraser  river 

Total  number  of  miles    . 


2,740  miles 
1,030     " 
1,97!)     " 


5,749 


These  figures  show  a  difference  of  five  hundred  and  thirty-one  miles,  but 
besides  this  all-important  advantage,  our  route  possesses  several  others 
which,  it  is  believed,  would  secure  it  the  preference.  These  are  as  follows : 
1st,  the  western  country  through  which  the  Canadian  Pacilte  llailway 
would  pass,  is  rich  and  fertile ;  tor  a  long  distance  the  American  road  runs 
through  a  desert;  2d,  the  passes  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  our  territory 
are  over  eleven  hundred  feet  lower  than  those  our  neighbors  have  to 
climb  over;  3d,  above  the  fortieth  parallel  the  snow-fall  near  these  moim- 
tains  is  comparatively  trifling,  seldom  more  than  ten  inches  ;  the  Americans 
have  had  to  erect  some  twenty  miles  of  sheds  to  prevent  their  trains  being 
buried  in  avalanches  of  snow ;  and  last,  but  not  least,  we  have  abundance 
of  cheap  coal,  both  in  the  Red-river  country  and  British  Columbia, — 
whilst  our  neighbors  have  no  suitable  coal  for  steam  purposes  within 
hundreds  of  miles  of  the  Pacific  slope,  and  the  line  of  steamers  now 
between  San  Fnancisco  and  the  East  cannot  start  upon  their 


running 


voyage  until  they  have  sent  seven  hunilred  and  eighty  miles,  to  Nan- 
aimo,  in  British  Columbia,  for  the  coal  necessary  to  keep  their  engines 
working.  In  case  of  close  competition,  these  circumstances  must  inevita- 
bly give  superiority  to  the  Canadian  Pacific  route.  The  Dominion  of 
Canada  possesses  one  element  of  national  strength  and  prosperity  which 
has  attracted  marked  attention  among  foreign  nations,  but  the  importance 


of  which  is  probably  not  fully  realized  by  many  among  ourselves.    We 
refer  to  our  maritime  power.    During  the  great  debate  m  Parliara 
confederation  sometiiing  was  said  about  British  America  becoming 


rliaraent  on 
the 
fourth  maritime  power  In  the  world ;  "  but  how  few  have  fully  realized  the 
importance  of  the  fact  that,  with  the  exception  of  Great  Britam,  the  United 
States,  and  France,  this  country  possesses  a  larger  tonnage  of  inland  and 
sea-going  vessels  than  any  other  power  in  the  world.  The  following  sta-t 
tistics  of  the  pi'incipal  merchant  natives  are  taken  from  the  **  Statesman's 
Year  Book,"  for  1870,  and  prove  the  justness  of  our  claim  to  rank  fourth 
in  the  list :  — 


Countriei. 

Kumber  of  Craft. 

Kumber  of  Tons. 

Great  Britain   . 

22,250 

6,510,434 

United  States  . 

23,118 

4,318.309 

France     .... 

15,637 

1,042,811 

Dominion  of  Canada 

7,591 

899,096 

Italy        .... 

17,788 

815,521 

Norway  .... 

6,215 

796,876 

Prussia    .... 

1,4G0 

406,612 

Spain       .... 

4,840 

867,790 

ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


483 


Countries. 

Netherlands 
Austria    . 
Ilussia 
Denmark 


Number  of  CmK 

2,117 

7,830 
2,192 
3,132 


Number  of  Ton*. 

2G7,696 

324,415 

,       180,U!)2 

175,564 


The  number  of  fibhermen  and  other  seamen  in  the  various  provinces, 
according  to  the  census  of  1871,  was  G"),25().  There  cannct,  therefore,  be 
less  than  75,000  persons,  besides  their  families,  dependent  for  their  living 
on  the  deej),  and  who,  in  times  of  trial,  v.ould  be  found  a  stronj^  arm  of 
defence.  Jn  ship-building  we  have  heretofore  taken  a  prominent  place. 
In  a  single  year  our  ship-yards  have  turned  out  six  hundred  and  twenty- 
ei^ht  vessels  of  all  sizes,  weighing  in  the  aggregate  230,312  tons,  and  of 
which  we  sold  to  the  value  of  $9,1)00,000  in  gold.  From  various  causes 
this  industry  has  not  been  so  prosperous  of  late  years,  but,  having  abun- 
dance of  timber,  and  cheap  means  of  production,  we  do  not  despair  to  see 
it  revive. 

Not  the  least  of  the  attractions  of  the  Dominion  are  the  moderate  cost 
of  living  and  low  rate  of  taxation.  Whatever  may  be  the  material,  intel- 
lectual, or  social  advantages  of  a  country,  if  the  people  are  oppressed  with 
financial  or  other  burdens,  these  advantages  might  as  well  not  exist  so  far 
as  the  masses  are  concerned,  for  they  can  only  be  enjoyed  by  the  opulent 
few.  -But  we  know  not  where  to  lind  a  country  in  which  the  necessaries 
of  life  are  cheaper,  or  the  iiscal  burdens  press  more  lightly  uiion  the  com- 
munity. 

On  the  30th  of  April,  1870,  the  net  amount  of  the  public  debt  of  Canada 
was  $77,432,901,  and  if  we  add  the  surplus  debt  to  be  assumed  by  the 
provinces  of  Ontario  and  Quebec,  $10,937,976,  we  find  the  gross  amount 
to  be  $S8, 370,937.  Without  wishing  to  underrate  this  sum,  or  detract  in 
the  slightest  degree  from  the  conclusive  arguments  in  favor  of  keeping  our 
indebtedness  within  the  smallest  possible  compass,  still  the  amount  cannot 
be  considered  heavy  when  compared  with  the  public  debts  of  other  coun- 
tries. For  the  purpose  of  comparison,  Ave  append  the  ibllovving  statement 
of  indebtedness  of  some  of  the  principal  nations,  and  all  of  the  Australian 
colonies.  It  was  preparetl  b}'  an  American  writer,  and  is  sutficiently  near 
correct  for  our  present  purpose :  — 


Countries. 

Total  Debt. 

Annual  Interest. 

Int.  per  nead 

Great  Britain 

$3,753,420,000 

$125,840,00 

$4.28 

United  States 

2,4.53,559,735 

130,094,242 

3.75 

France    . 

2,013,600,000 

121,000,000 

3.16 

Austria  . 

1,210,000  000 

63,920,000 

1.96 

Italy 

1,094,040,000 

82,280,000 

3.70 

Belgium 

Spam      .        .        .        , 

135,520,000 

7.200,000 

1.42 

793,700,000 

19,360,000 

1.14 

Prussia  (old) 

285,560,000 

9,080,000 

0.36 

Russia    .        .         .        . 

1,282,000,000 

63,240,000 

0.70 

Peru       .        .        .        . 

104,000,000 

9  680,000 

3.40 

Brazil     .        .        .        . 

110,100,000 

9,680,000 

0.98 

Canada  .        .        .        . 

72,000,000 

3,030,000 

0.98 

New  South  Wales 

29,040,000     - 

1,306,800 

3.16 

New  Zealand 

24,200,000 

1,210,000 

5.98 

Queensland   . 

7,200,000 

435,600 

4.94 

South  Australia 

3.872,000 

33,81)0 

2.14 

Tasmania 

2,420,000 

145.2(10 

1.48 

Victoria 

43,500,000 

1,790,800 

3.06 

484 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


:  * 


The  calculations  for  Canada  in  the  above  table  were  basetl  on  the  returns 
of  18(i7,  and  are  now,  of  course,  a  little  below  the  mark.  As  we  have 
already  seen,  the  net  amount  of  the  Dominion  debt,  as  furnished  by  Mr. 
Langton,  is  (in  round  numbers)  $77,000,000,  and  the  gross  amount, 
$10,000,000  more  ;  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  former  requires  about  $1.04 
per  head,  and  on  the  latter  sum,  $1.17.  For  the  purpose  of  comparison 
with  other  countries,  tlie  net  debt  and  interest  are  the  proper  figures  to 
taiie,  and  when  these  are  placed  beside  the  obligations  of  other  countries 
the  contrast  is  not  unfavorable  to  us. 

The  pressure  of  the  indebtedness  of  a  country  cannot  be  correctly  ascer- 
tained unless  its  assets^  and  the  ability  of  its  people  to  pay,  are  taken  into 
account.  Wo  may  mention,  however,  that  wnilst  it  would  take  about  $122 
to  pay  off  the  public  debt  of  Great  Britain,  $73  from  the  people  of  France, 
and  $04  for  our  neighbors  in  the  United  States,  it  would  require  less  tlmn 
$25  for  each  ])erson  to  enable  us  to  set  every  creditor  at  defiance.  Turning 
to  the  Australian  colonies,  a  good  authority  contains  statistics  which  show 
that  it  would  take  $77  i)er  head  from  each  inhabitant  to  liquidate  the  in- 
del)tedness  of  Xew  South  Wales,  $90  that  of  Victoria,  and  no  less  tlian 
.$17;5  tliat  of  New  Zealand!  This  indebtedness  appears  to  be  enormous; 
but  it  must  be  I'emembered  that  the  position  of  these  splendid  colonies  is 
at  present  abnormal.  With  small  populations,  they  have  invested  largely 
in  railroads ;  these  return  interest  upon  the  capital  employed,  Imt  have  been 
constructed  more  with  a  view  to  the  future  than  the  present.  After  making 
due  allowance  for  these  considerations,  however,  the  financial  burdens  ot 
the  Dominion,  when  compared  with  theirs,  appear  to  be  light  and  trifling. 

The  last  published  government  returns  estimate  the  annual  taxation  of 
the  people  of  Canada,  for  Dominion  purposes,  to  be  $3.53  per  head.  At 
the  pi  ^ent  time  it  must  be  a  trifle  more.  Our  annual  revenue  is  now 
about  $15,000,000.  If  we  divide  this  amount  among  four  millions  of 
inhabitants,  the  contribution  required  from  each  person  would  be  $3.75. 
This  rate  must  be  considered  under  rate.  In  Great  Britain  the  revenue 
collected  averages  a  little  over  $11,  in  France  a  trifle  over  $10,  and  in  the 
United  States  —  with  which  the  comparison  is  moi-e  just  —  the  average  for 
each  individual  fell  last  year  to  within  fraction  of  $9.50.  This  does  not, 
however,  include  the  State  taxation  of  our  neighbors,  to  which  we  have 
nothing  analogous.  In  New  York  the  State  tax  runs  about  $1. GO,  which 
•would  make  the  yearly  taxation  of  the  people  of  that  State  $11.10  as  com- 
jjared  with  $3.75  in  this  country. 

Among  twenty-eight  ditt'erent  nations,  whose  statistics  have  been  ex- 
amined, only  Bi'azil,  Norway,  Sweden,  Turkey,  and  Switzerland  contrib- 
uted less  revenue  per  head  than  the  people  of  the  Dominion,  and,  when 
ability  to  pay  is  considered,  our  burdens  may  be  said  to  be  lighter  than 
theirs.  Under  these  circumstances  this  country  can  justly  claim  —  and,  it 
is  to  be  hoped,  will  long  continue  —  to  be  one  of  the  most  lightly  taxed 
communities  in  the  world. 

Of  the  institutions  of  the  Dominion — political,  scholastic,  and  relio;- 
ious,  there  is  no  necessity  to  say  much.  Though  doubtless  capable 
of  improvement,  few  countries  possess  better,  or  enjoy  a  lai'ger  meas- 
ure of  civil  and  religious  liberty.  Our  system  of  government,  foimded 
mainly  on  the  principles  of  the  British  constitution,  combines  the  free- 
dom of  a  republic  with  the  stability  of  a  monarchy,  and  affords,  at 
once,  the  utmost  security  to  life  and  property,  and  the  fullest  liberty 
to  the  subject.  Our  municipal  and  educational  systems  are  working  ad- 
mirably. Of  the  latter,  although  not  the  same  in  all  the  provinces,  there 
are  good  reaspns  to  feel  proud,  for,  at  our  common  and  grammar  schools, 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


485 


and  provincial  colle<jes,  the  child  of  th(!  poorest  citizen  may  receive,  almost 
"without  money  and  without  price,"  an  education  second  only  to  tliat  of  an 
English  University.  'Tis  thus  the  Dominion  of  Canada  appears  in  its 
fourth  year.  What  of  the  future?  Tliat  depends  on  the  wisdom  and 
patriotism  of  its  people.  There  are  in  British  America  tiie  stones — tlie 
materials  —  lyin<j  read}^  to  build  up  an  imposing  national  edifice.  It  is 
second  only  to  Russia  in  point  of  size.  Its  natural  resources  in  lands,  in 
forests,  in  mines,  and  in  fisheries,  are  i)ractically  inexhaustible.  Its  past 
progress  in  wealth  and  population  has  been  wtisfactory.  It  possesses  lu'st- 
class  canals,  railways,  and  Avater  communication  ;  the  volume  of  its  annual 
commerce  has  swelled  to  $130,000,000;  i'  merchant  marine  occupies  the 
fourth  place  among  the  navies  of  the  world,  and  its  institutions  are  in 
keeping  with  the  intelligence  of  the  age.  AVhen  we  add  that  it  is  one  of  the 
most  lightly  taxed  and  cheapest  countries  in  the  world  to  live  in,  no  far- 
ther evidence  is  required  to  prove  that  wo  have,  in  the  Dominion,  not 
simply  an  invaluable  heritage,  but  one  which  possesses  all  the  natural 
resources  necessary  to  enable  us  to  build  up  a  now  and  powerful  nationality 
on  the  northern  part  of  this  continent. 

12.  The  session  of  Parliament  of  1870,  which  opened  on  the 
15th  of  February  and  was  prorogued  on  the  12th  of  May, 
found  Sir  John  A.  Macdonald  still  at  the  head  of  the  ministry, 
with  the  folio'.v  ing  cabinet :  — 

The  lion.  Sir  Jony  Alexander  Macdoxald,  K.C.B.,  Minister  of 
Justice  and  Attorney-General. 
The  Hon.  Sir  Geo.  Et.  Cautieu,  Bart.,  Minister  of  Militia  and  Defence. 
The  Hon.  Saml.  Leonaud  Tilley,  C.B.,  Minister  of  Customs. 
The  Hon.  Sir  Francis  IIincks,  K.C.M.G.,  Minister  of  Finance. 
The  Hon.  IIectou  Louis  Langevin,  C.B.,  Minister  of  Tublic  Works. 
The  Hon.  Alexander  Morris,  Minister  of  Inland  Revenue. 
The  Hon.  Joseph  Howe,  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Provinces. 
The  Hon.  Charles  Tupper,  C.B.,  President  of  the  Privy  Council. 
The  Hon,  Peter  Mitchell,  Minister  of  Marine  and  Fisheries. 
The  Hon.  Alexander  Campbell,  Postmaster-General. 
The  Hon.  Christopher  Dunkin,  Minister  of  Agriculture  and  Statistics. 
The  Hon.  James  Cox  Aikins,  Secretary  of  State  of  Canada. 
The  lion.  Jean  Charles  Chapais,  Receiver  General. 

The  following  members  of  the  Privy  Council  were  without 
ofBce : — 

Hon.  Sir  Alexander  Tilloch  Galt,  K.C.M.G. 

Hon.  Sir  John  Rose,  K.C.M.G. 

Hon.  Sir  Edward  Kennv,  Knt. 

Hon.  William  McDougall,  C.B. 

Hon.  William  Park  Howland,  C.B. 

Hon.  Adams  G.  Archibald. 


The  session  was  an  important  one  in  point  of  legislation.    The 
following  is  a  brief  summary  of  one  of  the  most  important  acts. 


ri 


ISliil! 


486 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


13.  Manitoba.  Tliis  Jict  constituted  a  proviuco  of  Mani- 
toba out  of  that  portion  of  liupcrt's  Land,  etc.,  bounded  by  Dli^ 
west  long.,  50^80'  north  hit.,  9L)°  west  long.,  and  the  boundary 
of  the  United  States,  to  take  effeet  from  the  day  on  which  her 
majesty,  by  order  in  the  council,  should  annex  liupert's  Land  and 
the  North-west  Territories  to  Canada.  The  provisions  of  tho 
British  North  American  Act,  1807,  not  applied  to  other  sepa- 
rate provinces  alone,  were  made  applicable  to  Manitoba.  It 
was  to  be  represented  in  tho  senate  of  the  Dominion  by  two 
members,  till  it  had,  by  census,  lifty  thousand  people,  then  by 
three ;  when  it  had  seventy-tivo  thousand,  by  four.  Li  the 
ilousc  of  Commons,  by  four  members,  until  next  census;  after 
that,  according  to  tho  fifty-fifth  section  of  the  IJritish  North 
American  Act.  There  were  to  bo  a  lieutenant-governor  and  an 
executive  council,  to  consist  of  five  persons  ;  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment, till  otherwise  determined,  to  bo  at  Fort  (jiarry,  now 
Winnipeg.  Tho  Legislature  consisted,  besides  tho  lieutenant- 
governor,  of  a  legislative  council  and  legislative  assembly. 
The  former  to  consist  of  seven  members  for  four  years  ;  after- 
wards might  bo  twelve,  appointed  by  the  lieutenant-governor 
in  her  majesty  s  name,  he  also  appointing  tho  speaker.  Quorum, 
a  majority.  Speaker  to  have  vote  and  casting-vote.  Tho 
legislative  assembly  to  consist  of  twenty-four  members ;  the 
lieutenant-governor  to  organize  the  districts  within  six  months. 
A  bona  fide  householder  for  one  year  before  election,  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  and  a  British  subject,  may  vote.  For  tho 
first  election  having  been  a  householder  at  any  time  within  the 
twelve  months  was  sufficient.  Must  vote  in  division  where  ho 
Avas  resident  at  date  of  the  writ.  For  first  election  tho  lieutenant- 
governor  could  issue  tho  writs  to  whomsoever  ho  thinks  fit,  and 
prescribe  the  forms,  etc.,  of  proceeding.  Duration  of  Assem- 
bly, four  years.  The  right  to  legislate  respecting  education 
could  not  aft'ect  any  existing  right  respecting  denominational 
schools.  xVn  appeal  to  the  governor  in  council  is  granted  to 
tho  minority.  In  case  proper  legislation  was  not  enacted,  or 
decision  of  governor  in  council  is  not  executed,  tho  Canadian 
Parliament  might  make  remedial  laws.  Tho  English  and 
French  languages  Avero  to  bo  used  in  tho  Leirislaturo  and 
courts.  Interest  was  to  be  allowed  to  tho  province  on  four 
hundred  and  seventy-two  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  it  hav- 
ing no  debt,  and  a  subsidy  of  thirty  thousand  dollars  per  anmnu 
and  eighty  cents  per  head,  increasing  till  its  population  reaches 
four  hundred  thousand.     The  present  customs  duties  then  levi- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


487 


abto  ill  Rupert's  I>;uid  wore  continued  for  three  yours.  Such 
laws  vchiting  to  customs  or  inland  revenue,  us  the  governor  in 
council  might  declare,  should  ho  applied  to  the  province.  The 
ungrantcd  lands  were  vc>«tcd  in  tlu;  crown  for  Dominion  pur- 
poses. One  million  four  hundred  thousand  aci'cs  were  api)ro- 
priated  for  the  resident  halt-breed  faniilies,  the  lieutenant- 
governor  to  sot  apart  and  apportion  them  under  regnlations  to 
1)0  made  by  the  governor  in  council,  (irants  in  freehold  by 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  before  the  8th  of  March,  18GU, 
are  contirmed;  if  in  loss  than  freehold,  might  be  converted  to 


th.at  at  desire  of  the  owner.  Titles  by  occupancy  under  the 
company,  in  parts  where  the  Indian  title  has  boon  e.\tinguished, 
should,  it  required,  be  also  converted  by  grant.  Peaceable 
possession  in  such  parts  gave  a  right  of  preemption.  Those 
rights  were  to  be  ascertained  and  adjusted  by  the  lieutenant- 
governor,  under  regulations  to  be  made  by  the  governor  in 
council,  who  should  also  settle  mode  or  form  of  grants.  The 
Lieutenant-Governor  of  Manitoba  was  to  bo  also  lieutenant- 
governor  of  the  unorganized  portion  of  the  north-west  terri- 
tories, etc.,  and  the  act  of  the  previous  session,  except  as 
herein  altered,  was  extended  to  them.  A  vast  amount  of  legis- 
lation was  effected  regarding  Dominion  notes,  banks,  and 
banking,  discipline  on  Canadian  vessels,  and  a  census  "was  to 
be  taken  in  1871,  Avhich  was  duly  provided  for. 

14.  This  act  of  Parliament,  erecting  the  province  of  Mani- 
toba, demands  in  this  place  some  brief  mention  of  that  province 
and  its  previous  history.  This  section,  now  known  as  Mani- 
toba and  the  noi-th-wcst  territories,  was  formerly  called  the 
Hudson  Bay  Territory.  "The  Hudson  Bay  (or  Hudson  Sea) 
is  said  to  have  been  reached  by  Sebastian  Cabot  in  1517.  In 
1523-4  Verrazzani  sailed  up  the  coast  as  far  as  Davis  Straits, 
which  were  reached  by  Davis  in  1585.  Various  other  English 
navigators  sailed  northward  in  quest  of  a  north-west  passage 
to  India ;  but  it  was  not  until  1610  that  Henry  Hudson  reached 
the  straits  and  bay  now  bearing  his  name."  Button,  an  English 
navigator,  visited  the  bay  in  1612,  Bylot  and  Baffin  in  1616, 
and  Fox  and  James  in  1631  ;  Baffin  and  James  bays  were 
traced  out  and  examined  by  those  navigators.  The  early 
French  fur-traders  in  New  France  maintained  commercial  re- 
lations with  this  region  by  way  of  the  Saguenay  river.  The 
Treaty  of  St.  Germain,  in  1632,  contirmed  the  whole  region  to 
France ;  and  De  Grozellicr  and  Eadisson,  two  French  Cana- 
dians, visited  it ;  but  they  failed  to  induce  their  own  govern- 


488 


IlISTOUY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


ment  to  assist  them,  niul  applied  to  Prince  Rupert,  of  England, 
who  entered  unnnly  into  their  scheme,  and  desputehed  tiieni  to 
the  bay  on  a  trading  voyage.  Although  Enghuid  iiad  relin- 
quished her  claim  to  the  region,  Charles  II.  was  induced  to 
grant  a  charter  for  the  trade  in  jxdtrics  in  Kupert's  Land, 
'.vhich  is  the  origin  of  the  famous  Hudson  IJay  Company  char- 
ter of  lUyO.  This  charter  i)roduced  French  and  English  con- 
Hicts  in  the  territory.  In  1G72  M.  Alhincl  and  St.  Simon, 
with  the  consent  of  the  Indians,  erected  tUofteAtr  de  lis  and  the 
cross  at  several  places  in  token,  for  the  third  time,  of  the  sov- 
ereignty of  France.  Having  secured  the  servicesof  Dc  Grozellier, 
the  French  pilot,  the  new  English  Hudson  Bay  Company 
despatched  its  first  expedition  to  Port  Nelson,  on  the  bay,  in 


H')T6.  Do  Grozellier, not  having  remained  faithful  to  his  en- 
gagement with  the  English,  was  dismissed,  and  returned  to 
Europe.  IIo  was  received  with  favor  in  France,  and  returned 
to  Canada  shortly  after  the  French  West  India  Company,  Avhich 
traded  in  Canada,  Avas  dissolved.  In  10(30  another  Franco- 
Canadian  Company  was  formed  at  Quel)ec,  to  promote  trade  at 
the  north-wost,  and  Do  Grozellier  and  Uadisson  were  despatched 
by  it  to  Hudson's  Bay  to  open  a  tratfie.  In  1079  Louis  Jolliet 
was  despatched  by  the  (.Quebec  Company  to  Hudson's  Bay,  "  in 
the  public  interest."  The  intrusion  of  the  English  in  these 
territories  was  keenly  felt  during  this  time.  In  1082  Radisson 
and  Do  Grozellier  were  again  despatched  to  Port  Nelson,  to 
counteract  the  trading  designs  of  the  English.  In  1084  Radis- 
son a  second  time  deserted  his  fellow-colonists,  and  allied  him- 
self to  the  English.  Ho  went  to  London  in  1084,  and  offered 
his  services  to  the  English  Hudson  Bay  Company.  They  were 
accepted,  and  he  was  placed  in  command  of  an  expedition,  con- 
sisting of  live  vessels,  which  were  despatched  in  that  year  to 
capture  the  French  trading-posts  at  the  bay.  This  he  did  with- 
out difficulty.  The  destruction  of  the  French  factories  at  Port 
Nelson  by  Radisson,  in  1084,  led  to  spirited  reprisals  on  the 
part  of  the  company  at  Quebec  ;  and  Chevalier  de  Troyes  and 
D'lbervillo  were  despatched  with  troops  from  Quebec,  and,  in 
1080,  succeeded  in  capturing  the  principal  forts  of  the  company. 
In  1089  the  English  sent  an  expedition  to  retake  their  captured 
forts,  but  M.  D'lberville  defeated  them  and  took  their  ships.  In 
1089  they  again  endeavored  to  accomplish  their  objects,  but 
were  again  repulsed.  D'lbervillo  returned  to  Franco  in  1091  ; 
but  in  i094  ho  was  sent  to  the  bay  with  three  ships  of  war, 
and   completed    the    conquest  of   the  English  forts   at  that 


ENGLAND.  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


489 


place.  At  tlio  treaty  of  l{y.swiek,  in  lO!)?,  and  even  up 
to  1713,  the  Kn«jlish  company  liad  only  Fort  AllMUiy  left. 
At  length  the  contest  between  tin?  rival  colonies  in  tho 
Ilndson  Bay  Territory  virtually  ceased.  IJy  tho  treaty  of 
Kyswick,  entered  into  by  France  and  England  in  inU7,  both 
parties  aj'reed  to  restore  whatever  places  at  the  bay  they  were 
possessed  of  before  tho  war.  C/oniinissioners  were  appointed 
to  dcterinino  this  question  ;  but  they  appear  never  to  have  met. 
At  tho  tinio  of  the  treaty,  however,  Fort  Albany,  on  tho  river 
Albany,  at  tho  cast  side  of  James  Bay,  was  tho  only  placo  in 
tho  territory  in  possession  of  the  English  traders,  and  it  con- 
tinned  in  their  possession  undistnrbed  until  the  treaty  of  Utrecht, 
in  1713.  By  this  noted  treaty  Franco  transferred  to  pjigu.nd 
tho  whole  of  her  rights  to  tho  Ilndson  Bay  Territory,  and  thns 
placed  ft  bar  on  all  tho  trading  privileges  of  her  Canadian  sub- 
jects in  that  part  of  new  Franco.  The  English  Company  has 
since  remained  in  possession  of  tho  territory.  In  17(>(),  varions 
traders,  competitors  of  the  company,  engaged  in  tho  fur  trade. 
Their  head-quarters  were  in  JNIontreal,  and  they  followed  tho 
old  French  routes  into  the  interior.  In  1784  these  traders 
united,  and  formed  the  North-west  Comi)any  of  Canada.  This 
new  company  directed  its  trade  chiefly  to  tho  north-west  via 
Lake  Superior,  towards  tho  Pacific  Ocean  and  Columbia  river. 
In  1793  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie,  a  partner  in  tho  North- 
west Company,  made  his  famous  journey  from  Canada,  across 
tho  Rocky  Mountains,  to  tho  Pacific  Ocean  (tho  first  ever  made 
north  of  Mexico),  and  discovered  Fmser  river.  lie  afterwards 
discovered  and  explored  tho  Mackenzie  river.  In  1811  Mr. 
Thompson,  the  astronomer,  discovered  tho  northern  or  main 
branches  of  the  Columbia  river,  and  descended  its  stream  to 
tho  Pacific  Ocean.  As  we  have  already  seen,  in  1870,  Mani- 
toba (Red  River)  was  set  apart  as  a  province  of  the  Dominion 
of  Canada.  It  was  first  settled  by  Lord  Selkirk,  in  1811.  The 
North-west  territories  include  nominally  tho  following  divi- 
sions:  1.  Labrador;  2.  Prince  Rupert's  Land ;  and  3.  Swan 
River  and  Saskatchewan,  which  w'cre  granted  in  1G70,  by  the 
charter  of  Charles  II.,  to  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  ;  4.  Mac- 
kenzie river;  and-5.  Tho  North-west  Indian  territories,  leased 
by  the  company  in  1821,  and  transferred  to  Canada  in  18G8, 
and  Keewatin,  formed  in  1876  out  of  a  part  of  the  North-west 
territories. 

15.     In  1871  British  Columbia  was  admitted  to  the  Union 
under  the  provisions  of  the  British  North  American  Act  of  1867, 


490 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


which  completed  the  territorial  extent  of  the  Dominion  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  The  discovery  and  early  settlement  of 
the  British  Pacific  coast  is  full  of  interest.  Sir  Francis  Drake 
is  supposed  to  have  gone  as  far  north  on  the  Pacific  coast  as  the 
Juan  de  Fu-ca  Strait  in  1578  ;  and  Cavendish  also  made  some 
discoveries  in  the  North  Pacific  in  1587.  In  that  year  he  cap- 
tured a  Spanish  ship  off  the  coast,  but  put  the  crew  on  shore. 
Juan  do  Fu-ca,  a  Greek  sailor,  and  one  of  the  crew,  was  sub- 
sequently despatched  by  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico  to  make  dis- 
coveries along  the  coast  northwards.  He  is  reported  to  have 
reached,  in  one  of  his  expeditions,  the  strait  which  now  bears 
his  name.  The  Spaniards  made  various  discoveries  along  the 
same  coast  in  subsequent  years  ;  but  it  was  not  until  1778  that 
Captain  Cook,  by  direction  of  the  British  government,  explored 
the  coast  as  far  norih  as  Nootka  Sound.  In  that  year  some 
London  merchants  made  a  settlement  at  Nootka  Sound  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  a  depot  for  Chinese  trade.  In  1779 
Capt.  Moers,  II. N.,  named,  and,  in  part,  explored,  the  Strait 
of  Juan  de  Fu-ca.  In  1792  Capt.  Vancouver,  R.N.,  was  de- 
spatched from  England  to  the  Pacific  to  meet  Seaor  Quadra,  a 
Spanish  commissioner,  and  to  settle  with  him  matters  of  diflcr- 
cnce,  as  to  territory,  which  had  arisen  on  the  coast  between 
England  and  Spain.  Vancouver  was  also  directed  to  explore 
the  adjacent  coast  (with  a  view  to  determine  the  north-west 
passage),  especially  the  strait  itself  and  Admiralty  Inlet.  He 
afterwards,  following  the  course  of  an  American  captain,  threaded 
his  way  through  the  islands  of  the  Gulf  of  Georgia  (named  by 
him  after  George  III.),  to  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound.  Out  of 
compliment  to  the  Spanish  commissioner,  Capt.  Vancouver  as- 
sociated Quadra's  name  with  his  own  in  raming  the  island  ;  but 
it  now  bears  only  the  name  of  Vancouver,  that  of  Quadra  hav- 
ing fallen  into  disuse."  In  1771  John  liearn,  an  employe  of  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company,  was  induced  to  explore  "  the  tar-off  metal 
river"  running  northwards  into  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  thus  dis- 
covered the  Coppermine  river  and  Great  Slave  Lake.  Another 
distinguished  explorer.  Sir  Alex.  Mackenzie,  discovered,  in 
his  first  expedition  into  the  interior,  the  large  I'ivcr,  since 
known  as  the  Mackenzie  river,  which  also  falls  into  the  Arctic 
Ocean.  In  1792,  Avhile  Vancouver  was  exploring  the  coast, 
Mackenzie,  following  up  the  course  of  the  Peace  river,  crossed 
the  liocky  Mountains  into  British  Colnmbia.  Here  he  reached 
the  Tatoucho  Tesse,  which  he  supposed  to  be  the  Columbia 
river,  but  which  afterwards  was  know  as  the   Eraser  river. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


491 


as- 
ibut 
liav- 

tlio 
[etal 
jclis- 
Ither 


From  this  river  ho  crossed  tho  country  towards  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  which  he  reached  J)y  way  of  the  Salmon  river.  In  1800 
Simon  Frascr,  tho  oniployo  of  tho  North-west  Fur  Company  of 
Canada,  explored  the  couiitry  from  Fort  Chippewayah  (Lake 
Athabaska),  crossing  the  llocky  JSlountains,  formed  a  trading- 
post  at  Fraser  Lake,  on  a  tributary  of  tho  river  to  which  wo 
have  referred,  and  which  was  also  named  after  him.  la  1843 
Vancouver  Island  was  first  occupied  by  tho  Hudson  Bay  Com- 
pany, and  Victoria,  tho  capital,  founded.  This  capital  was 
sclect'rd  by  James  Doughis,  Esq.,  tho  governor,  on  behalf  of 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company.  In  1844  tho  boundary  lino  between 
tho  United  States  and  what  is  now  known  as  British  Columbia 
was  determined.  la  1841)  Vancouver  Island  was  conditionally 
granted  oy  tho  queen  to  tho  company,  for  tho  purpose  of  settle- 
ment. Subsequently  a  dispute  arose  between  tho  British  and 
American  governments  as  to  the  construction  of  tho  boundary 
treaty,  both  parties  claiming  the  island  of  San  Juan,  which  is 
situated  in  tho  Iluro  Archipelago,  as  within  their  territory.  In 
185G  a  jomt  commission  w-as  appointed  to  settle  the  dispute, 
but  failed  to  cifoct  a  settlement.  In  1872  tho  Emperor  of 
Gernuay,  to  Avhoni  tho  matter  had  been  referred,  decided 
that  the  boundary  line  should  pass  through  the  Ilaro  chan- 
nel, thus  giving  tho  island  of  San  Juan  to  the  United  States. 
In  1859  gold  was  first  publicly  known  to  exist  in  tho 
valley  of  tho  Frascr  river,  and  thousands  immediately 
flocked  thither.  Mining  regulations  Avero  issued  by  tho 
governor,  and  routes  projected  into  the  interior,  whero 
gold  Avas  chiefly  found.  Tho  existence  of  gold  in  these 
regions  was  proviously  known  to  a  few,  and  especially  to  tho 
Ind'ans.  In  1862  it  was  discovered  in  Queen's  Charlotte's 
Island.  In  tho  year  1859  the  occupation  of  Vancouver  Island 
was  resumed  b}'  tho  queen ;  and  it,  together  with  British 
Columbia  (now  so  noted  for  its  gc^ld  mines),  was  erected  into 
two  British  crown  colonics,  wMtli  separate  boundaries,  but  under 
one  government.  James  Douglas,  Esq.,  the  resident  Hud- 
son Bay  Company's  agent,  or  local  gf)vernor,  was  invested  with 
the  same  authority  l)y  her  majesty,  with  jurisdiction  over  both 
colonies.  Laws  were  iirst  made  by  the  governor  and  his  ex- 
ecutive council  and  promulgated  by  royal  proclamation,  after 
which  they  were  submitted  to  tho  queen  and  both  houses  of 
Parliament.  In  18(53  separate  governors  were  appointed  for 
each  of  the  two  colonies  ;  and  tho  name  New  Westminster  was 
capital  of  British  Columbia  by  the  queen,  at  the 


given  to  tLi 


mm 
Mm 


m 


492 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


request  of  the  inhabitants.  The  site  of  Now  Westminster  was 
selected  by  Colonel  ^Joody,  in  preference  to  Fort  Langley, 
which  is  on  the  American  side  of  the  Fraser  river.  In  18G6 
the  two  colonies  were  united  under  one  governor  and  Legisla- 
ture. In  1871  British  Columbia  and  Vancouver  Island  (as 
one  province)  joined  the  Dominion.  Such  a  union  of  all  the 
colonies  of  British  North  America  Avould,  it  was  thought,  pro- 
mote the  construction  of  the  great  Pacific  Railway,  so  long 
projected^  through  British  territory. 

16.  The  Parliament  of  Canada  opened  in  1871,  with  Sir 
John  A.  Macdonald  still  at  the  head  of  the  government,  and 
with  the  same  cabinet  last  quoted,  except  that  the  Hon.  J.  H. 
Pope  had  taken  the  place  of  Hon.  Christopher  Dunkin  as 
minister  of  agriculture  and  statistics.  The  governor-general,  in 
h's  speech,  alluded  to  the  Fenian  raid;  militia  expenditure  con- 
sequent on  it ;  the  peaceful  settlement  of  the  Red-river  troubles  ; 
the  address  from  British  Columbia  asking  for  admission  into 
the  confederation ;  the  Pacific  Railway ;  the  settlement  of  the 
north-west  country  and  opening  means  of  communication  ;  the 
joint  high  commission ;  the  assimilation  of  the  currency ;  the 
census ;  insurance  companies ;  savings-banks ;  weights  arid 
measures,  etc.,  as  subjects  which  required  the  attention  of 
Parliament.  The  revenue  for  the  previous  year  was  stated  to 
be  in  a  flourishing  condition,  with  a  prospect  of  diminution  of 
taxation. 


~*^p~^ 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 

DOMINION   OF  CANADA  — (co?i<i»Met?). 
FROM  1873  TO  1878  —  government  of  lord  dcfferin. 

1.  In  1872  Lord  Lisgar  was  succeeded  by  Lord  Dufferin, 
the  Right  Honorable  Sir  Frederick  Temple,  Earl  of  Dutferin, 
Viscount  and  Baron  Clandeboye,  etc.,  etc.,  one  of  Her 
Majesty's  Most  Honorable  Privy  Council,  Knight  of  the  Most 
lUustrious'Order  of  St.  Patrick,  and  Knight  Commander  of  the 
Most  Honorable  of  the  Bath.  The  new  governor-general  was 
received  with  great  enthusiasm.  The  Parliament  of  1872  did 
not  open  ui  il  the  11th  of  April.  A  noticeable  feature  was  the 
presence  for  the  first  time  of  members  from  British  Columbia. 
The  governor-general's  speech  adverted  first  to  the  Prince  of 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


493 


Wales'  recovery  and  the  appointment  of  a  Thanksgiving  Day  ; 
stated  that  the  late  meeting  of  Parliament  had  been  at  the  in- 
stance of  the  imperial  govern- 
ment ;  mentioned  the  Fenian 
attempt  on  Manitoba,  and  in- 
vited the  attention  of  the  Leg- 
islature to  the  Washington 
Treaty,  Pacific  llailway,  immi- 
gration, canals,  and  several 
other  measures  ;  announced  the 
flourishing  state  of  the  Domin- 
ion finances ;  asked  for  sup- 
plies, and  congratulated  the 
house  on  the  general  prosperity 
of  the  country.  Sir  John  A. 
Macdonald  was  3till  at  the  head 
of  the  government,  and  with 
nearly  the  same  ministry,  as 
follows,  — but  the  great  states- 
man was  destined  soon  to  suffer 
defeat  through  what  has  come  to  be  known,  in  history,  as  the 
"  Pacific  Scandal  "  ;  — ^ 

The  Right  lion.  Sir  JoHX  Alexander  Macdonald,  K.C.B.,  Minister  of 

Justice  and  Attorney-Gen eniL 
The  Hon.  Sir  Geo.  Et-^Cautiek,  Bart.,  Minister  of  Militia  and  Defence. 
Tlie  Hon.  Samuel  Leonard  Tilley,  C.B.,  Minister  of  Customs. 
The  Hon.  Teteu  Mitchell,  Minister  of  Marine  and  Fisheries. 
The  lion.  Alexander  Campbell,  Postmaster-General. 
The  Hon.  Jean  Charles  Chapais,  Receiver-General. 
The  Hon.  Hector  Louis  Langevin,  C.B.,  Minister  of  Public  Works. 
The  Hon.  Joseph  Howe,  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Provinces. 
The  Hon.  Sir  Francis  Hincks,  K.C.M.G.,  Minister  of  Finance. 
The  Hon.  James  Cox  Aikins,  Secretary  of  State  of  Canada. 
The  Hon.  Charles  Tupper,  C.B.,  Minister  of  Inland  Revenue. 
The  Hon.  John  Henry  Pope,  Minister  of  Agriculture  and  Statistics. 
The  Hen.  John  O'Connor,  President  of  the  Privy  Council. 

The  following  were  the  members  of  the  Privy  Council  without 
office  :  — 

Hon.  Sir  Alexander  Tilloch  Galt,  K.C.M.G. 
Hon.  William  McUougall,  C.B. 
Hon.  William  Pearce  Howland,  C.B. 
Hon.  Adams  G.  Archibald. 
Hon.  Sir  Edward  Kenny,  Knt. 
Hon.  Sir  John'Rose.  K.C.M.G. 
Hon.  Christopher  Dunkin. 
IIuu.  Alexander  Morris. 


494 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


2.  A  census  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  was  taken  in  1871, 
which  gives  a  vast  amount  of  important  information.  In  1665 
the  population  of  Canada  was  3,251.  Between  this  time  and 
the  close  of  the  century  the  census  was  taken  ten  times ;  and, 
in  1698,  in  consequence  chieHy  of  immigration  from  France, 
the  population  had  increased  to  13,815  persons,  and  again,  in 
1754,»to  55,000.  And,  assuming  the  general  ratio  of  increase 
for  the  preceding  half  century,  there  were  probably  60,000 
l^orsons  in  1760,  when  the  province  was  ceded  to  England. 
The  last  French  census  was  taken  in  1759,  and  gave  82,000 
(Montcalm) ;  but  all  these  could  not  have  been  ordinary  resi- 
dents in  the  country,  since  that  would  imply  an  addition  to  the 
population,  during  the  five  intervening  years,  of  more  than 
5,000  annually;  whereas  the  several  censuses  show  that  tho 
average  annual  increase  for  several  years  preceding  1754  was 
but  little  more  than  800.  Many  of  these,  then,  must  have  be- 
longed to  the  army,  augmented  at  that  time  in  the  struggle 
with  England,  and  they  probably  soon  after  returned  to  France. 
Any  addition  to  the  population  from  immigration  Avas  j^robably 
after  this  period  from  Great  Britain.  In  1770  the  number  had  in- 
creased to91,078,  and  to  127,845  in  1780.  By  an  act  of  the  British 
Parliament,  in  1791,  the  old  Province  of  Quebec  was  divided 
into  Lower  and  Upper  Canada,  the  entire  population  at  that 
time  being  (as  far  as  can  be  determined)  between  150,000  and 
160,000,  of  whom  about  10,000  lived  in  the  latter  province. 
These  were  chietly  United  Empire  Loyalists,  who  came  from 
the  United  States  during  and  after  tho  Revolutionary  V\'^ar.  A 
well-known  authority,  Joseph  Bouchette,  places  the  population 
of  Quebec  in  18U6  at  250,000,  and  again,  in  1825,  at  4)0,000, 
the  number  having  been  nearly  doubled  in  the  preceding  nine- 
teen years.  By  interpolation  between  these  two  dates,  the 
population  was  about  397,600,  in  1821  —  that  is,  just  fifty 
years  before  the  late  census  of  1871.  The  population  for  the 
several  decennial  years,  beginning  with  1821,  and  their  re- 
spective ratios  of  increase,  are  as  follows :  — 


YEAB8. 

■•^•IMBERS. 

Ratios. 

1821 
1831 
By  Interpol  .tion.    1841 
do.    .    .    1851 
1861 
1871 

379,600 
648,254 
601,380 
803,800 
1,111,500 
1,191,575 

37.8  per  cent. 
20.4        "      . 
30.6 
28  6 

7.2,  or  22  per  cent,  as  shown 
below. 

ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


495 


This  remarkable  decrease  in  the  ratio  given  by  the  late  census 
will  be  fully  accounted  for,  when  it  is  stated  that  there  are 
pretty  satisfactory  data  from  which  it  can  be  shown  that  prob- 
ably not  loss  than  150,000  of  the  people  of  Lower  Canada 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  between  the  years  1861  and 
1871.  These,  with  a  moderate  ratio  of  increase,  added  to  the 
number  given  by  the  late  census,  Avould  show  a  population  for 
the  province  of  Quebec  of  150,000,  being  an  actual  increase 
of  245,000  during  the  last  decennial,  and  giving  a  decennial 
ratio  of  increase  of  22  per  cent.,  instead  of  7.2,  as  it  now  stands. 
Thiii  figure  would  accord  very  fairly  with  the  ratios  given  in 
the  table  for  the  preceding  four  decennials,  and  prove  that  the 
French  people  of  Lower  Canada  are  not  less  prolific  now  than 
in  former  periods  of  their  history.  The  same  authority, 
]?ouchette,  gives  to  Upper  Canada  77,000  souls  in  1811,  and 
15i,OD7  in  1824;  and  interpolating  the  population  would  bo 
about  129,100  in  1821,  that  is  also  fifty  years  before  the  late 
census.  The  numbers  for  1828  and  1832  are  given,  and  inter- 
polating the  population  tor  1831  was  239,Gi)0.  Again  the 
numbers  are  given  for  1848  and  1852,  and  by  interpolation  wo 
have  888,840  as  the  population  in  1851.  The  population  of 
Nova  Scotia  and  New  Urunswick,  prior  to  1850,  are  not  at  hand. 
The  numbers,  taken  from  the  census  records  are,  for 


Years. 

Numbers. 

Ratios. 

1851 

18G1 

1871 

270,117 
349,857 
377,804 

19.82  per  cent. 
17.21       •' 

And  similarly  for  New  Brunswick  the  figures  are,  for 


Years. 

Nl'MDERS. 

Ratios. 

1851 

18G1 

1871 

193,800 
255,047 
285,777 

80.G5  per  cent. 
13.38 

British  Columbia  was  made  a  part  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada 
by  proclamation  of  her  majesty,  on  the  20th  day  of  July,  1871  ; 


496 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


and  the  population  of  the  settled  districts,  including  whites, 
colored,  Chinese,  and  natives,  on  the  2d  day  of  April,  1871, 
was  19,252.     The  total  Indian  population  is  estimated  at  about 
50,000.     The  census  of  the  province  of  Manitoba  was  taken  for 
electoral  purposes,  in  December,  1870 ;  and  the  number  of  per- 
sons, of  British  and  French  extraction,  was  found  to  bo  11,945. 
3.     Had  there  been  no  immigration   from  our  shores,  the 
population  in  all  the  British  provinces  in  1871,  as  deducted  from 
a  patient  inquiry  into  the  various  elements  atfecting  the  whole 
question,  would  have  been  nearly  four  and  a  half  millions,  in- 
stead of  3,720,31!)  (240,558  of  this  number  must  be  counted  for 
Newfoundland  and  Prince  Edward  Island  in  1871),  and  the  ra- 
tio of  our  increase  would  have  been  greater  than  that  of  the 
United  States,  notwithstanding  the  ceaseless  flow  of  immigra- 
tion to  that  country.     Including  the  number  of  our  people  liv- 
ing there  in  1870  (as  shown  in  their  late  census),  and  their 
natural  increase  since  1814,  the  British  provinces  have  lost 
more  than  six  hundred  thousand  persons,  altogether  !     But  con- 
federation, with  its  accompanying  influences,  has  completely 
changed  the  entire  face  of  things  in  the  dominion  of  Canada. 
It  has  infused  a  wonderful  degree  of  energy,  enterprise,  and 
self-reliance  into  our  people,  just  the  very  elements  wanting 
while  the  several  provinces  were  isolated,  with  separate  and 
sometimes  antagonistic  interests.     In  proof  of  this  it  is  found 
that  never  before  was  there  such  a  demand  for  labor  of  all 
kinds,  and  never  were  there  such  cheerful  contcntedness  and  hope 
in  the  minds  of  our  people.     They  possess  half  a  continent  of 
their  own  now,  the  stream  of  emigration  is  steadily  turning 
towards  onr  shores,  and  emigration  from  Canada  has  nearly,  if 


not  altogether,  ceased.  And  not  only  is  this  a  fact,  but  the 
very  opposite  is  a  fact  also ;  for  hundreds  of  Canadian  families, 
who  had  settled  in  the  United  States  years  ago,  are  now  return- 
ing to  Manitoba  and  the  surrounding  regions,  having  found  that 
country  not  to  have  answered  the  glowing  descriptions  given  of 
it  by  its  friends.  If  our  people  now  desire  to  leave  the  older 
provinces,  they  have  a  great  north-west  of  their  own  to  move 
to,  with  millions  of  square  miles  of  the  most  fertile  lands, 
abundantly  watered  by  streams,  rivers,  and  lakes,  and  whose 
mineral  resources  are  literally  inexhaustible,  immense  beds  of 
coal  being  found  on  the  wide  plains,  and  gold,  silver,  iron, 
etc.,  among  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  climate  also  is  found 
not  to  be  surpassed  in  salubrity  anywhere  in  America.  Only 
let  that  great  iron  band  that  is  to  connect  the  Pacific  with  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


497 


Atlantic  coast  bo  once  constructed,  let  our  statesmen  show  the 
wisdom  and  energy  needful  for  the  great  occasion,  and  the  Do- 
minion of  Canada  will  soon  become  not  merely  the  "  brightest 
gem  "  in  the  crown  of  our  sovereign,  but  a  "  diadem  of  beauty," 
surpassing  all  earthly  diadems. 

4.  On  the  5th  of  November,  1873,  Sir  John  A.  Macdonald's 
government  was  defeated,  and  forced  to  resign.  Hon.  Alex- 
ander Mackenzie  succeeded  him  with  the  following  cabinet, 
which  was  formed  on  the  7th  of  November,  twb  days  after :  — 

The  Hon.  Alexander  Mackenzie,  Premier,  and  Minister  of  Public 
WorliS.     • 

The  Hon.  Antoine  Aime  Dorion,  Minister  of  Justice  and  Attorney- 
General. 

The  Hon.  Edward  Blake,  Minister  without  Portfolio. 

The  Hon.  Albert  J.  Smitu,  Minister  of  Marine  and  Fisheries. 

The  Hon.  Louis  Lettellier  de  St.  Just,  Minister  of  Agricultijre  and 
Statistics. 

The  Hon.  Richard  J.  Cartright,  Minister  of  Finance. 

The  Hon.  David  Laird,  Minister  of  the  Literior. 

The  Hon.  David  Christie,  Secretary  of  State. 

The  Hon.  Isaac  Burpee,  Minister  of  Customs. 

The  Hon.  Donald  A.  Macdonald,  Postmaster-General. 

The  Hon.  Thomas  Coffin,  Receiver-General. 

The  Hon.  Telesphore  Fournier,  Minister  of  Inland  Revenue. 

The  Hon.  William  Ross,  Minister  of  Militia. 

The  Hon.  Richard  W.  Scott,  Minister  without  Portfolio. 

This  change  in  the  political  composition  of  the  government 
left  the  following  list  of  privy-councillors  without  office  :, — 


The  Right  Hon.  Sir  John  A.  Macdonald,  P.O..  K.C.B. 

The  Hon.  Samuel  L.  Tilley,  C.B. 

The  Hon.  Sir  Alexander  T.  Galt,  K.C.M.G. 

The  Hon.  William  Mc  Doug  all,  C.B. 

The  Hon.  William  P.  Howland,  C.B. 

The  Hon.  Adams  G.  Archibald,  G.M.C. 

The  Hon.  Peter  Mitchell. 

The  Hon.  Alexander  Campbell. 

The  Hon.  Jean  Charles  Ch^pais. 

The  Hon.  Hector  Louis  Langevin,  B.C. 

The  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Kenny. 

The  Hon.  Sir  John  Rose,-  K.C.M.G. 

The  Hon.  Christopher  Dunkin. 

The  Hon.  Alexander  Morris. 

The  Hon.  Sir  Francis  Hincks,  C.B.,  K.C.M.G. 

The  Hon.  James  Cox  Aikins. 

The  lion.  Charles  Tupper,  C.B. 

The  Hon.  John  Henry  Pope. 

The  Hon.  John  O'Connor. 

The  Hon.  Thomas  N.  Gibbs. 

The  Hon.  Theodore  Robitaille. 

The  Hon.  Hugh  Macdonald. 


etc. 


498 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


It  is  now  nearly  four  years  since  Hon.  Mr.  Mackenzie  as- 
sumed the  position  of  prime  minister  of  Canada,  during  which 
time  lie  has  administered  the  affairs  of  the  government  in  a  very 
satisfactory  manner.  There  have  been  many  changes  in  his 
cabinet,  but  it  still  retains  some  of  the  original  chiefs.  It  was 
also  in  1873  that  Prince  Edward  Island  entered  the  union  as 
one  of  the  provinces  of  the  Dominion. 


CHAPTER  XL. 


THE   DOMINION   OF  CAlif  AD  A  — (continued). 


A    GENERAL    SUMMARY  —  THE    FIRST    TEN   YEARS     OF    THE     DOMINION  —  A    SKETCH 
FROM     THE    URITISH   QUARTERLY   REVIEW. 

1.  In  the  three  preceding  chapters  I  have  traced  the  most 
important  events  and  political  measures,  in  their  order,  from 
1807  to  1873,  since  which  time  nothing  of  sufficient  importance 
has  occurred  to  domantl  great  attention.  Before  proceeding  to 
note  the  affairs  which  have  made  the  administration  of  Lord 
Dufferin  one  of  the  most  prosperous  in  the  annals  of  British 
North  America,  we  may  review  the  subject  since  confederation, 
from  the  §tand-point  of  an  able  contributor  to  the  "British 
Quarterly  Review."  The  writer  evinces  a  good  knowledge  of 
his  subject,  but  impresses  one  that  his  politics  have  too  much 
influence  over  his  pen,  and  therefore  his  criticisms  on  the  late 
ministry  of  the  Right  Honorable  Sir  John  A.  Macdonald  must 
not  be  read  without  some  allowance.  I  have  interspersed  a 
number  of  portraits  of  leading  public  men  in  the  Dominion,  in 
this  sketch,  to  whom  no  reference  is  made  therein.  They  have 
all  been  mentioned  in  previous  chapters,  or  will  be  on  succeed- 
ing pages,  and  their  insertion  in  this  place  is  to  accommodate  a 
wish  to  distribute  them  as  nearly  equally  as  possible  throughout 
the  work.  The  article  referred  to  constitutes  the  whole  of  the 
following  portion  of  this  chapter. 

2.  On  the  1st  of  July  last  the  Dominion  of  Canada  entered 
on  the  second  decade  of  its  existence.  A  natural  opportunity 
is  thus  presented  for  reviewing  its  brief  history,  and  the  suc- 
cess of  its  effort  to  solve  the  political  problems  to  the  pressure 
of  which  it  owed  its  origin.  Such  a  review  will  be  found  to  be 
not  without  interest  to  the  student  of  political  science,  especially 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


499 


in  Engluiul,  for  Canada  exhibits  the  British  constitution  under 
a  peculiar  set  of  circumstances,  by  Avhich  its  operation  is  modi- 
lied  in  a  way  that  is  at  once  interestinj^  and  important.  Even 
before  the  formation  of  the  Dominion,  the  Canadian  colonies 
had  excited  interest  among  British  statesmen  by  successful ly 
grappling  with  some  prubiems,  like  that  of  a  State  Church, 
which  formed  a  burden  rather  than  an  advantajje  of  the  inhcri- 
tance  received  from  the  mother  country  ;  but  since  the  confed- 
eration of  the  colonies,  ten  y(^ars  ago,  their  political  transac- 
tions have  risen  in  imperial  signiiicance.  The  neighl)orho()d 
of  Canada  to  the  United  States,  and  the  intimate  o()mmer(;ial 
and  social  relations  which  that  neighborhood  entails,  have 
already  brought,  and  must  continue  to  bring,  the  affairs  of  the 
Dominion  before  the  imperial  government  in  a  Avay  that  is 
sometimes  more  important  than  pleasant;  Avhile,  among  them- 
selves, the  Canadians  are  now  facing  the  storm  and  stress  of 
conflicts  which,  even  in  the  varied  political  history  of  England, 
have  not  been  completely  fought  out,  and  may  therefore^  be 
forced  upon  her  yet. 

3.  It  may  not  be  nnnecessary  to  remind  some  readers  that, 
previously  to  1867,  the  British  American  provinces  stood  to 
each  other  practically  in  the  relation  of  foreign  countries. 
Gov^erned  by  wholly  independent  Legislatures,  separated  by 
dissimilar  tariffs,  they  Avere  nnited 
only  by  the  unobtrusive  bond  of  a 
common  dependence  on  the  impe- 
rial government  of  Great  Britain. 
Political  thinkers,  Avho  Avcre  lib- 
eral enough  to  be  influenced  by 
other  considerations  than  the  party 
questions  of  the  hour,  saw  that 
such  relations  Avcro  indisputably 
hostile  to  the  interest  of  all  the 
provinces  concerned,  Avhich  could 
hope  for  a  jiosition  of  importance 
on  the  American  continent  only  by 
such  unrestricted  eonnncrcial  and 
social  intercourse  as  might  ulti- 
mately Aveld  them  into  one  people. 
It  was  evidently  also  in  the  interest  of  the  imperial  govern- 
ment that  the  colonial  minister  in  London,  instead  of  being 
obliged  to  deal  with  a  number  of  petty  States,  should  be  able 
to  correspond  with  a  single  government  representative  of  them 


HON.    EDWARD   BOWEN. 


500 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


all.  IJut  the  c'ircuinstanc'os  which  led  iinmecliutoly  to  tho  con- 
fedcmtioii  of  tho  British  Aiiuiiicuu  provinces  cumiot  Ixi  under- 
stood without  II  brief  reference  to  the  i)revious  history  of 
Cunadu. 

4.  When  Canada  was  ceded  to  Great  Britain  it  was  all  em- 
braced under  one  province,  extending  somewhat  indclinitely 
into  tho  west,  and  known  by  tho  luuno  of  tho  Proviiu-o  of 
Quebec.  In  1791,  the  western  sc^ction  of  tho  i)rovince,  which 
had  meanwhile  been  populated  by  English  settlers,  was  sep- 
arated into  an  independent  province,  Avlth  British  institutions, 
while  the  eastern  section  continued  to  retain  its  original  French 
character.  These  two  provinces,  of  Upi)er  Canada  or  Canada 
West,  and  Lower  Canada  or  Canada  East,  remained  separate 
till  1840,  when  they  were  united  into  one  province,  .styh'd  tho 
Province  of  Canada,  in  tho  hope  of  allaying  the  political  dis- 
content which  had  culminated  in  tho  rebellion  of  1837.  In  this 
l^rovlnce,  down  till  tho  ])orlod  of  confederation,  ten  years  ago, 
politicians  had  been  divided  into  two  parties,  one  of  which  was 
distinguished  by  the  name  of  Conservatives,  while  their  oppo- 
nents wore  known  as  Liberals  or  Reformers,  though  conunonly 
dubbed,  in  more  familiar  style,  Clear  Grits,  in  Upper  Canada, 
and  Rouffes,  among  the  French  of  tho  lower  province.  The 
history  of  the  struggle  between  these  parties  may  be  road  still 

with  a  little  more  than  ordinary 
hunum  perseverance,  but  by  no 
human  intelligence  can  it  be 
comprehended.  Its  incompre- 
hensibility does  not  indeed  arise 
from  tho  absence  of  any  ques- 
tion sufficient  to  call  tno  politi- 
cal combatants  io  arms,  for  at 
times  there  was  x  measure  of 
solid  importance  Haunted  by  one 
of  tho  parties  as  a  standard 
round  which  its  forces  rallied. 
But  even  in  such  cases  it  is  im- 
possible to  see  why  the  measure 
should  have  been  taken  under 
protection  by  its  advocates  rather  than  by  its  opponents.  The 
student  of  the  period,  wdioso  imagination  cannot  now  bo  firod 
by  tho  heat  of  its  burnt-out  passions,  fails,  even  after  patient 
investigation,  to  discover  any  general  principle  Avhich  uniformly 
inspired  either  party,  and  breathed  a  soul  into  the  particular 


SIR  JOHN  MICHEL. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


501 


JUCS- 

loliti- 
tor  at 
l-c  of 
one 
idard 
lUicd. 


measures  for  which  it  fouj^ht.  The  rapidly  changing  adminis- 
trations of  those  years  show,  at  this  distance,  a  scono  not 
unlike  a  well-known  juvenile  sport,  in  which  boys  divide  them- 
selves into  two  sets,  for  the  mere  enjoyment  of  a  tug  against 
each  other's  strength,  and,  after  one  set  is  victorious,  divide 
themselves  again  and  again  till  they  get  worn  out.  Unfortu- 
nately, in  contests  of  this  kind,  bloodless  though  they  be,  mere 
mortals,  unlike  the  ghostly  heroes  of  Walhalla,  do  at  last  be- 
come exhausted.  This  exhaustion  came  all  the  more  naturally 
upon  the  combatants  in  the  political  arena  of  old  Canada,  oAving 
to  the  circumstance  that  for  some  time  neither  party  Avas 
cheered  by  any  decisive  victory.  In  truth,  their  struggles  as- 
sumed a  serio-comic  as[)ect  at  times,  as  one  acbninistration  after 
another  attempted  to  carry  on  the  business  of  the  country  by  a 
majority  which  occasionally  reduced  itself  to  a  unit,  and  was 
likely  to  become  a  vanishing  fraction,  or  a  minus  quantity, 
whenever  a  test  question  was  pressed  to  a  decision.  Can  wo 
wonder  that  in  these  circumstances  both  parties  at  last  laid 
down  their  arms  in  despair,  and  sought  a  peacefid  settlement 
of  their  quarrels? 

5.  Looking  froni  our  passionless  distance  at  those  old  con- 
flicts, one  may  reasonably  question  whether  the  political  system 
of  the  province  was  not  less  to  blame  for  their  fruitless  per- 
petuatiou  than  the  incompetence  of  the  polemical  politicians  by 
whom  they  were  carried  on.  But,  however  this  may  be,  the 
fault  of  the  dead-lock  between  the  two  parties  was  charged  by 
the  politicians,  not  on  themselves,  but  on  the  political  arrange- 
ment by  which  the  two  Canadas  were  united.  As  a  result  of 
this  a  coa^tion  w^as  formed  for  the  purpose  of  breaking  up  the 
union  of  tlie  two  Canadas,  and  merging  them  separately  in  a 
larger  confederation  of  the  British  American  provinces.  After 
a  considerable  amount  of  preliminary  negotiation,  matters  were 
sufiiciently  advanced  in  18G6  to  admit  of  delegates  being  ap- 
pointed from  the  diflcrent  provinces  to  confer  on  the  terms  of 
confederation.  The  delegates  met  in  London,  and  the  result 
of  their  deliberations  was  the  British  North  American  Act, 
passed  by  the  Imperial  Parliament,  29th  March,  1867.  On 
the  1st  of  July  in  that  j'ear,  a  proclamation  of  the  queen 
ushered  the  young  confederacy  into  existence  ;  and  the  waste 
of  gunpowder,  the  destruction  of  maple  bmnchcs,  the  display 
of  dry  goods  in  bunting  and  fashionable  attire,  showed  it  to  be 
a  festival  on  which  the  Canadians  kept  high  holiday.  Since 
that  time  the  1st  of  July  —  Dominion  Day,  as  it  is  called  —  has 


w 


502 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA. 


fori!  '^d,  jimoug  the  OuuKliana,  u  rival  to  tlio  great  holiday  of 
the  Fourth  among  ihvh'  Anieriean  neighbors.  Wlujther  the 
day  will  hold  its  i)laco  or  not,  who  can  toll?  The  explosion 
of  tons  of  gunpowder  in  pyrotcehnic  exhibitions,  and  feux  de 
jnie,  and  salvos  of  artillery,  will  not  make  the  baptism  of  fire 
by  which  a  people  aiuiounces  that  it  has  been  born  into  the 
family  of  nations. 

6.  At  the  formation  of  the  confederacy  it  embraced  only 
four  provinces,  —  Upper  Canada,  under  the  new  name  of 
Ontario;  Lower  Canada,  under  that  of  Quebec;  Nova  Scotia 
and  New  Bnmswick,  under  their  old  names.  Since  then  the 
provinces  of  Prince  Edward  Island  in  the  east,  and  of  British 
Columbia  in  the  west,  have  joined  the  Dominion ;  while  the 
"Great  lA)ne  Land  "  in  the  north-west  has  been  acquired  by 
buying  up  the  rights  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and  already 
a  portion  of  it  set  a|)art  as  the  Province  of  Manitoba.  The 
whole  of  British  North  America  is  thus  included  in  the  Domin- 
ion, with  the  exception  of  Newfoundland  which  thus,  literally 
and  figuratively,  remains  out  in  the  cold.  The  political  consti- 
tution of  the  Dominion,  as  well  as  of  the  seven  provinces 
which  noAV  compose  it,  is  in  all  essential  respects  a  reproduc- 
tion of  the  British  constitution.  The  only  exception  is  in  the 
case  of  Ontario  and  Manitoba,  the  former  having  from  the  firi* 
contented  itself  with  one  legislative  chamber,  while  the  latter, 
for  economy's  sake,  has  since  followed  her  example.  Recently 
a  proposal  has  been  revived  to  unite  under  one  provincial  gov- 
ernment the  three  maritime  provinces  of  Nova  Scotia,  New 
Brunswick,  and  Prince  Edward  Island.  It  is  to  be  hojied  that 
this  proposal  may  be  carried.  Neither  of  these  pravinces  by 
itself  holds  the  position  which  its  people  should  be  ambitious 
of  attaining  in  the  Dominion  ;  while  they  entail  upon  them- 
selves an  enormous  useless  f  :>  oenditure  by  supporting  three 
governments,  each  with  a  ffiid  lieutenant-governor,  a  paid 
cabinet,  and  two  legislative  bodies  whose  members  are  paid. 
As  one  province,  they  might  cope  with  Quebec  or  Ontario ; 
with  a  single  government  they  would  have  a  large  surplus  reve- 
nue to  expend  in  developing  their  natural  resources ;  while 
their  legislative  chamber  or  chambers  would  attain  a  dignity 
which  is  hopeless  while  they  attempt  to  invest  the  petty  poli- 
tics of  a  narrow  sphere  with  the  pomp  of  imperial  ceremonies. 

7.  Such  were  the  political  arrangements  with  which  the 
Canadians  entered  on  the  new  attempt  to  solve  the  problems  of 
their  national  life.     The  political  outlook  was  certainly  cheering. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


503 


Tho  old  factions  had  ftH'<i^()tt(Mi  their  intcriuiii!il)lo  struggloa  tor 
office,  nnd  thoro  secinod  to  ix^  opeiunl  to  thoin  tho  noble  destiny 
of  working  together,  and  along  with  their  new  fellow-country- 
men from  the  other  provinces,  in  building  up  a  great  nation 
along  the  nor^h  of  the  American  continent.  This  was  evidently 
the  int('r{)rt  tion  of  the  [)o.sition  formed  by  the  majority  of 
thinking  men  throughout  Canada,  and  it  was  tho  interpretation 
on  which  tho  goveruraent  of  tho  new  Dominion  began  to  be 
formed. 

8.  In  tho  selection  of  a  prime  minister  the  governor-general 
was  guided  l)y  an  equally  obvious  and  just  consideration.  At  the 
conference  of  colonial  delegates  in  London,  by  whom  the  de- 
tails of  the  Confederation  Act  were  arranged,  tin-  chair  had 
been  occupied  by  Sir  John  A.  Macdonald,  who  had  long  been 
leader  of  the  conservative  party  in  the  old  Province  of  Canada. 
The  position  to  which  he  ]'iad  thus  been  raised  by  his  fellow- 
delegates  was  a  fair  indication  of  the  position  which  he  held 
among  tho  public  men  of  Canada,  and  the  governor-general 
therefore  naturally  called  upon  him  to  assume  the  duties  of  the 
first  premier,  and  to  form  tho  first  government  of  the  new  Do- 
minion. In  tho  performance  of  this  task  Sir  John  Macdonald 
acted  on  the  understanding  that  the  coalition  out  of  which  the 
confederation  arose  would  be  continued  still,  in  order  to  over- 
come any  difficulties  which  might  arise  in  getting  the  new  ship 
of  state  fairly  off  the  stocks.  Accordingly  he  invited  prom- 
inent reformers  as  well  as  conservatives  to  accept  office  in  his 
cabinet,  his  intention  being  that,  as  far  as  the  provinces  of 
Quebec  and  Ontario  were  concerned,  his  government  should 
represent  equally  both  of  tho  old  parties.  His  invitation  was 
accepted  by  several  of  tho  leading  men  among  his  old  oi)poncnts, 
and  there  seemed  a  fair  prospect  that  one  great  object  of  tl;e 
confederation  was  to  be  accomplished,  that  the  bells  which 
rung  in  the  first  Dominion  Day  would  ring  out  the  "  ancient  fonus 
of  party  strife." 

10.  But  the  spirit  of  the  old  factions  died  hard.  The  calm 
which  preceded  the  birth  of  the  new  constitution  was  but  the 
prelude  to  a  stormful  party  fight.  Some  time  before,  indeed, 
an  incident  had  occurred  of  ill  omen  for  the  success  of  the 
coalition,  which  was  seeking  to  merge  the  political  difterences 
of  the  past  in  a  larger  sphere  of  future  work.  While  the  coali- 
tion was  maturing  its  plans,  one  of  its  members,  the  Hon. 
George  Brown,  suddenly  resigned  his  portfolio,  without  any 
definite  indication  of  the  reason  which  led  him  to  abandon  his 


504 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


SIR   llUOir   ALLAN. 


colleagues.  Mr.  Brown  had  long  been  a  recognized  leader  of 
the  reform  party,  and,  therefore,  one  of  the  chief  opponents  of 
the  now  premier,  Sir  John  Macdonald.     His  action  necessarily 

excited  a  feeling  of  uneasiness 
at  the  time,  and  seemed  to  re- 
ceive its  explanation  afterwards, 
when  the  writs  for  the  iirst 
general  election  were  issued,  and 
Mr.  Brown  explicitly  declared 
the  policy  he  intended  to  adopt 
under  the  altered  circumstances 
of  the  country. 

11.  Sir  John  Macdonald  had 
succeeded  in  forming  a  cabinet 
fairly  representing  the  parties 
of  the  old  Province  of  Canada, 
as  well  as  the  other  provinces 
of  the  Dominion.  To  Mr.  Brown 
it  was  a  sufficient  objection  to  the 
ministry  that  its  head  was  his  old  political  foe.  His  fi-tcnds  of 
the  r»»form  party,  who  had  acccptcid  office,  became  thereby, 
in  his  eyes,  renegades  from  the  cause  of  reform  ;  and  if  any 
one  urged  that  it  was  imfair  to  attack  the  new  administra- 
tion before  its  policy  was  known,  the  answer  was  ready,  that 
the  only  safe  government  is  by  parties,  and  that  it  would  bo 
hazardous  to  the  interests  of  the  new  Dominion  if  its  govern- 
ment Avere  unwatched  and  imcheckcd  by  a  regularly  organized 
opposition. 

12.  Mr.  Brown  has  had  the  advantage,  during  the  greater 
part  of  his  public  career,  of  possessing,  as  an  exponent  of  his 
opinions,  the  most  popular  newspaper  in  Canada.  About  these 
opinions  it  is  evident  that  ho  is  thoroughly  in  earnest ;  ho  acts 
and  speaks  with  the  passion  of  intense  conviction.  Yet  with  every 
allovrance  for  the  earnestness  of  his  intentions,  and  in  view  of 
all  that  his  organ  had  to  gay  in  defonco  of  his  position  at  this 
crisis,  we  cannoi  but  regard  that  position  as  involving  a  politicf>l 
blunder  of  the  most  serious  nature.  Even  from  his  own  point 
of  view,  was  it  legitimate  to  let  the  government  of  tho  country 
slip  from  the  hands  of  his  party,  to  fall  under  tho  contnd  of 
politicians  Avhoso  principles  Avero  Avorthy  of  being  denounced  in 
the  passionate  language  Avliich  he  uniformly  employed?  He 
had,  at  the  time,  not  only  a  right  to  demand  for  Lis  party  an 
equal  share  Avlth  his  oi^poncuts  in  the  administration  of  public 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


505 


lint 

FY 
lof 

in 

[Ic 

jau 


affairs,  but  iio  had  also  an  opportunity  offered  by  the  premier 
of  asserting  tliat  right.  To  demand  that  his  party  should  ex- 
ercise no  influence  on  the  business  of  the  country  beyond  that 
which  proceeds  from  the  opposition  benches,  when  they  had  the 
right  and  power  of  controlling  the  treasury,  seemed  to  many  to 
involve  a  betrayal,  not  only  of  the  interests  of  party,  but  of  the 
more  sacred  interests  of  the  whole  people. 

13.  But  the  history  of  the  formation  of  the  Dominion  was 
meaningless  if  Mr.  Brown's  position  was  justiflablc.  By  com- 
mon consent  the  new  confederation  was  to  drown  in  a  flood  of 
wider  sympathies  the  arbitrary  landmarks  by  which  the  old 
parties  had  been  separated.  Yet  here  was  a  proposal  that  the 
confederation  should  start  on  its  young  career  by  instituting  a 
division  of  parties,  Avhich,  as  the  nature  of  the  case  implied, 
was  demanded,  not  by  the  inevitable  antagonism  of  political 
measures,  but  simply  for  the  sake  of  having  a  division  ;  for  the 
only  justification  of  Mr.  Brown's  position  lay  in  his  plea  of  the 
absolute  indispcnsability  of  parties  in  the  good  government  of  a 
countr3^  Lot  us  speak  with  the  most  generous  acknowkMlgnient 
of  the  benefits  which  Jiavc,  necessarily  or  incidentally,  resulted 
from  party  government,  especially 
in  the  history  of  England  and 
other  free  countries.  Yet  is  it  not 
an  utterly  extravagant  estimate  of 
these  benefits  to  look  upon  the 
system  of  firming  an  essential 
element  in  all  healthy  political 
action,  and  to  insist  therefore  on 
the  mortil  obligation  of  retaining 
it  under  all  political  conditions? 
It  is  surely  no  uni\ersal  and 
eternal  law  of  human  life  that  men 
can  govern  themselves  only  by 
splitting  into  hostile  cliques,  who 
shdl  create  fictitious  causes  of  quarrel  if  the  natural  course  of 
events  do  not  furnish  them  with  real  ones.  Not  once  or  twice 
only  in  the  history  of  the  Avorld  have  all  the  rival  sections  of  a 
people  coalesced  by  the  irresistible  force  of  their  enthusiasm  in 
a  common  righteous  cause  ;  nor  need  we  despair  of  such  coali- 
tions in  the  future,  when  they  are  demanded  by  the  moral 
developments  of  the  human  race.  In  such  supremo  moments 
of  national  harmony  i.nt  a  national  duty  to  detail  an  unfortunate 
section  of  the  communivy  to  do  the  work  of  an  advocatus  diabolic 


SIU  V,- 


WILLIAMS. 


If 


506 


1 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


simply  thai  their  client  may  have  his  due,  and  the  people  be 
saved  from  violating  the  immutable  obligation  of  government 
by  parties  ?  The  truth  is  that  government  of  men  by  keeping 
them  at  hostility  with  one  another,  so  far  from  growing  in 
favor  with  the  progress  of  ethical  and  political  knowledge,  is 
falling  into  disrepute  throughout  all  spheres  of  human  life  ;  and 
the  only  matter  of  surprise  to  the  reflecting  observer  is  that  the 
system  should  have  he'd  its  ground  so  long  amid  that  western 
civilization  which  for  tifteen  hundred  years  has  been  based  on 
the  worship  of  a  Being  whose  life  and  death  are  the  perfect 
type  of  self-sacritice  for  the  good  of  others,  and  in  the  service 
of  whom  there  was  to  be  no  longer  any  diiference  of  Jew  and 
Greek,  of  bond  and  free,  of  male  and  female ;  but  all  the 
separated  sections  of  men  were  to  become  spiritually  one.  Still 
it  is  growing  into  more  general  recognition,  in  theory  as  well 
as  in  practice,  that  any  number  of  men,  whether  the  few  who 
join  in  a  commercial  enterprise,  or  the  millions  who  form  a 
nation,  or  the  hundreds  of  millions  who  compose  the  human  race, 
can  reach  the  highcot  welfare  of  their  external  as  well  as  of  their 
internal  life  by  working  in  harmony  rather  than  at  discord  with 
one  another.  Tiio  attempt  to  establish  permanent  international 
relations  by  means  of  war ;  the  attempt  to  establish  the  gospel  .f 
glory  to  God,  with  peace  on  earth  and  good-will  among  men, 
by  the  mutual  antipathies  of  religious  sects ;  the  attempt  to  * 
develop  the  wealth  of  nations  or  of  individuals  by  seltish  competi- 
tion ;  all  such  efforts  are  doomed  to  abandonihent  by  the 
higher  races,  like  slavery  and  other  social  phenomena  of  un- 
civilized life,  as  belonging  to  a  ruder  stage  of  human  progress. 
It  is,  therefore,  no  idle  dream  of  Utopian  statesmen  whir'i 
would  secuic  the  general  welfare  of  a  nation  by  all  parties 
cooperating  as  far  as  possible,  and  separating  into  hostile  rela- 
tions only  as  a  last  unwelcome  necessity,  when  there  is  no 
common  course  on  which  they  can  possibly  agree. 

14.  This  was  evidently  the  view  w^hich  was  taken  by  the 
vast  majority  of  Canadians  at  the  first  general  election  for  the 
Dominion  rarliament.  Mr.  Brown  practically  demanded  that 
their  political  life  under  the  new  confederation  should  be  still 
an  endless  contest  of  the  parties  who  had  disturbed  the  old 
province  of  Canada,  and  the  answer  to  his  demand  was  decided 
enough.  He  was  himself  defeated  in  the  constituency  which 
he  had  long  represented,  and  the  government  entered  upon 
their  duties  backed  by  an  enormous  majority  throughout  the 
country  as  well  as  in  Parliament. 


:j-il5i 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


507 


uo 

the 

the 

hat 

till 

old 

led 

lich 

oon 

[the 


15.  The  result  in  itself  was  one  on  which  the  Canadians 
were  to  be  congratulated ;  it  was  one  of  the  most  crushing  de- 
feats which  the  spirit  of  faction  ever  received.  Yet  the  policy 
of  Mr.  Brown  had  the  eflect  at  which  he  aimed  ;  it  practically 
divided  the  politicians  of  the  country  into  two  factions  again. 
The  government  no  longer  represented  the  whole  people,  as  it 
was  the  intention  of  the  premier  that  it  should ;  it  represented 
once  more  a  mere  party,  a  party  perhaps  exasperated  by  an 
opposition  which  could  vindicnte  its  existence  by  no  political 
reason,  and  certainly  elated  by  their  sweeping  victory  at  the 
polls.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  power  and  the  temper 
of  such  a  government  were  a  peril  to  the  best  interests  of  the 
country.  In  any  circumstances  the  power  of  the  ministry  would 
have  been  formidable  in  virtue  of  their  patronage,  which  is  un- 
controll'.d  by  competitive  examinations  or  any  other  check  on 
the  personal  predilections  of  a  minister  or  the  exorbitant  ex- 
pectations of  political  supporters.  But  at  the  formation  of  the 
Dominion  there  were  several  peculiar  circumstances  which  threw 
into  the  hands  of  the  government  an  unusual  power  for  obtain- 
ing corrupt  support ;  and  it  was,  in  fact,  the  abuse  of  this  power 
that  led  to  a  gradual  reaction  against  them,  and  to  their  final 
overthrow  in  1874. 

16.  This  reaction  appeared  first  in  the  Province  of  Ontario, 
where  the  tide  of  political  feeling  rises  to  a  higher  flow,  and 
stretches  into  larger  issues,  than  in  other  parts  of  the  Dominion. 
Here  an  opposition  arose  in  the  provincial  Legislature,  which, 
though  not  identifying  itself  with  the  position  taken  by  Mr. 
Brown  at  the  elections,  yet  received  the  powerful  support  of 
his  organ,  the  "  Globe  "  newspaper  of  Toronto.     The  Ictider  of 


this  opposition  was  Mr.  Edward  Blake,  Q.C.,  lately  the  presi- 
dent of  the  council  in  the  Dominion  goveinmcnt.  Mr.  Blake 
had  entered  political  life  only  at  the  first  general  election  for 
the  Dominion.  Appearing  at  first  as  an  independent  critic  of 
the  course  pursued  by  the  Ontario  ministry,  he  conducted  his 
criticisms  with  such  ability  that  he  was  soon  recognized  by  both 
sides  of  the  houae  as  the  most  formidable  opponent  with  whom 
the  government  had  to  contend. 

17.  The  prime  minister  of  Ontario,  on  the  other  hand,  was 
the  Hon.  John  Sandtield  Macdonald,  who  had  long  been  a  prom- 
inent friend  of  Mr.  Brown  among  the  leaders  of  the  old  reform 
party.  Mr.  Macdonald  had  been  selected  by  his  namesake  and 
former  opponent,  Sir  John  Macdonald,  on  the  ground  that  the 
province  of  Ontario  would  be  most  fairly  represented  by  an  old 


508 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


reformer,  while  one  of  the  old  conservatives  became  premier  of 
Quebec,  —  a  province  which,  under  the  dominant  influence  of 
the  Catholic  clergy,  has  generally  been  conservative.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  Mr.  Macdonald  intended  to  guide  himself  by  the 
principles  of  reform,  and  these  principles  continued,  in  fact,  to 
direct  his  administration  in  many  respects,  especially  in  the 
economy  by  which  it  Avas  generally  characterized.  But  his  in- 
tentions met  with  a  serious  obstacle  in  the  inveterate  hostility  of 
that  party  among  his  old  friends  which  had  sided  with  Mr. 
Brown,  and  ho  v/as,  therefore,  driven  to  seek  assistance  from 
allies  from  whom  it  would  have  been  to  his  advantage  if  he  had 
held  aloof.  Accordingly  the  government  of  Ontario,  though 
headed  by  an  old  liberal  minister,  and  representing  a  decidedly 
liberal  province,  soon  began  to  show  tendencies  towards  a  policy 
in  distinct  antagonism  to  the  principles  of  all  liberal  govern- 
ment. It  was  thus  in  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  Ontario  that 
the  new  issues  of  political  warfare  in  Canada  first  assumed  defi- 
nite shape,  and  it  was  here  that  politicians  began  to  range 
themselves  into  new  parties. 

18.  Any  one  who  watched  with  earnest  eyes  the  contests 
in  the  Lefjislaturo  of  Ontario  could  scared v  fail  to  see,  and  to 
sec  more  clearly  from  year  to  year,  that  here  liberalism  had  met 
its  old  foe  in  new  shapes,  and  was  surely  fighting  a  battle  which 

should  not  be  without  an  interest 
to  men.  We  take  it  that  the 
struggle  of  liberal  statesmanship 
in  all  ages  has  been  to  find  an 
effective  check  by  the  people 
upon  their  executive  govern- 
ment ;  and  the  foe  of  liberalism 
all  along  has  been  the  endeavor 
of  political  adventurers  —  be 
Ihoy  monarchs,  hereditary  oli- 
garchies, or  cal)inets  of  nnnis- 
ters  — to  hold  themselves  above 
popular  control.  Under  a  con- 
stitution like  that  of  Canada, 
and  still  more  under  one  like 
the  American,  it  is  not  difficult 


HON.    S.    L.    TILLEY. 


to  see  how  a  cabinet,  by  unscrupulous  artifices,  might  attain  a 
position  almost  as  free  from  responsibility  to  the  peoi)lc  as  that 
of  the  veriest  hereditary  despot,  —  a  position  from  which  they 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


509 


could  be  dlslodgetl  only  by  an  extraordinary  outburst  of  popular 
indignation. 

lii.  One  source  of  enormous  power  which  a  government 
possesses  for  securing  its  position  unjustly  is  to  be  found  in  the 
expenditure  on  public  works.  In  a  new  country  such  expendi- 
ture must  always  be  large,  and  in  Canada  ten  years  ago  it  was 
unusually  increased,  owing  to  works  which  had  to  be  undertaken 
by  the  very  terms  of  the  confederation.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
explain  how  favors  can  be  shown  to  contractors  which  will  call 
forth  their  energies  when  the  existence  of  a  government  is  im- 
perilled, and  open  their  purses  when  an  electioneering  fund  is 
getting  exhausted.  The  hordes  of  men  also  employed  by  large 
government  contractors  can  easily  be  made  to  feel  an  interest 
in  the  party  through  whom  they  have  obtained  their  immediate 
occupation.  But  an  attempt  at  corruption  of  a  somewhat  novel 
character  was  made,  especially  in  the  Province  of  Ontario,  by 
the  bribery  of  entire  localities.  In  the  location  of  national 
institutions  the  government  of  this  province  gave  it  to  be  under- 
stood, by  unmistakable  actions,  and  even  by  unmistakable  lan- 
guage, that  they  were  guided  not  so  much  by  a  regard  for  the 
interests  of  the  people  at  large  as  by  the  intention  of  rewarding 
those  constituencies  which  had  sent  representatives  to  the  right 
side  of  the  house.  This  policy  culminated  in  a  measure  which  the . 
government  used  its  majority  to  carry  in  the  Legislative  Assembly 
on  the  eve  of  the  second  provincial  election.  By  this  measure 
one  and  a  half  million  of  dollars  were  placed  absolutely  at  the 
disposal  of  the  government,  with  the  single  restriction  that  it 
was  to  be  distributed  in  bonuses  to  projected  railways  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  province. 

20.  On  several  occasions  previously  the  government  had, 
not  without  strenuous  opposition,  obtained  smaller  grants  for 
various  works,  without  awy  specifications,  and  therefore  without 
any  reliable  estimates.  In  the  case  of  the  large  railway  grant, 
though  the  sum  formed  part  of  an  accumulated  surplus  in  the 
provincial  treasury,  the  English  reader  ought  to  bear  in  mind 
that  it  represented  nearly  t!io  whole  annual  revenue  of  the  prov- 
ince at  the  time  ;  and  this  sum  was  handed  over  to  the  govern- 
ment without  any  specification  as  to  the  particular  projects 
which  Avero  to  be  assisted,  and  without  the  roughest  estimate 
of  the  amount  which  each  might  require.  In  view  of  the  prin- 
ciples by  which  the  government  had  given  it  to  be  understood 
that  they  were  guided  in  the  expenditure  of  public  money  in 
different  localities,  and  in  view  of  the  fact  that  nearly  every 


ill 


510 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


sin    A.    A.    DORION. 


county  had  some  pet  railway  project  on  hand  at  the  time,  it  would 
not  have  been  surprising  if  the  government  bait  had  caught  every 
constituency  in  the  province.     It  is  to  the  credit  of  the  political 

sentiment  of  Ontario  that  the 
people  refused  the  bait.  The  op- 
position had  all  along  protested 
against  the  government  asking  for 
large  sums,  while  they  refused  to 
give  the  house  specilic  informa- 
tion as  to  the  nature  and  locality 
and  estimated  cost  of  the  works 
on  which  the  sums  were  to  be 
expended.  It  was  on  this  point 
specially,  and  with  more  prom- 
inent reference  to  the  large  rail- 
way grant,  that  the  opposition 
met  the  ministerial  party  at  the 
polls  in  1871.  Wo  believe  that 
the  more  dispassionately  this  crisis  comes  to  be  estimated,  the 
more  it  will  be  recognized  that  the  very  principle  of  constitu- 
tional government  was  at  stake  in  the  election.  No  plea  can  be 
advanced  in  defence  of  the  ministerial  jiolicy  which  would  not 
equally  have  justified  the  ministry  in  asking  for  a  vote  of  the 
entire  revenue  for  each  year  in  a  lump  sum,  without  laying  any 
estimates  before  the  house.  It  has  long  been  a  familiar  com- 
nionjilace  in  the  politics  of  constitutional  countries,  that  the 
legislative  body,  which  represents  the  people,  must  be  satisfied 
as  to  the  necessity  and  expediency  of  all  expenditui'e  in  the 
puljlic  service  before  voting  the  requisite  grants,  and  that  this 
principle  forms  the  one  eflcctive  check  which  the  people  hold , 
over  the  men  who  control  the  machinery  of  government.  With- 
out this  check,  the  forms  of  '^opresentative  government  might 
be  relegated  among  the  solemn  farces  which  still  impart  the 
dignity  of  a  hoUoAv  stateliness  to  many  departments  of  human 
action.  An  administration,  therefore,  Avhlch  acts  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  demanding  enormous  sums,  while  retaining  to  itself  the 
unchecked  control  of  their  expenditure  in  detail,  is  on  the  fair 
way  to  meet  the  house  some  day  with  a  preposterous  speech 
from  the  throne  :  "  Gentlemen,  my  ministers  have  formed  care- 
ful estimates  of  the  amounts  which  will  be  required  for  their 
respective  departments,  and  from  these  estimates  I  find  that  the 
total  amount  demanded  by  the  exigencies  of  the  public  service 
will  be  so  many  millions.     It  is  evidently  for  the  interests  of 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


611 


the  country  that  the  public  service  should  not  be  interfered 
with  by  men  who  have  not  the  special  acquaintance  that  my 
ministers  possess  with  its  requirements.  I  shall,  therefore, 
simply  ask  you  to  vote  the  total  sum  which  I  have  named ;  and 
I  have  the  gratification  of  knowing  that  you  will  thus  be  restored 
all  the  sooner  to  those  important  private  occupations  which,  I 
feel  assured,  must  suffer  seriously  by  your  prolonged  attendance 
here.  You  will,  of  course,  draw  still  the  usual  sessional  allow- 
ance." 

21.  It  was,  therefore,  no  mere  cry  of  a  faction  which  the 
opposition  raised,  when  they  appealed  to  the  electors  of  Ontario 
against  the  policy  of  the  government,  and  their  appeal  was 
evidently  sustained  by  the  voice  of  the  electors  at  the  polls. 
Feeling  confident  in  the  result  of  the  elections,  the  opposition 
determined  to  put  the  government  on  its  trial  at  the  very  open- 
ing of  the  new  Legislative  Assembly.  When  the  address  was 
moved,  they  proposed  an  amendment  condemning  the  policy  of 
the  ministry  in  reference  to  the  railway  grant,  and  the  amend- 
ment was  carried  by  a  small  majority.  The  ministry  pretended 
to  treat  the  vote  as  not  implying  want  of  confidence  ;  but  an  ad- 
ditional vote,  with  an  overwhelming  majority,  compelled  them 
to  abandon  the  treasury  benches  with  some  loss  of  dignity  at 
last. 

22.  The  course  of  political  affairs  in  the  Province  of  On- 
tario was  but  an  inner  circle  of  the  wider  course  taken  by  the 
politics  of  the  Dominion.  Here  the  opposition  was  led  by  the 
present  prime  minister,  the  Hon.  Alexander  McKcnzie.  For 
the  first  two  or  three  years  its  feebleness  obliged  it  to  content 
itself  with  aimless  criticism  of  isolated  measures ;  but  by  and 
by  the  ministry  began  to  indicate  a  policy  similar  to  that  which 
had  called  forth  a  victorious  opposition  in  Ontario.  It  has 
been  observed  above  that  the  fundamental  safeguard  of  all 
constitutional  government  is  that  the  executive  shall  be  held 
under  as  minute  and  incessant  control  as  the  public  service 
will  allow,  and  that  the  one  foe  of  all  constitutional  govern- 
ment is  the  political  adventurer  who  endeavors  to  hold  himself 
above  such  control.  Legislation  may,  of  course,  render  the 
ambition  of  such  adventurers  more  difficult,  but  every  system 
of  government  is  exposed  to  peril  from  the  unscriipulousncss 
of  the  men  by  whom  it  may  be  administered.  The  circum- 
stances of  Canada,  as  of  all  new  countries,  form  a  peculiar 
source  of  temptation  to  corruption  in  the  administration  of  her 
government.     From  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  a  new  country 


512 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


ii: 


cannot  possess  that  leisurely  class  of  men  from  whom  England 
has  long  derived  her  noblest  statesmen  ;  and  from  all  that  wo 
have  observed  there  seems  no  immediate  prospect  of  this  defi- 
ciency being  made  up  in  Canada ;  at  least,  not  a  fcAV  instances 
have  l)een  brought  to  notice  in  which  the  sons  of  wealthy  Canadian 
merchants  have  been  allowed  to  content  themselves  w.  . 
disgracefully  meagre  education,  and  have  squandered,  in  friv- 
olous idleness  or  in  coarse  sensuality,  the  fortunes  Avliich  had  been 
laboriously  accumulated  by  industrious  parents  ;  while  no  in- 
stance has  yet  attracted  attention  in  which  the  leisure  derived 
from  hereditary  wealth  has  been  devoted  to  the  service  of  the 
pul)lic  in  political  life.  The  result  of  all  this  is  that  the  ad- 
ministration of  public  affairs  necessarily  falls  very  largely  into 
the  hands  of  professional  })()liticians,  —  of  men  who  enter  poli- 
tics as  they  would  enter  any  other  profession  from  Avhicli  they 
seek  to  obtain  a  living.  It  is  no  discredit  to  Canadians  in  par- 
ticular, but  to  human  nature  in  general,  to  say  that  only  the 
most  incorruptible  of  men  can  utterly  Avithstand  the  tempta- 
tions of  such  a  profession.  At  least  the  sympathy  of  every 
earnest  jiolitical  thinker  must  be  repelled  by  any  policy  which 
would  render  it  easier  for  the  professional  politician  to  yield  to 
the  temptations  of  his  position. 

23.     It  was,  as  we  have  said,  a  policy  in  this  direction  —  a 
policy  of  encouragement  to    the  mere  political  adventurer  — 

that  strengthened  the  opposition  to 
the  first  government  of  the  Dominion, 
and  a  brief  reference  to  the  main 
points  of  conflict  between  the  govern- 
ment and  their  opponents  Avill  suffice 
to  make  this  evident.  One  of  the 
most  serious  dangers  to  constitutional 
government  is  the  power  which  a  cub; 
inet  possesses  of  manipulating  tho 
elections  so  as  to  put  the  opposition 
at  a  disadvantage  throughout  the 
countr3^  This  may  be  done,  for  ex- 
ample, by  spreading  the  'elections  over 
some  Aveeks,  taking  care  to  secure  the 
large  number  of  voters  who  go  for  the 
Avinning  side  by  obtaining  at  an  early  date  the  decision  of  those 
constituencies  in  Avhich  the  ministry  expect  a  favorable  return. 
The  same  end  is  also  attained  by  bringing  to  the  polls  the  large 
army  of  civil  servants  throughout  the  country,  by  leaving  the 


HON.    A.    G.    ARCHIBALD. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


513 


law  practically  inoperative  against  bribery,  and  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  returning-otHcers  unscrupulously  obsecpiious  to  the 
interests  of  the  party  by  whom  they  arc  appointed.  Now,  no 
one  who  watched  impartially  the  elections  for  the  second  Parlia- 
ment of  the  Dominion  could  avoid  the  conviction  that  the 
government  had  been  using  their  power  in  all  those  ways  to 
secure  a  verdict  in  their  favor  at  the  polls.  The  elections  were 
brought  on  in  an  order  which  was  wlioUy  inexplicable  except 
in  the  interest  of  the  ministry.  Votes  were  obtained  from 
men  whose  employment  in  the  service  of  the  nation  ought  to 
keep  them  aloof  from  the  service  of  a  party.  In  more  than 
one  instance  a  returning-officer  sent  in  a  return  so  manifestly 
in  opposition  to  the  facts,  that  the  government,  out  of  selt- 
respect,  should  have  at  once  subjected  the  oflender  to  criminal 
prosecution. 

24.  But  it  was  mainly  by  their  conduct  in  reference  to  the 
laws  against  bribery,  and  by  the  advantage  which  they  took  of 
the  laxity  of  these  hxAvs,  that  the  ministry  brought  upon  them- 
selves their  defeat.  It  had  been  well  enough  known  to  every 
one  in  Canada  for  a  long  time  that  representative  government 
was  being  rendered  a  laughing-stock  by  the  extent  to  which 
bribery  was  being  carried  on  l)y  all  parties.  All  the  evidence 
on  the  subject  shows  that  neither  party  throughout  the  country 
could  boast  of  superior  freedom  from  this  corruption.  Only 
this  can  be  said  of  the  leaders  in  the  opposition  at  the  time, 
that  they  demanded  the  legislation  which  has  since  been  ob- 
tained, and  which  has  proved  a  very  formidable  impediment  to 
bribery  and  other  dishonorable  influences  at  elections.  The 
government,  however,  by  its  overpowering  majority  in  Parlia- 
ment, crushed  all  attempts  at  legislation  in  this  direction,  and 
the  result  was  that  the  second  election  for  the  Dominion  House 
of  Commons  was  disgraced  by  an  extensive  system  of  1)ribery, 
in  which,  according  to  their  own  confession,  the  leaders  of  the 
government  were  deeply  involved. 

25.  The  sources  from  which  the  government  obtained 
funds  for  bribery  were  various  ;  but  after  every  allowance  for 
disinterested  subscriptions  from  conscientious  supporters,  there 
remain  enormous  sums,  which  no  statesman  should  ever  have 
allowed  himself  to  touch,  or,  if  tempted  to  use,  could  ever 
have  spoken  of  afterwards  without  a  feeling  of  shame.  There 
was  even  a  prevalent  suspicion  that  the  public  money  was  being 
misdirected  to  electioneering  purposes  ;  and,  though  it  may  be 
admitted  that  the  suspicion  was  founded  on  a  mistake,  it  must 


514 


HISTORY   OP  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


HON.    ALEX.    MACKENZIE. 


also  1)0  borne  in  mind  that  the  premier  himself  was  entirely  to 
blumo  for  giving  currency  to  the  suspicion.  A  motion  had  been 
introduced  into  the  House  of  Conunons  at  Ottawa  for  u  contt- 
deutiul  audit  of  the  expenditure  on  tlio  Secret  Service  Furid, 

and  the  motion  was  defended  by  a 
reference  to  British  practice.  The 
government,  however,  succeeded 
in  defeating  the  motion,  and  Sir 
John  Macdonald,  in  vindicating 
afterwards  his  opposition  to  the 
motion,  not  content  with  denying 
that  the  demand  for  a  conHdential 
audit  was  justiiied  by  British 
usage,  made  tiic  astounding  asser- 
tion that,  if  a  cabinet  in  England 
went  out  of  otfico  with  one  hun- 
dred thousand  pounds  of  secret 
service  money  to  their  credit, 
they  could  employ  it  in  carrying 
the  elections  against  their  op[)o- 
nents.  It  is  somewhat  surprising  that  this  statement  did  not 
attract  attention  or  call  forth  any  protest  from  the  English  press 
at  the  time,  and  that  it  was  only  after  some  years  that  Sir  John 
Macdonald  acknowledged  his  misapprehension  about  the  prac- 
tice of  British  statesmen  in  reference  to  the  use  of  secret 
service  funds. 

26.  But,  however  well  or  ill  founded  may  have  been  the 
suspicion  that  the  Dominion  government  were  abusing  the 
public  money  for  party  purposes,  their  own  confession  places 
beyond  all  controversy  the  notorious  attempt  to  maintain  tlieir 
position  by  corrupt  influences  in  connection  with  the  projected 
Pacific  Railway  through  Canadian  territory.  This  scandal  re- 
ceived such  prominent  notice  in  the  English  press  at  the  time,' 
and  is  still  so  recent,  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  revive  its  details 
at  present.  One  or  two  points  of  special  political  importance 
are  all  that  require  to  bo. remembered. 

27.  In  the  fiist  place,  the  Pacific  Railway  Bill  contained  in 
an  ao^sfravatcd  form  those  unconstitutional  features  which  have 
been  already  pointed  out  in  the  earlier  railway  bill  of  the 
administration  in  Ontario.  It  handed  over  absolutely  to  the 
government,  along  with  fifty  million  acres  of  land,  the  sum  of 
thirty  million  dollars,  —  a  sum  fully  equal  to  tjie  public  revenue 
of  the  whole  Dominion  for  a  year  and  a  half;  and  the  people 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


515 


tho 

tho 
ticcs 
their 
^cted 

I  ve-^ 
lime,' 
Ituils 
iaiice 

id  in 
liiivo 
the 
the 
of 
jnue 
[ople 


—  the  House  of  Commons  — were  thus  left  without  a  voice  as 
to  tho  route  which  tho  railway  should  take,  or  even  tho  most 
general  details  of  its  construction.  In  the  second  i)lace,  mem- 
bers of  tho  cabinet  confessed  to  having  accepted  for  election- 
coring  purposes  a  sum  —  which  in  Canada  must  be  accounted 
very  largo  —  from  the  gentleman  who  had  been  promised,  or 
at  least  expected,  the  contract  for  the  Pacific  Railway,  and  who 
has  declared  that  it  was  no  political  conviction,  but  simply  tho 
spirit  of  commercial  speculation  that  induced  him  to  advance 
so  much  money  for  the  purpose  of  keei)ing  tho  government  in 
power.  It  was  likewise  a  serious  aspect  of  this  political  scandal 
that  the  government  made  an  extremely  questionable  use  of  its 
prerogative,  and  showed  a  somewhat  unseemly  contempt  of  the 
privileges  of  Paiiiament,  in  order  to  prevent  tho  llouso  of 
Commons  from  itself  carrying  out  the  investigation  on  which  it 
had  determined. 

28.  It  was  no  wonder,  therefore,  that,  when  at  last  tho  min- 
istry met  tho  house,  they  found  tho  opposition  vastly  increased 
in  strength,  and,  after  a  lengthened  debate,  resigned  without 
waiting  for  a  division.  Tho  now  ministry,  soon  after  its  forma- 
tion, dissolved  the  house  ;  and  the  appeal  to  tho  electors  showed 
that  they  were  sustained  by  a  very  powerful  clement  through- 
out tho  country.  Whether  they  will  retain  that  support  for 
any  length  of  time  is  a  question  on  which,  as  on  other  social 
subjects,  it  is  hazardous  to  form  predictions  ;  but  it  is  a  ques- 
tion which  is  of  interest  only  in  so  far  as  tho  ministry  realize 
the  mission  which  they  have  undertaken,  and  to  which  they 
owe  their  position, — of  fighting  the  battle  of  constitutional 
government  in  Canada.  Certainly  nothing  has  happened  which 
should  make  tho  country  forget  the  serious  faults  of  the  pre- 
vious administration ;  but  tho  temper  of  political  discussion, 
both  in  the  House  of  Commons  at  Ottawa  and  throughout  tho 
Dominion,  gives  too  great  reason  to  fear  that  politicians  arc 
settling  again  into  two  factions,  separated  by  no  principle  ex- 
cept the  common  conviction  of  the  desirability  of  being  in 
office.  However  convenient  this  state  of  things  may  bo  for  the^ 
professional  politician,  it  is  a  result  which  can  i)o  contemplated 
only  with  tho  deepest  concern  by  every  earnest  student  of 
Ijolitlcal  afiaij's.  Not  only  would  such  a  resujt  detcat  ono  great 
end  of  tho  Canadian  confederation,  but  it  would  give  a  new 
force  to  one  of  the  great  perils  of  popular  goveinment.  Let 
us  hope  that  the  premier  of  the  Dominion  and  his  associates 
may  prove  themselves  eqjual  to  their  mission,  r.nd  they  may 


1^^ 


510 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


iinil  soiuo  safoguurd  fc>r  constitutioiml  freedom  against  that  des- 
potiHiu  of  party  which  has  formed  one  of  its  most  powerful 
foes  at  all  times,  and  now  forms  its  peeuliar  foe  ou  the  other 
side  of  the  Atlantic. 


♦  ♦  ♦ 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

THE   DOMINION  OF   CANADA  —  (cow^inwH). 


EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS TUE    NEWSPAPER    PRESS. 

1.  Before  resuming  the  narrative  of  political  events  in  the 
Dominion,  during  the  administration  of  Lord  Duflerin,  we  may 
pause  to  glance  at  the  educational  developments  of  the  prov- 
inces. Wc  will  Ijegin  with  Ontario.  Here  education  was  first 
encouraged  by  private  enterprise.  In  pioneer  days  nearly 
every  garrison,  either  by  its  chaplain  or  military  school-master, 
also  contributed  toAvards  the  general  fund  of  knowledge.  P'*. 
Ilodgins,  u  reliable  authority,  informs  us  that  the  first  sc' 
opened  in  Ontario  was  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Stuart,  a  Pn 
tant  Episcopal  cleigyman  and  a  united  empire  loyalist,  who  had 
been  chaplain  to  the  provincial  volunteers,  coming  with  them  as 
a  refugee.  In  1785  this  gentleman  opened  u  select  classical 
school  at  Cataraqui,  Kingston.  Soon  after,  Mr.  Donovan 
taught  a  garrison  school  there ;  but  wo  shall  not  pccupy  our 
space  with  any  list  of  first  school-teachers,  as  we  might  do. 
Most  of  the  few  rural  schools  in  the  country  in  those  early  days 
were  taught  either  by  discharged  soldiers  or  itinerant  teachers 
from  the  United  States.  It  is  said  that  the  latter  used  their  own 
school-books,  thereby  tincturing  their  pupils  with  their  own 
political  views.  This  may  account  for  the  fact  that  the  municipal 
institutions  of  Ontario  are  more  nearly  like  those  of  the  United 
States  than  those  of  any  other  British  American  province. 
However,  the  Legislature  early  took  means  to  exclude  the 
American  school-master.  A  writer  who  visited  Kingston  in 
1795,  says :  "In  this  district  there  are  some  schools,  but  they 
are  few  in  number.  The  children  are  instructed  in  reaaing  and 
writing,  and  pay  each  a  dollar  a  month.  One  of  the  masters, 
superior  to  the  rest  in  point  of  learning,  taught  Latin ;  but  ho 
has  left  without  being  succeeded  by  another  instructor  in  the 
same  language.     In  1795  the  government  took  some  initiative 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


517 


steps  ill  !in  odiu'iitioiiJil  tliroctloii,  growing  out  of  a  corrospond- 
onco  lu'twceu  (lovcnior  Sinicoo  and  Hi.shop  Mountuin  of  (^ucboc. 
Tlio  maftcr  Avas  ivferrod  to  the  Legislature,  whieli  in  1797 
njcmoriall/cd  King  (ieorgo  III.,  soliciting  a  grant  of  land  for 
tlio  endowment  of  a  gnuninar  Kchool  in  each  district,  and  a 
university  for  the  whole  province.  To  this  request  the  king 
gave  his  consent;  and  in  171>H  the  chief  civil  officers  of  lTi)per 
Canada  reconnnended  that  live  hundred  thousand  acres  of  land 
be  set  apart  for  the  estahlishnient  of  a  grammar  school  in  each 
district,  and  a  central  university  for  the  whole  province.  They 
also  r(  "onunendcd  a  grant  for  a  i)lain  hut  solid  and  substantial 
building  for  a  grannnar  school  i'.i  each  district,  containinga  school- 
room capal)le  of  holding  one  hundred  boys,  without  danger  to 
their  health  from  too  many  behig  crowded  together,  and  also  a 
set  of  apartments  for  the  master,  largo  enough  for  his  family 
and  from  ten  to  twenty  boarders."  The  salaries  proposed  to  bo 
given  wore  :  one  himdred  pounds 
for  the  head-master,  lifty  pounds 
for  tho  assistant  master,  and 
thirty  pounds  for  repairs,  etc. 
Kinorston  and  Niai?ara  were  rec- 
ommendod  as  eligible  sites  for 
schools  ;  after  which,  when  tho 
funds  M'oro  sufficient,  schools 
were  to  be  established  at  Corn- 
wall and  Sandwich.  Toronto 
was  recommended  as  entitled 
to  tho  nnivcrsitv,  and  for  tho 
establishment  and  support  of 
which  a  sum  of  at  least  equal 
to'  that  granted  to  tho  four 
schools  was  named.  Tho  cele- 
brated llev.  Dr.  Chalmers  was 
asked  to  take  chargo  of  tho 
schools  ;  but,  declining,  the  place  was  offered  to  the  Right  Eev.  Dr. 
Strachan,  Bishop  of  Toronto,  then  a  school-master  at  Kittlo,  Scot- 
land, who  occupied  it.  But  on  his  arrival  at  Kingston,  in  1700, 
ho  found  that  Governor  Simcoo  had  gone  to  England,  and  that 
tho  project  of  tho  college  had  boon  in  tho  mean  time  abandoned. 
In  tho  same  year  an  orphan  school  had  been  opened  near  St. 
Catherine's.  It  was  now  discovered  that  as  land  sold  for  a 
shilling  an  acre,  tho  grant  which  had  been  recommended 
would    do    but    littlo    towards    endowing    grammar   schools, 


^i 


518 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


and  the  whole  project  was  abandoucd,  and  what  little  educational 
effort  was  put  forth  Avas  duo  to  private  enterprise.  Mr. 
Strachan  opened  a  private  school  in  Cornwall,  in  1804,  which 
was  the  only  school  of  ncto  in  Upper  Canada  for  many  years, 
and  in  this,  as  also  Mr.  Strachan's  school  at  Toronto,  Avero 
educated  niiuiy  of  those  gentlemen  who  subsequently  occu- 
pied important  positions  in  the  province.  The  early  pro- 
moters of  education  in  Ontario  connnitted  the  mistal<o  of  first 
establishing  gramniiir  schools  and  a  university,  without  mak- 
ing any  provision  whatever  for  public  and  elementary  schools. 
This  error  was  difficult  to  overcome  foi  several  j'cars  after. 
At  length,  however,  in  3  81G,  common  schools  were  established 
in  O'ltario,  but  even  then  the  attempt  was  made  only  as  a 
doubtful  experiment.  But,  in  the  face  of  whatever  doubts  may 
have  existed,  avc  find  that  the  government  Avas  in  real  earnest, 
and  determined  to  give  the  scheme  a  fair  trial,  as  it  granted 
twenty-four  thousand  dollars  for  its  support.  Unfortunately, 
however,  in  1820  the  grant  Avas  reduced  to  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars. In  1822-3  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  the  lieutenant-govern- 
or, submitted  to  the  imperial  government  a  plan  for  organizing 
a  general  system  of  education  for  the  proviuce,  including  ele- 
mentary schools.  One  3'ear  later  he  received  permission  to 
establish  a  board  of  edu(;ation  for  the  supervision  of  this  system, 
and  for  the  management  of  the  university  and  school  lands 
throughout  the  province.  Considerable  eficctivc  Avork  Avas 
accomplished  by  this  board.  In  1824  avo  find  the  government 
encouraging  education  by  prov'di?ig  reading-books  for  the  com- 
mon and  Sunday  schools,  as  promoting  moral  and  religious 
instruction.  About  the  same  time  an  effort  Avas  made  to  extend 
the  adA'antagcs  of  education  to  the  Indians,  to  establish  a  uni- 
versity for  the  proA'ii'co  and  an  academy  for  the  Wcsleyans. 
The  latter,  under  the  name  of  the  "Upper  Canada  Academy," 
was  projected  in  1830,  and  founded  at  Coburg  two  years  after. 
It  AA'as  opened  in  183'),  and  a  royal  charter  ol)tained  for  it  in 
the  same  year  by  liev.  Dr.  Ilyerson.  In  1841  this  academy 
became  the  university  of  Victoria  College.  In  1827  the  Legis- 
lature took  more  active  stei)S  to  promote  education,  and  grants 
AA-erc  made  to  sustain  both  the  grannnar  and  connnon  schools. 
In  1832  the  provincial  board  of  education  Avas  abolished,  and 
the  nianngement  of  the  schools  transferred  to  the  croAvn  and 
the  Legislature  jointly.  About  this  period,  however,  the 
schools  of  Upper  Canada  did  not  bear  a  very  enviable  reputa- 
tion.     Dr.   Thos.   Ral])h,  'aIio   travelled   in  the   province   in 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


510 


1832-3,  thus  describes  them  :  "It  is  really  melancholy  to  trav- 
erse the  province  nncl  go  into  many  of  the  common  schools. 
Yon  tind  a  herd  of  children  instructed  by  some  anti-British 
adventurer,  instilling  into  the  young,  tender  mind  sentiments 
hostile  to  the  parent  state."     In  183G  a  female  ii^ademy  was 
established   by  Mrs.   (.'romb   and  her  sister,   Mrs.  Bradshaw. 
Afterwards  liev.  1).  Mc^Iullan  added  a  male  department  to 
it.       In    183G   considerable  ctfort   was   made  to   improve  the 
common  schools,   but,  during  the  rebellion  which  devastated 
the  province  soon  after,  little  attention  was  given  to  the  sub- 
ject of  education.     However,  in  183'J  the  sky  brightened,  and 
two  hundred  lifty  thousand  acres  of  land  were  set  apart  as  a 
permanent  endowment  of  the  grammar  schools,  and  the  govern- 
ment was  authorized  to  appoint  five  trustees  to  manage  each 
of  them.     The  sum  of  eight  hundred  dollars  was  granted  as  a 
bonus  to  those  counties  Avhicli  should  apply  a  like  sum  to  erect 
a  grammar  school  building,  and  permanently  insure  it.     "In 
1840-41,"  writes  Dr.  Ilodgins,  "Victoria  College  and  Queen's 
College  were  incorporated  as  universities,  and  Congregational 
and  United  Presbyterian  theological  colleges  were  established. 
In  1841-42  the  Friends  (Quakers),  at  the  instance  of  John 
Joseph  Gurncy,  of  England  (who  contributed  five   hundred 
pounds  sterling  to  it),  established  a  seminary  at  Bloomtield. 
near  Picton  ;  and  a  Church  of  England  Theological  college  Avas 
established   at   Cobourg.      Two  years   later    Knox    College, 
Toronto,  went   into  operation.     In    1840   Ilcgiopolis   College 
(Kingston)  was  established ;  and  in  1848  St.  Joseph's  College 
(Ottawa) .     In  1840  the  union  of  the  two  provinces  took  place  ; 
and  in  1841  the  first  Parliament  of  United  Canada  passed  an 
act  dctinitely  establishing  a  system  of  education  for  the  whole 
Province  of  Canada,  and  fixing  the  annual  grant  for  its  support 
at  the  munificent  sum  of  two  hundred  thousand  dollars.     This 
act  first  embodied  the  principle  of  separate  schools.     In  1843 
the  act  was,  however,  repealed,  so  far  as  Upper  Canada  was 
concerned,  and  another  act  applicable  to  Upper  Canada  (still 
recognizing  the  principle  of  separate  schools)  Avas  svibstifuted 
in  its  place.     In  1842  the  long-projected  university  for  l^pper 
Canada  was  established  at  Toronto,  underthe  name  of  King's  Col- 
lege, and  Bishop  Strachan  was  appointed  its  first  i)rosident. 
In  1844  Ivev.  Dr.  Rycrson,  having  made  an  extensive  tour  in 
Europe  and  in  the  United  .States,  sul)miited  the  result  of  his 
inquiries  in  an  elaborate  'Report  on  a  system  of  Public  Ele- 
mentary Education,'  and  accompanied  it  with  a  draft  of  a  bill 


520 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


which  became  law  in  184G.  In  1847  a  system  adapted  to 
cities  and  towns  was  established.  In  the  same  year  the 
provincial    Normal    School   was  opened   at   Toronto.      For   a 

few  years  the  school  law  nnder- 
"went  a  good  deal  of  unfriendly 
local  criticism,  which,  in  1849, 
culminated  in  tlie  hasty  passage 
of  a  bill  by  the  Legislature  en- 
tirely repealing  all  former  acts. 
This ledtoaneducationalcrisis ; 
and  in  1850  the  whole  system  of 
po[)ular  educatiim  underwent  a 
tliorough  revision.  A  compre- 
hensive draft  of  a  bill  on  the 
subject  was  submitted  to  the 
Baldwin  government  l)y  the 
chief  superintendent,  and  ap- 
proved. Thisbill  wasconcurred 
in  by  the  Legislature,  and  be- 
came law  in  June  of  that  year. 
It  still  forms  the  basis  of  the 
present  common-school  sj'stcm  of  Ontario.  Tlie  chair  of  divinity 
having,  in  1849,  been  abolished,  and  other  changes  made  in 
King's  College,  — the  name  of  which  was  changed  to  that  of  the 
University  of  Toronto,  —  Avhich  were  imacceptable  to  Bishop 
Strachan,  and  other  mem])ers  of  the  Church  of  England,  the 
venerable  prelate  (although  in  his  seventy-second  3'ear)  vigor- 
ously set  about  the  estabb'shmcnt  of  an  exclusive  Church  of 
Enghmd  University.  In  this  he  was  eminently  successful ;  and 
having,  in  1850,  secured  an  act  of  incorporation  for  it  from  the 
Canadian  Legislature,  he  obtained,  in  1851,  a  royal  charter 
from  the  queen  for  the  University  of  Trinity  College,  at 
Toronto.  This  institution  was  formally  opened  in  1852,  and  the 
Diocesan  Tiieological  Scliool  at  Cobourg  merged  in  it.  In  the 
same  year  (1852)  St.  Michael's  College  was  established  at 
Toronto,  by  sonie  clergyman  of  the  order  of  St.  Basil,  under 
the  patronage  of  the  llight  Ilevercnd  Doctor  do  Charbonell, 
second  Roman  Catholic  bishop  of  the  diocese.  In  1853  some 
valuable  improvements  were  made  in  the  details  of  the  com- 
mon-school system.  After  having  been  discnssed  at  vaiious 
county  school  conventions  (Avhich  were  held  by  the  chief 
superintendent  of  edncation),  those  imjirovements  were  em- 
bodied ill  a  supplementary  school  bill,  and  in  that  form  received 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


521 


the  sanction  of  the  Legislature."  The  grammar  (now  high) 
schools  were  much  imi)rovcd  in  1853,  and  in  1857  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church  established  the  Belleville  Seminary, 
since  called  Albert  University,  and  in  the  same  year  the  Bap- 
tists established  the  Literary  Listitute  at  Woodstock.  The 
school  for  the  deaf  and  dumb  was  not  in  motion  in  1858,  and 
was  subsequently  merged  into  the  present  fine  institution  at 
Belleville.  In  1861  the  Wesleyau  Female  College  was  estab- 
lished at  Hamilton;  in  1865  llellmuth  College,  for  boys ;  and 
in  1869  a  college  for^irls  was  established  by  Bishop  llellmuth 
at  London.  The  Roman  Catholic  Ciiurch  has  also  in  operation 
several  flourishing  Ladies'  Convent  Schools,  in  the  chief  cities 
and  towns;  while  a  Church  of  England  Ladies'  (Bishop 
Strachan)  School  has  been  established  at  Toronto.  There  are 
also  a  large  number  of  supcn-ior  private  schools,  chiefiy  for 
girls,  in  various  paits  of  the  province.  In  1860  several  im- 
provements were  made  in  the  public-school  act.  In  1865  the 
grannnar-school  act  was  further  revised  and  improved  ;  and  in 
1871  a  still  more  important  revision  and  improvement  of  the 
grammar  and  common  schools  laws  were  made.     The  designa- 


tion of  these  schools  was,  in  the  act  of  1871,  changed  to 
"High"  and  "Public"  schools.  Ontario  now  has  one  of  the 
finest  and  most  complete  school  systems  iu  America,  and,  in 
many  respects,  the  most  complete  and  eilbctive  in  the  Dominion. 
Both  in  the  elementary  and  higher  branches  of  education  there 
is  constantly  manifested  a  spirit  of  ]  rogress  and  improvement 
m  full  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the  age. 

2.  Province  of  Quebec.  In  the  rural  districts  of  the 
Province  of  Quebec  education  has  made  less  progress  than 
in  any  other  part  of  the  Dominion,  yet  within  the  past  few 
years  this  condition  has  been  consideral)ly  improved.  Rev. 
Father  DeJeune,  of  whom  avc  speak  pnrticularly  hereafter, 
Avas  the  first  to  begin  the  work  of  education  in  this  province. 
In  1632  he  commenced  with  two  pupils,  —  a  negro  and  an 
Indian  boy.  This  first  missionary  work  soon  spread  itself  over 
a  wide  range  of  territory,  but  was  devoted  chiefiy  on  behalf 
of  the  Indians,  who  were  at  that  time  about  the  only  inhal>- 
itants  of  the  province  outside  of  Quebec.  In  1647,  llie  Theo- 
logical Seminary  of  St.  Sulpice  was  established  in  Montreal ; 
and,  in  1663,  Mgr.  Laval,  the  first  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of 
Quebec,  set  on  foot  the  "  Grande  Seminaire  do  Qut'b(<c,"  de- 
signed for  the  education  of  candidates  for  the  priostli'  'd.  In 
1668,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  celebrated  Colbert,  Bishop  Laval 


522 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


founded  the  "Petit  Seminaire,"  which  was  chiefly  designed  to 
"  francizise  "  the  Huron  lads.  The  project  failed,  so  far  as  the 
Indians  were  concerned;  but  in  1G88  the  number  of  French 
boys  at  the  seminary  had  increased  to  sixty.  The  bishop  also 
established  an  industrial  school  near  Quebec,  for  the  habitants. 
From  it  they  Avere  drafted  either  to  the  Grand  or  Minor  Semi- 
nary. The  only  elementary 
schools  which  existed  at  this 
time  Avere  those  founded  by 
Sister  Bourgeois,  of  the  Con- 
gregation of  Notre  Dame,  and 
by  the  KecoUets.  The  Jesuit 
College  and  several  primary 
schools  were  also  maintained. 
In  1728,  the  Jesuits  projected 
ii  college  at  Montreal ;  and  the 
Frcres  Charron,  of  the  same 
city,  i^roposed  to  establish  ele- 
mentary schools  in  the  various 
parishes,  as  in  France.  In 
1737  the  Christian  Brothers 
banded  themselves  together  as 
teachers  of  these  church  schools, 
and  adopted  a  distinctive  garb 
as  such.  Things  remained  in 
nearly  the  same  state  until  after  the  conquest, — 1759.  In 
1773  the  Sulpicians  established  the  "Petit  Seminaire,"  or 
"College  de  Montreal."  In  the  following  year  the  Jesuit 
order  was  suppressed  in  Canada  (as  they  had,  in  17G2,  been 
suppressed  in  France),  and  their  revenues  were  afterwards 
diverted  to  educational  purposes.  The  Jesuit  estates  were 
taken  possession  of  by  the  government  in  1800;  and  in  1831 
they  Avere  devoted  to  education.  In  1787  the  Legislature  first 
formally  turned  its  attention  to  education,  and  a  committee 
of  thw  legislative  council  Avas  appointed  "to  inquire  into  the 
best  means  of  promoting  education."  Tavo  years  afterAvards  the 
committee  reported,  reconnnending  that  an  elementary  school 
be  estal)lished  in  each  parish,  a  model  school  in  each  county, 
and  a  provincial  college  at  Quebec,  and  that  they  be  endoAA'cd 
out  of  the  Jesuit  estates.  The  schools,  etc.,  Avero  to  bo 
open  to  Protestants  and  Roman  Catholics  alike,  and  Avere 
to  be  under  the  management  of  a  united  board  of  both : 
each  church    to   provide    for   religious    instruction,   and  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


523 


visitation  of  tho  college  to  bo  in  the  crown.  The  Bishop 
(Hubert)  of  Quebec,  and  Pcrc  De  Glaiiion,  the  cx-supcrior  of 
tho  Jesuits,  objected  to  tho  plan,  and  the  project  failed.  —  [/)/•• 
Hodyins.l  In  1795-0,  the  Duke  do  lloehefoucault,  during  his 
stay  at  Quebec,  thus  wrote  concerning  tho  state  of  education  at 
that  time  :  "  Tho  Seminary  of  Quebec  ....  forms  tlio 
only  resource  for  Canadian  families  Avho  wish  to  give  their  chil- 
dren any  degree  of  education  ....  Upon  the  whole,  the 
work  of  education  in  Lower  Canada  is  greatly  neglected.  At 
Sorel  and  Trois  liiviores  arc  a  few  schools,  kept  by  nuns  ;  and 
in  other  places  men  and  women  instruct  children  ;  but  the  num- 
ber of  schools  is,  upon  tho  whole,  so  very  small,  and  the  mode 
of  instruction  so  defective,  that  a  Canadian  who  can  read  is  a 
bit  of  a  phenomenon.     Tho  En<?lish  government  is  charired 


Ignorance ; 


with  designedly  keeping  the  people  of  Canada  in 
but  if  it  were  sincerely  desirous  of  producing  an  advantageous 
change  in  this  respect,  it  would  have  as  great  obstacles  to  sur- 
mount on  this  head  as  in  regard  to  agricultural  improvements." 
In  1793  the  Legislature  made  an  eflort  to  have  the  forfeited  Jes- 
uit estates  devoted  to  educational  purposes,  and  in  1800  tho 
matter  was  still  farther  pressed,  on  which  occasion  tho  governor 
replied,  that  "  his  majesty  George  III.  has  been  graciously 
pleased  to  give  directions  (as  he  had  done  four  years  previously 
in  Upper  Canada)  for  tho  establishing  of  a  competent  number 
of  free  schools,  for  the  instruction  of  children  in  the  rudiments 
of  useful  learning,  and  in  the  English  tongue  ;  and  also,  as  oc- 
casion may  require,  for  foundations  of  a  more  comprehensive 
nature  ;  and  his  majesty  has  been  likewise  pleased  to  signify  his 
royal  intention  that  a  suitaljle  proportion  of  the  lands  of  the 
crown  should  be  set  ai)art  and  the  revenue  thereof  applied  to 
such  purposes."  Pursuant  to  these  wishes  of  the  king,  a  bill 
was  passed  establishing  a  "Royal  Institution  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Learning."  AW  schools  and  educational  institutions 
were  committed  to  the  care  of  this  one  ;  but,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  no  grant  of  land  was  made,  and  to  mismanagement,  tho 
project  was  a  failure.  This  act  was  afterwards  from  time  to 
time  altered  and  amended,  but  never  accomplished  much  for 
general  education,  and  iinally  became  the  special  guardian  of 
McGill  College,  Montreal,  whidi  was  founded  by  t!io  will  of  tho 
Hon.  Peter  McGill,  in  1811;  but,  owing  to  a  legal  difficulty 
with  tho  will,  tho  royal  charter  Avas  not  granted  until  1821. 
In  1824  a  general  report  on  educational  matters  revealed  the 
fact,  that  "in  many  parishes  not  more  than  live  or  six  of  the 


\         -1 A 


524 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


iiv  !■, 


1:^1 


inhabitants  could  write  ;  that  generally  not  above  one  fourth  of 
the  entire  population  could  read  ;  and  that  not  above  one  tenth 
of  them  could  write,  even  imperfectly."  To  meet  the  demands 
of  the  Catholic,  the  Fahrlque  Act  was  passed  in  1824,  which  pro- 
vided for  the  establishment  by  the  Fabriques,  a  corporate  body, 
under  the  old  French  laws,  of  the  curO  and  church-wardens,  of 
one  school  in  each  Roman  Catholic  parish  for  every  hundred 
families.  In  1829  an  act  was  passed  substituting  trustees  for 
the  Fabriques,  which  may  be  rci^arded  as  the  first  general  ele- 
mentary school  act  of  Lower  Canada,  and  the  germ  of  the 
present  system.  It  was  amended  soon  after,  so  as  to  admit  of 
the  election  of  ministers,  equally  Avith  laymen,  as  trustees,  for 
half-yearly  examination.  An  appropriation  was  also  made  in 
1831  for  a  deaf  and  dumb  institution.  In  the  same  jcax  girls' 
schools  were  provided  for,  and  prizes  instituted.  In  183G  a 
report  to  the  Legislature  revealed  the  incompetency  of  teachers^ 
and  a  normal  school  was  authorized  for  five  years  in  Montreal 
and  Quebec,  and  certain  convents  were  authorized  to  train 
young  ladies  for  teachers  for  a  like  period.  "The  school  act  of 
1832,  as  amended,  having  expired,  the  Assembly  passed  a  more 
comprehensive  bill,  which  was  rejected  by  the  legislative 
council.  This  bill  contained  two  important  features :  tirst, 
authority  to  establish  model  schools  ;  and,  second,  permission  to 
raise  a  school  rate,  with  the  consent  of  the  inhabitants.  The 
objections  urged  against  this  bill  were :  first,  that  while  the 
aggregate  expenditure  for  education  during  the  preceding  soven 
years  only  amounted  to  six  hundred  thousand  dollars,  yet  this 
bill,  by  its  unusually  large  appropriation  (one  hundred  and 
sixty  thousand  dollars  per  annum),  would  have  the  effect  of 
superseding  rather  than  stimulating  local  eft'ort ;  and,  second, 
that  the  expenditure  of  the  grant  by  members  of  the  house 
was  demoralizing.  As  in  Upper,  so  in  Lower  Canada,  the 
political  troubles  of  1837-8  paralyzed  continued  educational 
effort.  On  the  union  of  the  provinces,  however,  a  compre- 
hensive measure  was  passed  providing  for  a  uniform  system 
of  public  education  for  Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  and  appro- 
priating two  hundred  thousand  dollars  a  year  for  its  mainten- 
ance. Dr.  Meilleur,  an  active  educationist,  w^as  appointed  to 
superintend  tlie  Lower  Canada  schools.  In  1843  this  law  was 
amended,  and  in  18 16  it  was  superseded  by  an  improved 
measure,  Avhich  first  embodied  a  principle  of  compulsory  tax- 
ation This  was,  however,  modified  in  1849,  so  as  to  make  it 
permissive.    In  1851  an  abortive  effort  was  made  to  establish  a 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATE3. 


525 


normal  school.  In  1855  Dr.  Moillour  gave  place  to  Hon.  P.  J, 
O.  Chauveau,  LL.D.,  who  infused  new  life  and  energy  into  the 
school  system  of  Lower  Canada." —  [Z>r.  IIodgins.'\  McanAvhilo 
the  higher  educational  institu- 
tions of  the  province  increased 
in  number  and  etficiency.  In 
1804,  the  Seminary  of  Nicolet 
was  estal>lished ;  in  1806,  St. 
Eaphael  Seminary  (Avhich  had 
been  burned  in  1803)  was  re- 
opened as  the  CoUego  of  ^Mon- 
trcal ;  in  1811,  the  College  of 
St.  Ilyacinthe  ;  in  1824-25,  the 
ColloGfc  of  Ste .  Thereso  do  Blain- 
villo  ;  in  1826,  the  Industrial 
College  of  Chambly  ;  in  1827, 
the  Collejje  of  Ste.  Anno  laPoca- 
tiere ;  in"l827-8,  McGill  Col- 
lege ;  in  1828,  La  Providence 
Convent,  at  Montreal ;  in  1832, 
the  JNIcDonakl  Deaf  and  Dumb 
Asylum,  at  Quebec ;  in  1833, 

L'Assomption  College  ;  in  1842,  the  Christian  Brothers'  Schools, 
at  Quebec;  in  1843-45,  Bishop's  College,  Lennoxville,  and  a 
classical  high  school,  Quebec  ;  in  1846,  St.  Michel  College,  Joli- 
etto  College,  Industrie  ;  in  1847,  Masson  College,  Terrebonne  ; 
in  1849,  schools  for  deaf  and  duml>  at  Chambly  and  Longuo 
Pointe  ;  in  1849,  the  College  do  Ste.  Marie,  Montreal ;  in  1850, 
the  College  of  Notre-Dame  do  Levis  and  liigaud  College  ;  in 
1852,  McGill  College  and  the  Grand  Seminary  of  Quebec,  and 
in  1853  Bishop's  College  was  chartered  respectively  as  McGill, 
Laval,  and  Bishop's  College  Universities ;  in  the  same  year 
(1853)  the  College  of  Ste.  jNIario  de  Moniioir  and  the  normal 
and  model  schools  of  the  Colonial  and  Continental  Clmrch  and 
School  Society  at  INIontreal  (subsequently  transferred  to  McGill 
College)  ;  in  1854,  the  College  of  St.  Germain  de  Kimouski,  St. 
Francis  (Richmond),  Laval,  near  Montreal,  Ste.  Mario  do  la 
Beauco  and  Verchcres ;  in  1855,  Sherbrooke  and  Yai'ennes 
Colleges ;  in  1856,  La  Chuto  College,  Argentcuil ;  in  1858, 
the  lleformatory  School,  Isle  aux  Noix ;  in  1859,  the  College 
of  Trois-Ilivieres ;  in  1860,  Longueuil  College ;  and  in  1862 
Morrin  College,  Quebec.  In  1872  the  Wesleyan  Methodists 
projected  a  college  at  Stanstead.    Hon.  Dr.  Chauveau  prepared 


52G 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


two  important  school  acts,  one  to  consolidate  and  improve  the 
system  of  elementary  schools,  and  the  other  that  of  superior 
education.  lie  also  projected  the  "Lower  Canada  Journal  of 
Education,"  and  "Le  Journal  do  rinstruction  Pubiique,"  and 
promoted  the  establishment,  in  1857,  of  Jacques-Cartier  and 
McGill  Normal  Schools,  Montreal,  and  of  Laval  Normal  School, 
Quebec.  Various  modifications  and  improvements  were  made 
in  the  school  system  of  Lower  Canada,  now  Quebec,  during 
the  incumbency  of  Dr.  ^•hauvcau,  who,  in  18G7,  became  Min- 
ister of  Public  Instruction,  and  retired  in  1873. 

3.  Nova  Scotia.  Although  not  one  of  those  provinces 
which  led  the  van  in  popuhir  educational  progress.  Nova  Scotia 
has,  w>hin  a  comparatively  recent  period,  made  great  and  rapid 
strides  CO  place  herself  in  line  with  the  very  foremost.  If  the 
people,  considered  in  the  mass,  were  \:ln  in  evincing  their 
appreciation  of  the  benefits  of  general  education,  they,  when 
thoroughly  aroused,  have  exhibited  a  determined  energy  in 
compensating  themselves  for  their  previous  seeming  lethargy 
and  comparative  inaction.  It  must  bo  admitted  that  at  a  period 
even  yet  (1877)  within  the  recollection  of  middle-aged  Nova 
Scotians,  the  "common-school  system"  —  as  it  was  compli- 
mentarily  called  —  of  that  province  presented  a  rather  melan- 
choly spectacle.  The  tourist  throngii  the  rural  districts  could 
seldom  mistake  the  "school  house,"  for  it  was  the  most  unseemly, 
squalid,  and  dilapidated  structure,  with  the  most  repulsive 
surroundings,  to  be  seen  in  the  neighborhood.  The  very  aspect 
of  the  place  was  calculated  to  disgust  a  child,  of  any  innate  re- 
finement of  feeling,  with  the  very  name  of  school.  So  wretch- 
edly inadequate  was  the  remuneration  provided  for  teachers, 
that  few  who  were  really  capable  of  discharging  the  duties  of 
that  most  honorable  and  responsible  profession  could  prevail 
upon  themselves  to  enter  the  calling  of  teachers.  Thus  too 
often  men  and  Avomcn  engaged  themselves  in  that  capacity  be- 
cause they  found  themselves  unfit  for  anything  else.  In  most 
cases,  too,  the  teacher  was  under  the  necessity  of  making  his 
engagement  directly  with  the  parents  of  the  children  he  pro- 
posed to  teach.  lie  often  had  to  make  a  vigorous  canvass  for 
the  position,  miserable  as  it  was  ;  and,  when  successiul,  he  was 
subject  to  the  caprice  of  his  employers,  and  liable  to  bo  dis- 
charged at  a  moment's  notlco ,  An  annual  grant  was  made  by  the 
provincial  Legislature  in  aid  of  common  schools,  to  bo  appor- 
tioned upon  certain  conditions,  one  of  which  usually  was  the 
raising  of  a  certain  proportionate  sum,  in  each  instance,  by  the 


.  ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


527 


people  ;  but  this  contlition  was  often  shamefully  evaded.  Suit- 
able sehool  text-books,  even  for  the  primary  branehes  of  tui- 
tion, scarcely  existed  :  and  the  forming  of  pu[)ils  into  classes 
for  instruction  was  ail  but  impossil)le.  Yet,  under  these  dis- 
heartening circumstances,  the  real  intellect  of  the  countryman- 
aged  to  get  educated  so  far  as  to  appreciate  the  im[)oi'tanc(i  of 
education,  and  each  generation  of  them  to  make  more  strenu- 
ous cti'orts  for  improving  the  educational  possil)ilities  of  their 
successors.  The  struggle  upwards  was  a  long  and,  in  its  earlier 
stages,  a  tedi(ms  one.  Very  frerpient,  but  never  very  impor- 
tant or  radical,  changes  were  made  in  the  provincial  school  law. 
This  law  merely  amounted  to  a  prescription  of  the  conditions 
upon  which  teachers,  or  schools,  might  share  in  the  annual 
legislative  grant.  County  and  district  boards  of  school  com- 
missioners were  appointed  by  the  provincial  government,  the 
principal  duties  of  which  commissioners  were  the  examination 
and  licensing  of  teachers,  and  the  fair  di.stril)uti(m,  among  the 
schools  under  their  jurisdiction,  of  the  comity  or  district  por- 
tion of  the  annual  grant.  Some  of  their  connnissioners  la- 
bored manfully  in  the  way  of  then-  duty ;  but,  as  to  exam- 
ining candidates  for  teachers'  licenses,  many  of  them  were 
plainly  incompetent  to  do  so ;  whilst  others  gave  themselves 
little  concern  about  the  matter.  Meanwhile  the  peo})le  in  any 
"school  district"  might  do  as  they  pleased  about  having  a 
school  at  all.  Many  of  them  pleased  to  save  their  means 
and  dispense  with  a  school  altogether ;  and  thus  many  thou- 
sands of  children  in  the  province  Avere  growing  up  in  ig- 
norance. The  mo»"'  advanced  advocates  of  education  Avero 
persistent  in  their  efforts  to  have  the  whole  scliools  of  the 
country  supported  by  a  general  property  tax,  and  not  to  leave 
it  optional  with  the  people  of  any  district  to  have  or  not  to 
have  a  school.  The  Legislature  exhibited  much  timidity  in  the 
matter.  At  length  the  law  was  so  far  moditied  as  to  permit  the 
people  of  any  "school  district"  —  since  designated  "school 
section"  —  to  tax  themselves  in  accordance  with  certain  for- 
malities, for  school,  purposes.  This  feeble  measure  produced 
no  appreciable  results.  Wherever  there  Avas  not  universal 
spontaneity  in  the  matter,  even  strong  majorities  AV(>rc  seldom 
disposed  to  persist  in  adopting;,'  a  measui-e  which  could  scarcely 
fail,  when  so  adopted,  to  stir  up  bitterness  and  animosities  among 
neighbors.  Consequently  few  communities  attempted  any  action 
in  the  matter ;  and  of  those  few  districts  which  adopted  the 
taxation  clause,  nearly  all,  through  the  active  factionism  of  non- 


li  ' 


( *> 


'i 


kit 


r>28 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


contents,  soon  lapsed  back  into  the  old  way.  At  length  a  new 
and  very  perceptible  inipniso  was  given  to  the  cause  of  com- 
mon-school <'diication  by  the  establishment  of  a  Normal  School. 
U'his  institution  was  founded  by  legislative  act  of  1854.  The 
school  itself  was  opened  in  Truro,  in  the  autumn  of  1855  ;  and 
model  schools  in  connection  therewith  were  soon  afterwards 
added.  Probably  no  less  beneficial  was  the  influence  upon  that 
cause  of  the  appointment  of  a  provincial  superintendent  of 
education,  J.  W.  Dawson,  Esq.,  now  more  highly  and  Avidely 
distinguished  as  the  Principal  of  McGill  College,  Montreal,  who 
was  the  first  to  occupy  that  post  in  Nova  Scotia ;  and  the  un- 
tiring energy,  industry,  and  eloquence  u  ith  which  he  strove,  for 
years,  and  under  many  disheartening  circumstances,  to  elevate 
the  position  and  increase  the  usefulness  of  the  teacher,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  to  impress  upon  the  mass  of  the  people  a  duo  sense 
of  the  benefits  of  education,  amply  entitle  him  to  that  gratitude 
which,  wo  believe,  is  freely  accorded  by  the  true  friends  of 
education  in  Nova  Scotia.  The  late  Rev.  Dr.  Forrester,  tirst 
principal  of  the  Normal  School,  succeeded  Dr.  Dawson  as 
superintendent  of  education,  and  in  that  capacity  vigorously 
prosecuted  the  work  which  his  predecessor  had  so  ably  com- 
menced. It  now  soon  became  apparent  that  there  was  no 
scarcity  of  fairly  competent  teachers  in  the  province.  Every 
term  of  the  Normal  School  added  largely  to  their  number.  But 
competent  teachers  insisted  upon  something  at  least  approaching 
to  adequate  remuneration  for  their  professional  seiTices.  The 
existing  system  atforded,  at  best,  onl}'  the  most  precarious  means 
of  securing  that  end.  It  was,  strictly  speaking,  no  system  at 
all.  The  more  advanced  advocates  of  education  —  now  largely 
increased  in  numbers  and  influence — insisted  that  general  as- 
sessment for  the  support  of  schools  must  bo  the  basis,  and  could 
be  the  only  durable  basis,  for  an  effective  system  of  common- 
school  education.  They  maintained  that  the  country  Avas  now 
ripe  for  the  introduction  of  such  a  system.  Those  still  opposed  to 
general  assessment  for  the  support  of  schools  consisted,  for  the 
most  part,  of  the  most  ignorant  classes,  and,  strange  to  say, 
of  the  poorest  in  this  world's  goods,  although  as  a  rule  the 
most  abundantly  provided  with  children  to  be  educated.  It 
was  contended  that,  as  the  proposed  tax  would  fall  most  lightly 
upon  those  disposed  to  resent  its  imposition,  and  as  its  beneficial 
results  to  the  country  at  large  would  every  day  become  more 
unmistakably  obvious,  no  serious  opposition  to  a  really  effective 
school  law  was  to  be  apprehended ;  that,  in  short,  any  such 


y  ■* 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


520 


opposition  Avoulcl  i)rovc  to  Lo  merely  a  teniporaiy  outburst  of 
petulanee,  couiiued  to  a  small  and  not  in  any  uay  potent  class. 
The  sequel  showed  that  this  view  Avaa  quite  correct.  The  year 
18G5  marks  the  commencement  of  a  new  era  in  tho  history  of 
popular  education  in  Nova  kSiotia  ;  for  in  that  year  "was  enacted 
tho  law  •which,  -with  some  sliirht  modillcations,  is  still  in  forco 
in  that  province,  and  Avhicli  has  completely  revolutionized  tho 
country  in  an  educational  point  of  vi(!W.  To  II(m.  C'Imrles 
Tupper,  C.B.,  at  that  time  the  lu^ad  of  tho  Nova  Scotian  admin- 
istration, is  duo  tho  merit  of 
havin<^  carried  this  important 
measure  through  tho  provincial 
Legislature.  Tho  provision 
mado  by  tho  new  law  for  tho 
support  of  schools  "was  dcu-iv- 
able  from threo  sources.  First, 
tho  direct  provincial  grantvotcd 
annually  by  tho  Legislature. 
This  grant  commenced  Avith  one 
hundred  and  seventeen  tliou- 
sand  dollars,  besides  six  thou- 
sand six  hundred  dollars  to- 
Avards  tho  support  of  country 
academies,  and  it  has  slowly 
increased  imtil,  in  ]870,  it 
amounted  to  ono  hundred  and 
sevcnty-threo  thousand  thrco 
hundred  and  iiincty-six  dollars  and  fIfty-fl\o  cents.  This  pro- 
vincial common-school  grant  has  to  bo  distributed  })ctwoen  the 
soveral  comities  of  tho  provinco  according  to  tho  grand  total 
lunnber  of  days'  attendanco  mado  by  tho  pupils  in  tho  public 
connnon  schools  throughout  tho  provinco.  Secondly,  each 
comity  shall,  for  tho  support  of  common  schools  "within  its  oavu 
borders,  assess  upon  itself  aimually  a  sunn  which  shall  net 
thirty  cents  for  every  inhabitant  of  tho  county,  according  to 
tho  last  preceding  census,  each  school  in  tho  county  being  en- 
titled to  participate  in  this  fund  "  according  to  tho  average  num- 
ber of  pupils  in  attendanco  and  the  length  of  time  in  operation." 
Thirdly,  the  rate-payers  of  tho  school  sections  themselves  aro  re- 
quired, at  their  annual  meeting,  to  decide  iqion  and  to  a.iscss 
upon  themselves  tho  amount  that  shall  bo  raised  by  the  section  to 
supplement  tho  sums  provided  by  tho  provinco  and  county ; 
and  also  such  other  sums  as  may  bo  requisite  for  tho  purchase, 


>:!!:■: 


r>:]0 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


'!'■ 


it 


l)uil(lin<^,  furnishiiiir,  or  improvement  of  school-houses  or 
j^roiiiids,  aiicl  for  till  other  purposes  necessary  for  the  duo 
njHintcniUKo  of  the  school.  The  niiichlneiy  jjrovided  for  duly 
.•".(huinisterinj^  llie  luw  are  :  the  Council  of  J*ul)lic  Instruclion, 
whirh  is  (()  consist  of  the  jirovincial  executive  council  ;  the 
su[)erin(endent  of  education,  who  must  also  bo  secretary  of  tho 
Council  of  Public  Instruction  and  inspector  of  Hc;hools  for  each 
county,  and  for  the  city  of  yalifax  ;  county  boards  of  school 
commissioners  ap[)ointed  by  j^overmnent  to  reij^ulute  the  l)oun- 
d.iriea  of  sccstions,  distribute  the  provincial  and  county  moneys, 
receive  rcsturns,  and  j^cnerally  to  su[)(!rviso  tho  school  all'airs  of 
their  district,  Avitli  the  advice  of  tlu;  insiiectoi-,  -wlio  is  also 
secretary  of  the  county  board,  or  boards,  of  commissioners ; 
lastly,  th(^  trustees,  "who  arc  elected  annually  by  the  rate-payers 
in  each  school  section,  whose  duties  aro  to  assess  for  and  receive 
the  school  moneys,  enijay'e  and  pay  teachei-s  and  manag'e  s-'hool 
property,  and  fi^enerally  to  take  care  of  the  interests  of  the 
school  Nvilhin  thi'ir  section.  Teachers  are  required  to  pass  un 
exaininin<^  board  before  they  can  oI)tain  a  license,  and  are 
graded  according  to  their  recpiirements.  It  is  scarcely  neces- 
sary to  enter  into  any  other 
detail  of  the  i)rovisi()ns  of  this 
law,  which  is  similar  in  its  gen- 
eral character  to  those  in  ojjcra- 
tion  in  the  older  provinces  in 
the  Dominion.  It  inay  here  be 
observed  —  and,  although  only 
a  passing  remark,  it  is  one 
which  redounds  much  to  the 
credit  of  Nova  Scotia — that, 
owing  to  tho  mass  of  tho  peo- 
l)le,  l)oth  IJomau  Catholic  and 
Protestant,  having  been  allowed 
to  cherish  their  naUii'al,  toler- 
ant feelings  towards  each  other, 
an  education  act  has  thore 
been  put  in  operation  which 
makes  no  provision  for  "  sepa- 
rate schools"  of  a  denominational  character;  and  yet  all 
Christian  denominations  there  work  harmoniously  together  in 
l^romoting  popular  education.  As  was  anticipated  by  those 
most  capable  of  judging  correctly,  the  school  act  of  1865 
proved  to  be  highly  acceptable  to  the  people  as  a  whole.     The 


ENOLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


531 


country  was  indeed  ripo  for  the  incasuro,  and  set  ahont  carry- 
ing out  its  provisions  with  alacrity .  Not  l)ut  what  there 
were  chunors  of  discontent  to  bo  lieard ;  but  even  these 
were  rare,  considering  tiio  sweeping  nature  of  the  changes 
demanded,  and  soon  waxed  faint,  or  became  utterly  suppressed, 
as  tlio  enlightened  character  of  the  new  hiw  became  more  ob- 
vious to  every  com[)rehension.  Immediately  on  this  law 
coming  into  o[)erati()n,  the  improvement,  in  all  that  related 
to  the  common  schools  of  the  country,  bounded  forward  with 
amazing  celerity.  Ileal  school-houses  —  often  notably  taste- 
ful in  ai)i)earance,  as  well  as  connnodious  —  sprang  up  in  jjlace 
of  the  unsightly,  wretch(;d  dens  which,  in  most  parts  of  the 
province,  had  long  been  a  reproach  to  th(i  name  of  school-house. 
These  were  fitted  up,  too,  with  the  modern  improvements  in  the 
way  of  furniture,  apparatus,  and  other  conveniences  ;  so  that  the 
pupil  might  study  in  comfort,  instead  of  finding  his  school-hours 
a  season  of  torture.  The  Council  ofPublic  Instruction  took  ctirc  to 
have  tho  country  amply  supplied,and  at  the  cheapest  possible  rate, 
with  text-books,  maps,  and  apparatus,  according  to  a  prescribed 
course  ;  and  tho  use  of  these  was  insisted  on.  The  schools  were, 
of  course,  freo  to  all.  This  fact,  coupled  with  tho  inevasible 
conviction  that  every  rate-payer  had  to  contribute  to  their  sup- 
port, whether  ho  directly  availed  himself  of  their  benefits  or  not, 
led  to  the  schools  being  speedily  filled  —  crowded  ;  so  that  it  was 
found  oftentimes  difficult  to  provide  accommodation  for  pupils 
as  rapidly  as  was  required ;  and  this,  too,  in  districts  where 
previously  the  greater  number  of  tho  children  were  running  at 
large  and  growing  up  in  ignorance.  The  new  school-law  has 
now  been  ten  years  in  operation.  It  is  difficult  to  procure 
entirely  reliable  educational  statistics  of  the  province  for,  or  just 
previous  to,  18G5,  the  last  year  of  the  old  regime.  We  find 
that,  in  1866,  —  the  first  year  under  the  new  law,  —  the  number 
of  pupils  registered  during  the  year  in  the  common  public 
free  schools  was  seventy-one  thousand  and  fifty-nine.  It 
is  certain  that  this  was  a  large  advance  upon  tho  number  of 
pupils  in  attendance  at  common  schools  at  any  previous  period  ; 
but  just  how  much  of  an  advance  is  not  easily  discoverable. 
We  find  that,  in  1876,  the  registered  attendance  of  pupils  had 
increased  to  ninety-four  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-two.  In 
1861  the  proportion  of  pupils  attending  school  was,  to  the  whole 
population  of  the  province,  as  one  in  seven.  In  1876  the  pro- 
portion w^as  as  one  in  four  and  one-tenth.  This  evidence  of 
progress  assumes  much  greater  significance  when  we  remember 


I. 


if:  T'  t 


532 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


the  improved  cliartictcr  of  the  schools  to  which  the  later  uttend- 
ance  refers.    We  liiid  a  corresponding  growth  and  cxpansioix   ii 
all  which  relates  to  common-school  education,  during  the  der^ 
in  which  th(!  new  law  has  been  in  force.     During  that  pi       a 
over  one  thousand  school-houses  have  been  erected,  —  edifices 
suited  to  th(!  d(>mands  of  t)ic  age.     In  1876  thu  total  expendi- 
tures for  conunon  sectional  schools  was  $019,015.02.     Of  this 
Sinn   $17.'},H90.5')    was  voted   by  the   provincial   Legislature; 
$1()(),7^0.75   was  the  contribution  of  the  county   funds;  and 
the   balance  of  $388,838.32  was  raised  by  direct  assessment 
on    the    sections.       It    is    nc^,    however,    through    any   mere 
dry  statistics,   howevcn*  accurate,   that  wo  can  duly  estimate 
the  bcnetits  resulting  from  any  such  educational  revolution  as 
that  which  is  ])eing  ett'octed  in  Nova  Scotia  throu«fh  the  school 
act  of  1805.     It  would  be  a  superfluous  task  for  iis,  in  these 
pages,    to    undertake   to   inform   the   intelligent   reader   what 
h;;cl\    benefits  nuist   be.      Already   tho}^   manifest   themselves 
in   a   thousand   wa3's,    and   will    continue   to    do   so,    let    us 
hope,    forever;   the  more  certainly  since  those  who   are     in 
charge    of    the   education   of    the    people's   children,   in   that 
province,   do  not  prc';c!id  that   their   system   is   yet   perfect, 
and  fully  recognize  the  iuipcrativo  den  ands  of  progress.     For 
higher-class  education  Nova  iScolia  is  pi^'ovided  with  complete 
facilities ;     perhaps,   Vi^ithin  certain  limits,  almcjst  too  ample. 
In  all  counties  which  do  not  contain  within  their  borders  some 
collegiate  institution,  or  "special  academy,"  receiving  provincial 
aid,  there  are  county  itcademics,  in  the  nature  of  high  schools, 
in    which   the   rudiments  of  classics,  the  higher   branches    of 
mathematics,  and  usually  sonvj  foreign  modern  language,  are 
taught;  and  these  county  acalemics  are  largely  supported  by 
legislative  aid.     By  rcicent  act  provision  is  made  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  high  school  in  the  city  of  Halifax.     Among  the 
'  special  academies  "  above  referred  to  is  included  the  Halifax 
Deaf  and  Dumb  School, — a  very  efficient  institution.     Nova 
Scotia  has  no  less  than  six  colleges  legally  empowered  to  impart 
instruction   and   confer   degrees,   inclusive,  that  is,   of  Mount 
Allison,  Sackville,  just  over  the  New  Brunswick  boundary,  — 
a  joint  institution  of  the  two  provinces.     As  long  ago  as  1788 
King's  College  was  founded,  at  Wiiidsor,  in  connection  with  the 
Church  of  England  ;  and  in  this  first-born  of  all  the  Protestant 
colleges   of  Canada  many  o^  the   most  eminent   sons   of  tho 
maritime  provinces  re(je»^'"d  their  educntion.    Earlj''  in  the  pres- 
ent centu'y,  and  in  coiiisequence  of  being  at  that  time  precluded 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


533 


from  the  honors  of  King's  College,  the  dissenters,  and  notably 
the  Presbyterians,  ably  ehampioned  by  the  late  Rev.  Thomas 
McCuUo(  k,  D.I).,  began  to  agitate  for  another  college.  The 
war  which  ensued  u})on  this  ground  was  protracted,  and  not 
very  decisive  i'l  its  results.  Pictou  Academy  grew  out  of  the 
struggle,  and  was  the  means  of  conferring  a  substantial  educa- 
tion upon  many  youths,  especially  of  the  eastern  part  of 
the  province.  Soon,  however,  the  Presbyterian  interests  rather 
converged  upon  Dalhousie  College.  The  last-named  institution 
was  founded  in  1820,  at  Halifax,  by  the  advice  and  under  the 
immediate  direction  of  the  Earl  of  Dalhousie,  then  governor  of 
the  province,  in  whose  honor  it  was  named.  The  appropriations 
for  this  purpose  consisted  in  part  of  the  "  Castine  Fund,"  so 
called,  —  the  proceeds  of  the  sacking  of  Fort  Castine,  in 
Maine,  in  "the  war  of  1812;"  and  in  part  of  direct  grants 
from  the  provincifil  Legislature.  The  early  history  of  this  in- 
stitution was  not  a  happy  one.  Several  attempts  were  made,  at 
long  intervals,  to  carry  out  the  projects  for  which  the  institution 
was  founded;  but  they  proved  to  be  spasmodic,  and,  owing  to 
diilercnt  causes,  soon  came  to  collapse.  On  the  lirst  of 
these  occasions,  after  a  delay  of  nearly  eighteen  years  from 
the  date  of  its  founding,  Dalhousie  College  was  fairly  banished 
bv  the  provincial  government,  but  with  a  faculty  of  Pres- 
byterian professors.  Other  religious  denominations,  and 
more  especially  the  Baptists,  stoutly  remonstrated  against 
the  denominational  complexion  thus  given  to  what,  they 
contended,  was  to  have  been  a  broad  provincial  institution. 
The  Baptists,  deeply  stirred  by  the  inspiriting  appeals  of  Kev. 
E.  A.  Crawley,  D.I).,  promptly  resolved  to  raise  to  collegiate 
rank  the  academy  which,  for  some  years  previously,  they  had 
been  sustaining  at  AVolfville.  Thus  was  founded  Acadia  Col- 
lege, AVolfvillo,  an  institution  which  has  ever  since  continued 
to  occupy  a  very  conspicuous  position  among  the  educational 
phenomena  of  Nova  Scotia.  Almost  immediately  afterwards, 
in  1840,  the  Roman  Catholics  asked  for  and  obtained  a  charier 
for  their  College  of  St.  Mary's,  at  Halifax.  Next,  the  Wes- 
leyan  Methodists  of  the  maritime  provinces  conjointly  set  up 
their  academy  at  Mount  Allison,  Sackville  ;  although  this  insti- 
tution did  not  really  acquire  the  collegiate  function  of  conferring 
degrees  until  18(52;  lastly,  in  1855,  the  Roman  Catholics  of 
the  eastern  section  of  the  province  obtained  a  charter  for  their 
college  of  St.  Fran(;ois  Xavier,  at  Antigoni.sh.  Each  of  these 
six  colleges  receives  an  annual  money  gr;int  from  the  Legisla- 


!  1     '    •! 


l'r> 


5U 


IIISTOUY   OF   DOMI>:iOX   OF   CANADA, 


,y^\ 


ture.  Of  Dalhousio  College,  avIioso  foi-tuno  it  was  to  ho  the 
immcdiuto  eiiuso  of  this  multiplicity  of  collegiuto  institutions, 
it  must  l)c  said  that,  after  repeated  failures,  it  Avas  again  reor- 
ganized, in  18G5,  Avith  an  entirely  neAV  staff'  of  professors  ;  ever 

since  Avhich  time  it  has  been 
in  a  h.  lily  flourishing  con- 
dition. All  of  tho  other  iiA^e 
colleges  Avhich  Ave  haA'o  named 
are  aA'oAvedly  "  denominational " 
in  their  character ;  King's, 
Anglican  ;  St.  Mary's  and  St. 
Fran(jois  Xavicr,  Eomanist ; 
Acadia,  Baptist ;  and  Mount 
Allison,  Methodist :  although 
each  of  them  is  open  to  all 
denominations  Avithout  any  ap- 
plication of  religious  test.  Dal- 
housio College  is  not  in  any 
sense  a  denominational  insti- 
tution ;  although  there  can 
scarcely  be  a  doubt  that  the 
Presbyterians,  by  far  the  most 
numerous  Protestant  body  in  the  province,  and  having  no  col- 
lege peculiarly  their  own,  contribute  to  its  classes  more  students 
than  any  other  religious  denomination,  if  no<^  more  than  all 
others  ccmibined.  For  several  years  past  Dalhousio  has  taken 
the  lead  in  tho  annual  average  lunnbcr  of  its  students  ;  closely 
foUoAving,  Acadia  has  boon  next ;  the  remaining  colleges  follow 
at  varying,  but  more  respectful,  distances.  During  the  year 
187G  there  Avere  engaged  in  tho  Avork  of  tuition,  in  those  six 
colleges,  thirty  professors  and  two  tutors,  giving  instruction  to 
two  hundred  and  eleven  regularly  matriculated  students,  and  to 
one  hundred  and  twontjMiino  taking  partial  courses.  At  the 
close  of  the  same  year,  they  are  rei)resented  as  together  oavu- 
ing  property  in  real  estate  and  invested  in  funds  to  the  amount 
of  $3(5'), 755. 57.  Their  income  for  tho  year,  from  all  sources, 
Avas  $34,921.28,  of  which  sum  $10,800  Avas  derived  from  prov- 
incial legislative  grant.  Their  total  expenditure  amounted  to 
$34,374.1)9.  AVc  find  that,  in  1870,  tho  total  educational  ex- 
penditure of  Xova  Scotia  Avas  as  follows  :  — 

For  Pul)lic  Free  Schools,  including  County  ^Vcadcmies,  $61G,- 
015.G2,  of  Avhich  Avero  paid  by  provincial  grant  $173,39(5.55; 
Normal  and  Model  Schools,  $8,714.97,  of  which  Avere  paid  by 


««.  Is, ;( 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATED, 


535 


provincial  grant,  $5,009.00;  Special  Academics,  $55,269.00, 
of  which  wore  paid  by  provincial  grant,  $5,400.00  ;  Colleges, 
$34,394.99,  of  Avhich  were  paid  by  provincial  grant,  $10,800.00. 
Total,  $717,374.58,  of  which  Averc  paid  by  provincial  grant, 
$194,005.95. 

Tho  mnltiplication  of  colleges,  at  the  rate  of  six  chartered 
colleges  to  three  hundred  thousand  souls, — which  was  about 
tho  populiition  of  the  province  when  the  last  of  thoni  was  fairly 
launched,  —  has  been,  from  an  early  period,  a  matter  of  regret 
among  many  sincere  friends  of  education  ;  and  latterly  even 
many  (/f  those  Avho  had  been  zealous  advocates  of  denomina- 


tional   colleiTcs    have     bojxim    to 


entertam   nnsgivmgs 


as   to 


whether  this  policy  had  not  been  carried  to  a  needless,  if 
not  dangerous,  excess  in  Nova  Scotia.  But  since  then  it 
Avas  believed  that  their  nsefuhiess  would  bo  extended  and 
their  .standing  elevated  by  making  them  all  members  of  a  single 
provincial  university.  It  was  doubtless  with  this  object  in 
view  that  an  act  was  passed  through  the  provincial  Legislature, 
in  tho  session  of  187G,  establishing  the  " University  of  Hali- 
fax," based  upon  tho  model 
of  tho  University  of  London. 
Tho  new  imiversity  is  to  take 
no  part  in  tho  work  of  instruc- 
tion, its  functions  being  mainly 
thoso  of  examining  for  and 
conforrinsT  doijrces  :  but  it  is 
hojjod  that  tho  other  colleges 
will  becomo  affiliated  Avith  it, 
and  that  cA^entually  «//  ex:,  lina- 
tions  Avill  b  unado  and  degrees 
conferrcdbj  i 'lisncw provincial 
institution.  ho  medical  and 
legal  professioi  ^  have  already 
placed  themse  rs  in  accord 
Avith  tho  new  luiiversity  ;  and 
tho  seiuito  has  appointed  ex- 
aminers ^n  law  and  medicine, 
as  Avell  as  in  arts.  It  may  here  be  observed  that  almost 
simultaneously  Avith,  but  a  little  in  advance  of,  the  founcllng 
of  tho  uniAH'rsity,  a  medicud  school  Avas  established  in  Hali- 
fax, Avhich  is  fairly  eqnii)[)ed,  and  seems  entering  U[)()U  u 
very  vigorous  career.  Tho  time  appoint(Ml  for  holding  tho 
first  examination   by  tho    L^niversity  of  Halifax  has   nc^t   yet 


If] 


i 


t'^  'nil 


ii  { '^ 


536 


IIISTOllY   OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


arrived,  at  the  time  of  this  writing ;  and  it  yet  remains  to 
be  seen  whether  all  of  the  six  teaehin<^  colleges  will  become 
cordially  affiliated  Mith  it,  and  whether  any  of  them  will 
affiliate  at  all.  Under  the  university  act  it  is  entirely  op- 
tional with  them  to  do  so,  or  not.  Even  their  annual  grants 
from  the  provincial  treasury  arc  not  suspended  in  consequence 
of  the  founding  of  the  university ;  nor  is  the  continuance 
of  them  conditional  upon  their  affiliation  Avith  it.  Jt  may 
readily  be  inferred,  then,  that  the  university  must  —  and  al- 
most immediately  —  prove  a  very  great  success,  or  a  signal 
failure,  according  to  the  feeling  evinced  at  the  outset  be- 
tween it  and  the  colleges.  Doubtless  the  design  Avith  which 
it  was  founded  was  an  admirable  one,  especially  under  the 
circumstances  under  Avhicli  it  Avas  founded ;  and  if  that 
design  is  judiciously  carried  out  its  success  must  be  brill- 
iant. However  that  ma}'  be,  it  Avill  be  seen,  from  Avhat  Ave  have 
been  enabled  to  state,  that  it  is  Avitli  no  feeble  Avill,  or  irrudging 
spirit,  that  Nova  Scotia  is  dealing  Avitli  the  momentous  cause  of 
education.  A  deaf  and  dumb  institution  has  been  established 
in  Halifax  since  1858.  It  has  been  highly  successful,  and  is 
attended  l)y  about  !ifty  pupils  from  Xova  Scotia  and  New  Bruns- 
wick. Its  total  cost  is  oidy  about  live  thousand  tAvo  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  per  annum,  part  of  Avliich  is  granted  by  the 
Legislature  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  part  b}' that  of  New  BrunsAvick, 
in  proportion  to  the  number  of  pupils  attending  the  school  from 
each  province.  In  1814  Capt.Bromby  established  an  industrial 
school  for  the  poor  in  Halifax,  on  the  Lancasterian  system.  The 
school  Avas  subsequently  aided  by  the  Legislature,  and  Capt. 
Bromby  received  two  hundred  pounds  in  consideration  of  his 
labors  and  expense  in  establishing  the  school. 

4.  Neav  Buunsavick.  The  early  history  of  education  in 
New  Brunswick  is  pretty  much  the  same  as  in  the  pioneer  days 
for  elementary  education.  Parish  schools  Avere  encouraired  by 
an  act  of  the  Legislature  in  1821).  In  1833  .a  goneral  school 
act  Avas  passed,  authorizing  the  rate-payers  to  ajipoint  three 
trustees  in  each  parish  for  the  purpose  of  dividing  it  into 
school  sections  or  districts,  and  io  examine  and  emi)loy  teachers. 
Provided  the  inhabitants  contributed  twenty  pounds  foi  a  male 
and  ten  pounds  for  a  female  teacher,  Avith  board,  and  the  schools 
Avere  kept  open  for  at  least  six  months  in  each  year,  the  Legis- 
lature contributed  an  etpial  sum  to  aid  in  supporting  schools. 
The  average  grant  of  each  [larish,  Avhich  Avas  not  to  exceed  ono 
hundred  and  sixty  pounds,  Avas  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds, 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


537 


and  the  whole  amount  granted  by  the  Legislature  for  schools  in 
183(5  was  twelve  thousand  i)ounds.  In  18.37  an  act  establish- 
ing a  county  board  of  examination  was  passed  by  the  Legisla- 
ture, and  by  this  act  the  grant  to  each  parish  Avas  raised  to  one 
hundred  and  eighty  pounds.  Li  1840  another  act  was  passed, 
raising  the  compensation  to  teachers  ;  but  in  1840,  owing  to  the 
great  depression  of  the  finances  of  the  province,  only  one 
thousand  two  hundred  pounds  were  granted  to  aid  parish 
schools ;  but  the  sum  was  subsequcnHy  raised  to  the  usual 
amount.  In  1845  a  legislative  committee  brought  in  a  report 
with  a  bill  for  the  improvement  of  parish  schools  ;  but,  on  the 
suggestions  of  the  committee,  the  bill  was  laid  over.  In  1847, 
however,  a  new  act  was  passed,  by  Avhich  the  county  board 
were  sui)ersedcd  by  the  provincial  board,  consisting  of  the 
governor  and  his  executive  council.  Under  this  regime  the 
salaries  of  teachers  were  fixed  at  eighteen  pounds,  twenty- 
two  pounds,  and  thirty  pounds,  according  to  grade.  Books 
and  apparatus  were  also  provided,  and  the  grant  to  a  parish 
was  raised  to  six  hundred  and  sixty  pounds.  In  1852  a 
new  act  was  passed,  creating  a  superintendent  of  public 
instruction,  as  also  county  superintendents.  In  1853  St. 
John,  N.B.,  had  its  training  and  model  schools,  and  such 
was  the  progress  of  education  in  New  Brunswick,  that,  in  18G5, 
there  Averc  nine  hundred  schools  in  successful  operation,  besides 
twenty-five  superior  schools,  and  twenty  denominational  and 
Madras  schools.  In  1871  New  Brunswick  adopted  an  entirely 
new  public-school  system,  similar  to  that  of  Ontario.  This  act 
gave  rise  to  a  serious  digression  in  the  province  in  regard  to 
the  power  of  the  New  Brunswick  Legislature  "  to  make  such 
changes  in  the  school  law  as  deprived  Koman  Catholics  of  the 
privileges  they  enjoyed  at  the  time  of  confederation  (in  18(17), 
in  respect  of  religious  education  in  the  common  schools." 
This  matter  was  referred  to  the  general  govermnent  of  tlio 
Dominion,  when  the  competence  of  the  local  Legislature  to 
deal  with  the  question  was  confirmed.  In  1874  the  matter  was 
referred  to  the  privy  council,  but  the  api)cal  Avas  dismissed 
with  costs.  Grammar  schools  have  been  established  in  nearly 
all  the  counties  of  the  province,  each  of  Avhich  receives  one 
hundred  pounds  per  annum  fnnn  the  Legislature,  each  being 
supported  by  fees  and  subscriptions  in  addition.  The  grammar 
schools  of  New  BrunsAvick  date  back  to  1805  ;  and  along  Avith 
the  history  of  their  development  Ave  meet  Avith  the  rise  and 
growth  of  King's  College.     In  1873  there  AA'ere  eight  hundred 


"lly 


'Pi 

rr-ri 

Pff! 

:t 

A0 

Ifif' 

4^ 

m" 

538 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


niuety-four  common  schools  in  operation  in  the  province, 
attended  by  forty  thousand  four  hundred  five  pupils,  —  twenty- 
two  thousand  three  hundred  seven  bovs  and  ei<rhteen  thousand 
ninety-eight  girls.  The  provincial  grant  in  aid  of  these  schools 
la  about  ninety  thousand  dollars  per  annum.  The  number  of 
superior  schools  was  forty-one,  attended  by  two  thousand 
nine  hundred  thiriy  pupils  ;  and  the  number  of  grammar  schools 
fourteen,  attended  by  eight  hundred  cighty-ono  pupils.  The 
Normal  School  has  an  attendance  of  about  seventy-live  students 
each  term.  King's  Colk^gc,  at  Frcderickton,  formerly  known 
as  the  College  of  New  Brunswick,  has  an  annual  income  of 
about  thirteen  thousand  tive  hundred  dollars,  and  an  attendance 
of  about  seventy  students  annually.  In  1830  the  jJaptists  of 
the  province  estal)lished  a  seminary  for  higher  education  in 
Frcderickton,  wiiicli  receives  an  annual  grant,  from  tiie  Legis- 
lature, of  one  thousand  dollars.  In  1843  the  ^Veslcyan  Meth- 
odists, largely  by  the  commendable  liberality  of  C.  F.  Allison, 
Esq.,  erected  the  Allison  Academy  for  higher  education,  at 
Sackville,  and  in  18r)4  the  same  denomination  established  a 
female  academy  at  the  same  place.  The  institution  receives  an 
annual  grant,  from  the  Legislature  of  New  Brunswick,  of  two 
thousand  four  hundred  dollars,  and  from  the  Legislature  of 
Nova  Scotia  one  thousand  dollars.  The  Presbyterians  have 
established  a  college  at  Woodstock,  and  a  flourishing  academy 
at  Chatham.  The  Roman  (\itliolics  have  also  an  academy  at 
Chatham,  as  well  as  St.  Basit's  Academy,  which  receives  grants 
from  the  Legislature.  There  are  also  other  educational  insti- 
tutions in  ilie  province  of  high  merit ;  and  in  this  particular 
New  Brunswick  is  keeping  pace  with  the  foremost  of  the 
provinces.  The  total  annual  grant  of  the  Legislature  for  the 
support  of  education  in  the  province  amounts  to  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars. 

5.  Peixce  Edavaud  Island.  The  lirst  steps  towards  en- 
courajjing  educati(m  in  the  Province  of  J^rincc  Edward  Island 
was  made  in  1804.  "In  that  year  the  English  secretary  of  state, 
in  a  despatch,  gave  directions  to  appropriate  the  rent  of  the  AVar- 
ren  Farm  ( government  property )  towards  the  sui)port  of  a  school 
in  Cliarlottctown.  But  it  was  not  until  the  year  18 1 1)  that  a  direct 
appropriation  of  these  rents  was  made  in  the  erection  of  a  na- 
tional school,  which  was  opened  in  1821.  In  1808,  the  legis- 
lative grant  for  education  in  the  island  was  three  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  pounds  ;  in  1821)  it  was  only  tive  hundred  and  two 
pounds;    in  1832,   five  hundred  and  sixty-three  pounds;    in 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


)39 


1830,  six  hundred  and  five  pounds  ;  in  1841,  including  a  grant 
to  the  ufudcniy,  it  was  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
two  pounds  ;  in  184"),  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  pounds  ;  in  18o(),  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  pounds  ;  in  1854,  alter  the  passing  of  tlio  free  education 
act,  the  grant  was  raised  to  the  niuniticcnt  sum  of  nine  tliou- 
sand  and  thirty-eiglit  pounds  ;  in  1855,  to  eleven  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  nine  pounds,  and  in  185(5  to  twelve  thousand 
pounds.  On  the  first  distribution  of  the  lands  in  the  island, 
thirty  acres  were  reserved  in  each  township  for  a  school-master. 
No  public  school  was,  however,  opened  until  1821,  when  the 
national  school  referred  to  was  opened  in  Charlottetown. 
Some  years  afterwards  a  Board  of  Education  was  ai)poiiited  for 
the  island  ;  and,  in  18.")G,  a  central  academy  was  also  opened  in 
Charlottetown.  In  the  following  year  (1837)  a  visitor  or  su- 
perintendent of  schools  was  appointed  for  the  island.  In  1848 
a  visitor  was  appointed  for  each  county;  and  in  1852  the  first 
act  establishing  free  schools  in  a  British  colony  was  passed  by 
the  Legislature .  It  gave  a  great 
stinndus  to  education  in  the 
island.  In  1853  a  visitor  for 
the  whole  island  was  again  ap- 
pointed. In  1856  a  normal 
school  was  established  at  Char- 
lottetown, and  in  1857  an  agi- 
tation arose  as  to  the  use  of  the 
Bible  in  the  pul)lic  schools,  in 
1861  the  Legislature  passed  an 
act  to  consolidate  'the  laws  re- 
lating to  education  in  the  island, 
and  to  improve  the  condition 
of  public  schools,  as  well  as  to 
authorize  the  use  of  the  Bible 
in  them.  It  also  passed  an 
act  to  establish  the  Prince  of 
"Wales'  College,  in  honor  of  his 
royal  highness'  visit  to  Prince  Edward  in  that  year.  In  1863 
the  Legislature  made  other  improvements  in  the  school  sys- 
tem, and  provided  for  grammar  schools  instead  of  district 
schools.  It  prescribed  that  the  grammar  school-masters  should 
hold  a  certificate  of  the  highest  class,  and  also  "l)e  qualified  to 
teach  the  Latin,  Crrcek,  and  French  languages,  in  such  pro- 
ficiency as  the  provincial  Board  of  Education  shall  deem  rcipii- 


m 


III  1 : 


640 


niSTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


gite."  In  IHOl  the  school  uct  was  again  amended,  and  also  the 
net  rehitinfr  to  the  Prince  of  Wales'  College.  In  1H08  the  whole 
of  the  acts  relating  to  education  in  the  island  were  consolidated. 
The  progress  of  education  has  been  as  follows  :  — 


Ycor. 

Schools. 

Tiipila. 

In  1S;57  there 

were  in  the  island 

ol 

attended 

by     l,()oO 

111   1841 

121 

4,3.')6 

III  1848 

131 

4,0 12 

III   1H;j2 

133 

4,7(10 

In  18o5 

270 

12,133 

111  18G1  • 

302 

11,;JU0 

In  18(13 

305 

12,205 

In  18(18 

339 

13.3;")0 

In  18G!> 

3(J0 

14,807 

In  1871 

381 

15,795 

In  1871 

384 

12,235 

In  1872 

392' 

16,257 

.  6.  British  Columbia  is  the  youngest  province  in  the  D^  - 
minion  educationally,  and  yet  she  bids  fair  to  excel  in  this  par- 
ticular. "The  act  of  organizing  her  system  of  education  was 
only  passed  on  the  11th  of  April,  1872,  and  the  first  report  on 
the  condition  of  the  schools  was  issued  in  September.  John 
Jessnp^  Esq.,  the  first  superintendent  of  education  for  the  prov- 
ince of  British  Columbia,  appointed  under  the  new  act,  was 
formerly  a  successful  student  in  the  normal  school  in  Ontario. 
He  has,  as  we  see  from  his  report,  not  failed  to  introduce  into 
the  British  Columbia  schools  many  features  of  the  Ontario 
school  system,  and  the  law  and  most  of  the  official  regulations 
are  almost  verbatim  transcripts  (as  far  as  they  go)  of  those  in 
force  in  that  province.  The  text-l)ooks  used,  also,  are  chiefly 
the  same  as  those  authorized  for  use  in  Ontario.  There  is  a 
provincial  Board  of  Educati(m,  which  is  authorized  to  examine 
and  give  certificates  to  public-school  teachers,  and  to  prescrilie 
general  regulations  for  the  schools,  etc.  The  legislative  educa- 
tional grant,  for  all  pur[)oses,  is  forty  thousand  dollars  a  year. 
Of  this  sum,  eight  thousand  three  hundred  and  forty-six  dollars 
were  expended  for  school-house  building  and  repairs.  The 
trustees  have  no  power  to  levy  rates,  but  all  the  expenses  of  the 
schools  are  defrayed,  upon  the  certificate  of  the  superintend- 
ents, out  of  the  forty-thousand-dollar  grant.  There  ^vere  in 
British  Columbia  (and  Vancouver  Island)  twenty-six  school 
districts  in  1873 ;  in  one  half  of  them  only  schools  were  re- 

•  Inchulinj;  these  avo  fifteen  prammar  schools,  with  nine  hundred  and  five  pupils,  and 
one  normal  school,  with  seventy-two  pupils. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


541 


ported,  and  these  Averc^  attended  hy  five  hundred  and  seventy- 
three  boys  and  four  hundred  and  liity-tive  girls ;  total,  one 
thousand  and  twenty-eight.  The  school  population  reported 
is  from  eigiiteen  hundred  to  two  thousand,  hi  18.'?.'J  Vaneoi?-  .r 
Island  was  tirst  oceupi(?d  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  and 
Victoria,  the  capital,  founded.  The  capital  Avas  selected  by 
James  Douglas,  Ksq.,  the  governor,  on  behalf  of  the  Hudson 
Hay  Company.  In  184.'J  the  boundary  line  between  the  United 
States  and  what  is  now  known  as  British  Columbia  was 
determined.  In  1849  Vancouver  Island  Avas  conditionally 
granted  by  the  queen  to  the  company,  for  the  purpose  of  set- 
tlement. In  the  jear  1850  gold  was  first  publicly  known  to 
exist  in  the  valley  of  the  Fraser  river  (British  Columbia 
proper),  and  in  that  year  the  occupation  of  Vancouver  Island 
was  resumed  by  the  queen.  The  island,  with  British  Columbia, 
was  then  erected  into  two  British  crown  colonies,  Avith  separate 
boundaries,  but  under  one  government.  Though  private  eilbrts 
were  made  to  establish  schools  as  earl}'  as  possible,  nothing  Avas 
done  in  that  direction  by  thi^  government  until  18(59,  Avhen  a 
"  Common  School  Ordinance '  was  passed  by  the  governor  in 
council.  This  ordinance  Avas  amended  and  its  provisions  Avere 
extended  in  1870.  In  1872  a  comprehensive  act  Avas  passed  b}' 
the  Legislature  (to  Avhich  we  have  referred),  based  upon  the 
puldic-school  act  of  Ontario.  This  act  was  slightly  amended  in 
1873." —  [Dr.  Hodgins.l^  Since  that  date  education  in  the  Pa- 
cific provinces  has  been  moving  steadily  forward  with  rapid  pace. 
7.  The  act  upon  Avhich  the  present  system  of  conunon-school 
education  in  Manitoba  is  based  Avas  passed  during  the  first 
session  of  the  first  Parliament  of  that  province,  in  1871.  Pre- 
vious to  the  passing  of  this  act  there  Avcre  one  or  more  schools 
in  each  of  the  English-speaking  parishes.  Those  schools  Avere 
under  the  direct  control  of  the  incumbent  of  the  parish,  and, 
Avith  the  exception  of  two,  A\'ere  all  Church  of  England  schools. 
Some  of  them  Avere  entirely  supported  by  the  Church  Missionary 
Societ3\  As.  to  the  rest,  the  teachers'  salaries,  as  Avcll  as 
all  expenses  incurred  in  the  erection,  furnishing,  and  re- 
pairing of  the  school-houses,  Avere  defrayed  by  local  col- 
lections and  subscriptions,  aided  during  the  past  fcAV  years 
by  a  grant  from  the  diocesan  fund.  In  several  of  the  parishes, 
which  are  not  connected  with  the  Church  ]\Iissionary  Society, 
the  schools  have  been  carried  on  for  the  past  few  years  under 
great  difficulties.  In  these  localities  the  support  of  the  school 
devolved  almost  entirely  upon  the  people  residing  in   them ; 


-     H 


i\ 


:iM. 


'I 


fl^ii 


/)42 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


and  when  it  is  borne  in  mind  tiiat  these  parislies,  always  small 
and  by  no  means  wealthy,  HuUcred  heavily  from  the  rava<j;c  of 

the  grasshoppers,  the  diffi- 
culties of  providin<^  a  reason- 
able salary  for  the  teachers  and 
keeping  up  the  sciiool-hoiises 
will  be  easily  understood  and 
appreciated.  Indeed  some  of 
our  schools  have  been  fre- 
quently ch)sed,  for  the  simi)le 
reason  that  the  teacher's  salary 
could  not  bo  raised  ;  and  in 
more  than  one  ease  the  clergy- 
man of  the  parish  has  under- 
takon  the  school  duties  himself, 
and  devoted,  free  of  charge, 
a  few  hours  each  day  to  the 
important  duty  of  instructing 
the  youthful  members  of  his 
fl''  k  in  the  ditlerent  branches 
of  a  common-school   education. 

As  already  intimated,  the  Legislature  established  a  system 
of  education  for  the  province  in  1871,  and  placed  it  under  the 
control  of  a  provincial  Board  of  Education  and  two  superin- 
tendents,—  one  a  Protestant  and  the  other  a  Koman  Catholic. 
It  also  gave  to  the  board  six  thousand  dollars  to  assist  it  in 
maintaining  the  schools.  There  are  about  twenty  Protestant 
schools,  attended  by  nearly  eight  hundred  and  fifty  pupils,  and 
the  same  number  of  Koman  Catholic  schools,  attended  by  nearly 
seven  hundred  and  lifty  pupils. 

8.  In  connection  with  our  remark  on  the  educational  insti- 
tutions of  the  Dominion  we  may  appropriately'  add  a  few  words 
concerning  the  newspaper  press,  which  may  be  regarded  as  one 
ofth*  nost  powerful  educators  in  all  countries.^  The  elaborate 
mac!  ry,  wide  circulation,  and  extensive  influence  of  the 
newspaper  press  in  the  present  day,  are  so  uniformly  felt  and 
generally  acknowledged  that  reflection  appears  at  once  super- 
fluous. On  both  continents  has  its  presence  become  a  power 
alike  for  the  government  and  discipline,  as  well  as  a  faultless 
index  of  the  advancement  and  enlightenment,  of  the  resi)ective 
peoples.     In  the  United  States  it  is  found  in  its  perfect  and 


'  Compiled  from  a  sketch  written  by  James  V.  Wright,  Esq.,  of  Montreal. 


ENGLAND,    AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


543 


conipletc.'st  vigor,  holding  coinpicuous  pliieo  among  tho  chief 
and  inultifarioufs  nicdiinns  of  popiihir  education,  for  which  that 
country  maintains  so  distinguished  a  precedence.  Nor  do  wo 
find  Euroiie  in  scarcely  any  material  i)articular  behind.  England, 
with  the  rest  of  (ircat  Britain,  not  to  speak  of  Gennany,  France, 
and  the  neighboring  free  countries,  has  aroused  herself  within 
tho  century  to  the  benefit  of  a  sound  and  complete  news[)aper- 
literature,  and  pushed  forward  in  the  several  departments  with 
a  marvellous  —  we  had  almost  said  magic  —  potency  and  speed. 
Closely  following  in  tho  van  is  the  new  Dominion  of  Canada. 
Brilliant  in  native  intellectual  material  for  the  purpose  ;  fertile 
in  subject-matter  for  whatever  may  legitimately  occupy  the  pen 
of  journalism ;  strong  in  sense  of  right  and  justice  in  all  that 
pertains  to  her  true  liberties ;  rich  in  resources,  and  broad  in 
acres,  —  she  has  already  won  for  herself  a  name  in  tho  field  of 
newspaper,  and  even  loss  ephemeral,  literature,  to  bo  emulated 
if  not  envied.  These  are  facts  needing  only  to  bo  investigated 
to  be  apparent.  Ontario,  Quebec,  Nova  Scotia,  and  New  Bruns- 
wick, comprising  in  aggregate  a  population  of  four  millions, 
with  a  total  area  of  slightly  over  three  hundred  and  seven 
thousand  square  miles,  lead  the  way.  Prince  Edward  Island, 
Manitoba,  and  British  Columbia,  —  infant  provinces,  the  two 
latter,  but  no  less  containing  the  nucleus  of  a  powerful  press,  — 
follow  anon  in  the  wake.  Newfoundland,  as  yet  not  a  part  of 
tho  Dominion,  has  from  early  time  in  her  history  had  hei-  press, 
and  we  shall,  for  tho  purposes  now  in  hand,  speak  of  her  as 
one  of  the  Dominion.  In  no  part  of  the  world  has  journalism 
attained  to  a  tithe  of  tho  growth  and  influence  that  it  has  in 
the  United  States.  Our  republican  friends  have  indeed  ac- 
quainted themselves  to  tho  fullest  extent  with  its  capabilities  for 
good  or  evil,  and,  with  an  energetic  appreciation  of  its  benefits 
at  once  characteristic,  have  in  a  manner  made  it  their  idol.  We 
refer  more  especially  to  the  metropolitan  press.  By  an  appli- 
cation of  enormous  capital  and  equivalent  talent  they  have 
succeeded  in  elevating  that  section  of  journalisni  within  their 
range,  to  a  very  first  place,  not  only  as  a  furnisher  of  news 
and  disseminator  of  opinion,  but  in  a  far  more  in)[)ortant 
arena,  viz.,  the  education  of  tho  masses.  A  no  insignificant 
quota  of  the  American  people  make  tho  newspaper  their  chief 
means  of  general  instruction,  as  well  as  transient  information  ; 
these,  too,  are  among  their  most  intelligent  citizens,  holding 
often  responsible  offices  of  trust.  Nor  is  this  matter  of  wonder 
when  we  consider  the  fact  that,  in  the  average  American  city 


544 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


daily,  iiciirly  ovcry  suhjcct  is  intoIli<(('ntly  dealt  with.     Seionco 
mid  art,  social  antl  political  economy,  toi^cthci'  with  tho  Ihou- 

sund  otli(>r  loplc.i  ])ortaiiiiii<^  to 
a  round  of  popular  colucation, 
have  each  their  v/riter  in  thci 
editorial  staff;  each  h  handled 
by  men  of  tried  erudition  and 
capacity  ;  and  each  is  presented 
to  the  less  tutored  reader  in  a 
plain  mat ter-(;f- fact  st^hi  and 
])hase,  (l<'V()id  of  technicaliticH, 
that,  mifrht  in  vain  ho  .sought for 
in  the  pond(>rou!J  volumes  and 
learned  disquisitions  whence 
they  ai"o  gleaned.  And  this  is 
Avell.  liife,  in  this  ago  of  rapid 
movement  and  iiereo  commer- 
cial combat  generally,  is  too 
short  for  physical  working  hu- 
manity to  sound  all  depths  of 
learning,  whether  it  be  of  art,  politics,  or  aught  else.  Tho 
daily  paper  furnishes  the  substance  and  tho  kernel,  which  is  all 
that  is  re(juired.  We  have  touched  thus  long  on  a  point  that 
may  seem  irrelevant,  not  from  any  peculiar  predilections  for 
American  journalism  over  our  own,  but  that  our  own  may 
imitate  it  in  all  that  may  bo  esteemed  essential  and  deserv- 
ing. To  educate,  as  well  as  amuse  and  merely  inform,  should 
bo  tho  aim  of  our  metropolitan  newspapers  especially ;  and 
with  tho  growing  thirst  for  knowledge  among  the  masses,  such, 
if  not  already,  will  soon  bo  absolutely  d(>niandcd.  Journalism 
was  never  in  a  condition  moro  prosi)crous  throughout  Canada 
and  the  Dominion  at  largo  than  at  present.  Proportional  to 
our  population  and  extent  of  settled  territory  it  has  few  or  no 
compeers.  The  number  and  quality  of  tho  papei-s  ]Mil)lished, 
if  records  are  an  authority,  arc  vastly  in  advance  of  those  in 
the  United  States,  at  a  time  when  tho  two  i:)opulation3  were 
equal.  No  people  ai)preciato  a  free  press,  as  a  whole,  moro 
completely  than  do  tho  people  of  Canada ;  jet  that  apprecia- 
tion, it  may  bo  said  with  truth,  has  ever  been  guided  by  an  car 
and  eye  to  tho  morality  of  that  press.  Hence  it  has  long  l^een 
proverbial  that  no  press  stands  higher  when  consulted  by 
strangers  abroad  as  an  authority  for  facts. 

i).     Canadian  journalism  found  its  first  foothold  in  Quebec 


111 


ENGLAND,   AND   THE  UNITED   STATES. 


>45 


proviiu'c,  to  which  scH'tiou,  niiisimich  as  it  wns-tho  Hrst  to  fcol 
th(!  ffciiiiil  hand  of  civili/ntion,  we  aiv  iiKh'htcd  tor  th(>  t'oiind- 
in^j;  of  nearly  all  our  most  vahiaMe  institutions.  The  condition 
of  the  press  here,  however,  has  alwwys  heen  j)»'culiar.  Ditlcr- 
ing  widely  in  taste  and  sentiment  from  their  Teutonic  I)rethron, 
the  French  have  stamped  that  dillerence  in  nothiuij  more 
indelihiy  than  in  that  of  their  newspapers.  lu'w  care  to  dis- 
cuss the  politics  of  the  day,  save  such  leadinj^  I'^rench  dailies 
as  iiro  found  in  Montreal,  (Quebec,  and  ii  few  leadin*^  towns. 
J*olite  in  idea  and  maimer,  and  enthusiastic  in  reli<^ion,  tho 
French  Canadian  vindicates  these,  his  national  characteristics, 
in  the  tone  of  his  journal.  Poetry,  polite  essays,  and  irligious 
topics,  form  tho  "general  make-up"  of  its  cohanns.  Among 
tho  English  jiapers  hroader  principles  obtain.  Politics  arc 
fre<)uently  handled  with  vigor  and  acumen  by  even  the  most 
backwoods  weekly  ;   while    the 


Montreal  and  (Quebec  city  dailies 
ui'o  written  in  a  style,  and  dis- 
cuss every  topic  of  the  day 
with  an  ability,  unsui-passedany- 
Avherc  in  the  world.  The  same 
may  apply  to  the  French  pai)ers 
of  those  cities.  I'he  diver- 
gency of  races  and  language 
has  operated  not  a  little  against 
tho  success  of  journalism  in 
Quel)ec  province,  the  circula- 
tion in  either  tongue  being 
nmch  retarded  thereby,  a  fact 
by  no  means  encouraging  to  the 
talented  men  generally  to  be 
found  at  their  head.  AVith  tho 
increase,  however,  of  Britisli 
settlement,  matters  Avill  undoul)tedly  right  themselves,  as  the 
increased  influence  and  circulation  of  the  English  press  of 
]\Iontreal  since  confederation  sufKciently  proves.  Next  to 
(Quebec  tho  maritime  provinces  may  claim  credit  for  building 
up  and  perpetuating  joui-nalism.  Nova  Scotia  had  a  pa[)(>r  in 
17G9,  and  New  Brunswick  and  Newfoundland  each  possessed 
newspapers  as  far  back  as  1800.  None  of  these,  however, 
have  survived  to  the  present.  The  newspapers  of  St.  John, 
Halifax,  and  Fredcrickton,  have  always  been  well  edited,  are  at 
present  numerous,   and  have   substantial    circulation.       Their 


1>'  iJ  J* 


54G 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


press  anterior  to  confo;l'j ration,  Avas  conducted  on  no  npecially 
broad  principles ;  trade,  shipping,  and  agriculture,  entirely 
occupying  its  columns.  Confederation,  however,  has  given 
the  press  of  these  provinces,  in  common  with  all  other  and 
kindred  institutions,  an  impetus  wholly  unlooked  for ;  impor- 
tant social  and  political  discussions,  and  schemes  of  finaucial 
economy  that  may  hasten  our  national  perfecting  and  consolida- 
tion, now  uniforndy  grace  its  i)ages  ,  while  the  general  ntnlie-up 
and  style  is  quite  equal  to  that  of  its  confreres  anywhere  in  the 
Dominion.  Ontario  is  the  journalist's  harvest-field.  There  the 
newspaper  'o  racy  of  the  soil,  iuid  there  the  intelligent  editor 
finds  h's  surest  reward.  A  freedom  of  social  and  political  dis- 
cussion, an  elasticity  in  general  sentiment,  and  u  trenchancy  of 
debate  generally,  quite  indiuown  in  the  sister  provinces,  renders 
his  task  at  K^ast  brilliant,  if  not  directly  agreeai)le ;  while 
the  stronger  tendencies  of  the  people  for  newspaper  liter- 
ature stimulates  his  circulation  and  augments  his  cofl'ers.  The 
progress  of  the  press  in  Ontario  has  been  something  unpre- 
cedented. Statistics  have  been  published  which  show  that  the 
daily  and  weekly  circu'  Joa  of  the  papers  in  Toronto  alone,  in 
1870,  exceeded  that  of  the  entire  United  Kingdom  of  Great 
Britain  in  1820,  if  we  except  the  London  "Times"  in  the 
enumeration.  The  rise  of  joiu-nalism  in  the  "garden  of  Canada," 
as  Ontario  has  been  aptly  termed,  Avould  fill  a  chapter  beyond 
our  limits.  Thrift  and  industry  are  the  Avatchwords  of  its  peo- 
ple ;  and  public  schools  being  established  on  a  basis  of  lil)eral- 
ity  knoAvn  only  in  the  United  States  and  Prussia,  education  is 
everj'where  spread  broadcast,  and  the  daily  and  Aveekly  i)aper 
finds  a  welcome  in  every  home  ;  the  people  think  for  themselves, 
read  for  themselves,  and,  in  all  things  essential,  act  for  them- 
selves, and  a  knowledge  of  the  local  and  general  politics  of  the 
country  is  known  to  every  child  from  the  cradle.  The  first 
newspaper  in  Canada,  the  Quebec  "CJazettc,"  Avas  founded  in 
17GL  It  was  in  existence  to  within  a  short  time, — the  aged 
parent  and  acknowledged  patriarch  of  the  press  of  British 
America.  The  second  Avas  the  Halifax  AVeekly  "Recorder," 
started  in  1701)  by  one  Anthony  Henry,  and  edited  by  (*apt. 
Buckley.  It  has  long  ceased  to  exist.  Next  in  order  is'  the 
"Montreal  Gazette,"  estal)lished  by  one  Mesplets,  from  Phila- 
delphia, in  1778,  and  originally  printed  in  French  and  English. 
It  may  be  curious  here  to  note,  as  illustrative  of  the  mutations 
iu'-'ident  to  time  and  circuiustance,  that  this  paper,  ehiefiy  known 
through  vhe  greater  portion  of  its  career  for  an  unbending  advo- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


547 


c.icy  of  conservatism  and  monarchy  in  their  most  [)rononncccl 
phases,  is  indebted  for  its  origin  and  birtii  to  an  Amevicm  rev- 
olutionist, an  American  annexation  movement,  and  an  American 
invasion  of  Canada.  JSIesplets,  a  practical  printer,  came  into 
Montreal  as  an  attache  of  a  deputation  sent  hither  from  the 
Philadelphia  Congress,  directed  to  follow  in  the  wake  of  Mont- 
gomery's army,  which  occupied  the  city  in  1775.  The  object 
of  the  deputation  was  to  endeavor  to  estrange  the  Canadians 
from  their  allegiance,  and,  by  specious  overtures,  lure  them  to  :i 
peaceful  declaration  for  the  govermnent  of  the  United  State  . 
Dr.  l>enjamin  Franklin,  one  of  the  deputation,  and  th.an  whom 
none  knew  better  the  uses  of  th  Dress  in  such  an  emeigency, 
suggested  the  bringing  with  them  the  complete  plant  of  a  pjint- 
ing-officc,  and,  by  manifestoes,  circulars,  and  such-like,  to  spread 
broadcast  among  the  inhabitants  the  objects  of  (heir  mission  and 
the  beauties  of  annexation  in  partictdar.  The  experiment  —  Mcs- 
plets  doing  the  mechanical  work  —  was  tried,  and,  it  is  needless 
to  say,  failed  signally  ;  the  deputation  i-eturned  home ;  the  printer 
alluded  to,  however,  remainmg  in  ^Montreal,  where  he  continued 
the  oiliee,  located  in  what  is  now  known  as  "  Custom-IIousc 
S(]uare,"  and  a  short  time  subserpiently  put  forth  an  eight- 
column  weekly  sheet  called  the  "Gazette."  It  was  long  the 
only  paper  in  the  province,  next  to  its  namesake  of  (Quebec. 
The  history  of  these  two  papers,  as  ma}-  ])e  easily  inferred,  is 
replete  with  interest,  they  having  been  pioneers  in  tlu^  field  of 
provincial  journalism,  and  surviving  every  vicissitude  of  fortune 
that  falls  inevitably  to  the  lot  of  all  that  would  mould  and  lead 
public  opinion.  Both  journals  have  passed  through  many 
ownerships  since  establishm -nt,  and  represented  from  time  to 
time,  especially  the  Quebec  "  Gazette,"  nearly  every  shade  of 
political  and  social  opinion.  The  "  Gazette,"  of  Montreal,  nnd(  r 
the  late  Robert  Abraham,  an  accom[)lishcd  writer,  first  came 
prominently  into  public  favor.  James  Moir  Ferres  and  others 
succeeded,  but  with  varied  success,  until  it  passed  into  the 
management  of  the  late  firm  of  Lowe  &  Chamberlin.  Under 
their  control  it  became  at  once  the  acknowledged  and  energetic 
organ  of  the  conservative  party  in  Quebec  province,  and  con- 
tinues such,  but  with  largelv  increased  favor,  to  the  present 
time.  In  1870  the  Messrs.  T.  &  II.  White,  i'ormerly  of  the 
Hamilton  "  Spectator,"  assumed  possession,  changing  the  shape, 
and  improving  the  general  make-up  of  the  paper.  Mr.  Thomas 
"White,  Jr.,  is  the  editor-in-chief,  and  und(M'  him  t!ic  "Gazette" 
has  greatly  advanced  in  circulation  and  influence  ;  the  vigor, 


M 

I.   S' 


R  I 


548 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


.1;:'. 


Wki: 


brilliancy,  and  high  tone  of  its  cclitf)rial.s  eonimondiiig  it  to  tho 
rc,spectal)le  ^.-lassos  ovorywhcre,  Avliilo  its  prompt  and  ncciirato 
uows  reports  render  it  of  more  than  ordinary  valne  Jii  that  con- 
noctioii  generally.  The  "  Gazette  "  is  the  oldest  living  pa[)er  in 
the  Dominion.  Following  in  the  order  of  dates  we  tnrn  for  the 
moment  to  Ontario.  In  consulting  tho  interesting  voliuue  hy 
tho  Kev.  II.  Seadding,  D.I).,  entitled  "  Toronto  of  Old,"  wo 
lind  the  "Niagara  Constellation"  existed  in  1701),  and  was  un- 
doubtedly the  next  iper  published  in  Uriiish  America  after 
the  Montreal  "Gazette."  The  "  York  Gazette"  followed  three 
years  later.  The  "Constellation  "  continued  several  years,  and 
was  the  only  paper  of  general  information  in  tho  then  wilder- 
ness of  the  west,  known  as  Upper  Canada ;  it  has  long  ceased 
to  exist.  The  Halifax  "  Royal  Gazette  "  came  next,  in  1801.  It 
was  the  official  or<j:an  of  the  G-overnment,  and  as  such  continues. 
Th«5  "Quebec  Mercury"  foUows  next  in  order,  and  was  issued 
first  in  ISO,'),  l)y  the  late  Thomas  Ca'-y,  father  of  the  present 
proprietor.  The  ".Mcrcurj^"  had  long  extensive  influence 
in  the  country  previous  to  the  union  of  Upper  and  Lower 
Canada,  in  1840;  it  is  still  vigorous.  In  the  early  days  men- 
tioned it  was  a  compendium  of  all  that  pertained  to  news, 
politics,  and  debate.  Copies  o*"  the  "  ^lercuy,"  from  tho  first 
mimbcr,  bound  in  volume,  are  to  be  found  in  not  a  few  of  our 
public  libraries  ;  and  so  curious  and  valuable  were  the 
early  numbers  considered,  that  they  have  l)eeii  deemed 
Avorthya  place  in  the  British  ]SIuseum,  London,  where  tKeymay 
now  be  seen.  The  Quebec;  "Le  Canadien,"  founded  in  18()(>, 
succoeded,  and  still  circulates  among  the  French  portion  of  the 
ancient  capital.  The  St.  John's  "  Ivoyal  Gazette  aiul  New- 
foundhnul  Advertiser  "  was  established  in  1807,  and,  similar  to 
its  namesake  of  York  (Toronto)  and  Halifax,  was  the  govern- 
ment official  orijan.  It  still  exists.  Ushered  into  being  in 
1801),  and  next  in  order  of  establishment,  we  fiiul  the  "Mon- 
treal Herald."  This  journal,  founded  by  a  wholesale  merchant 
named  Kay,  subsequently,  in  1821,  lapsing  into  tho  hands  of 
Mr.  Archibald  Ferguson,  as  the  organ  of  the  Presbyterian 
bod}^  and  the  property  still  later  of  a  well-known  citizen  namcnl 
Wier,  has,  in  conunon  with  the  Montreal  "  Gazette,"  long 
wielded  an  important  and  wide  influence,  and  may  be  said  to 
have  disputed,  through  a  protracted  career,  the  ])alm  with  tho 
latter  pi>j)er  for  j)ul)lic  favor.  Tho  "  Herald  "  was  long  edited  by 
a  gentleman  of  distinguished  ability,  r.-jueil  I'li^near  ;  and  to 

attributed 


poiibl 


pen  may 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


549 


the  high  i)osition  it  attained  lo  in  his  clay,  and  which,  witli  kin- 
dred quahties  in  its  sueeesyors,  it  has  never  lost  since.  ]Mr. 
Ad:nn  Thoni  held  the  management  some  time  previously  to  j\Ir. 
Kiimear,  and  his  al)ility  did  conspicuous  service  to  its  eolunms. 
The  pa})(!r  has  long  since  heen  the  organ-in-chief  in  Quebec 
province  of  tiio  English-s])eak- 
ing  section  of  the  extreme  lib- 
eral i)arty,  th(i  Itattles  of  whom 
it  has  fought  tlu'ough  good  and 
and  evil  report,  with  a  consist- 
ency and  firnmess  that  may  bo 
said  to  have  Avon  the  resi)ect 
even  of  o[)ponents.  The  "Her- 
ald" is  owned  by  a  pu1)lishing 
company.  The  lion.  E.  Golf 
Penny,  now  of  the  Dominion 
senate,  and  long  a  partner  in 
the  concern,  is  the  chief  editor. 
The  "Herald  "  editorials  are  con- 
spicuous for  an  easy,  argument- 
ative stylc>,  in  which  all  shadow 
of  the  sensational  or  line  writ- 
ing is  rigorously  eschewed. 
Commercia'  topics  in  partic- 
ular receive  from  it  a  diUgent  oversight,  Avliich  has  ren- 
dered its  eolunms  in  relation  thereto  a  valual)lo  desideratum 
among  mcrcliants.  Its  discussions,  generally,  arc  marked  by 
caution,  and  a  careful  regard  to  the;  trutli  of  statements  l)efore 
using  them;  an  element  in  the  i)a[)er,  we  need  hardly  say, 
Avhich  has  had  its  due  rcAvard  in  an  increased  confidence  among 
readers  of  all  clijsses,  and  Avith  it  a  i>r()})ortionably  increased 
cireulnlion.  Next  in  ord(>r  of  establishment  Ave  h.'ive  tho 
Kingston  (Ont.)  '*  Chroniel<>,"  —  to  vvhlch  has  been  added  tho 
titlc'of  "NcAvs"  — dsiting  1810.  This  paper  is  the  oldest  that 
li!)'-  confhnied  to  live  in  Ontario.  It  is  also  tho  seventh  oldest  in 
tho  Dominion.  AVhile  its  contemporaries  one  by  one  haA^c 
dropped  away,  tho  "Chronicle  and  News"  has  stood  its  groinul 
through  all  a  icissitude,  and  is  rtill  fresh  auvl  vigorous.  Mv.  James 
^^hannon  is  the  present  ])ropri(!tor,  and  his  ])a')er  has  a  substan- 
tial cireulnlion.  T\\^  'Halifax  Acadian  liecordc>r,"  founded  in 
LSUj,  is  tho  next  oldest  living  jor.:nal.  ^Xc.  might  !.p(>al;,  to 
almost  endless  length,  of  papers  foundcv]  at  mi  early  peiiod, 
CA'crvAvhero  from  (intario  to  NcAvfoundland,  but  which  ceased 


550 


HISTORY'   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


ulmost  Avith  their  birth.  Such  rccapituhition  is  imncooHsary. 
Wo  have  fseeu  that  the  Niagara  "  ConsteUatiou  "  (171)11)  was 
the  tirst  after  the  Montreal  "(Jazettc."  A  short-lived  paper, 
the  Canada  "(liiardian,"  edited  by  tloseph  Wilcox,  was  pub- 
lished in  Toronto  in  1<S()7.  The  XJagara  "  Sju'ctator"  followed 
in  1811).  This  was  a  stirring  jjaper  and  lived  sonic  years.  It 
was  edited  by  one  liobert  (Jourlay,  a  state  prisoner  incarcerated 
in  Isiagara  jail.  (Jourlay  aired  Avith  vcheinenco  hi^  political 
■wrongs  in  the  "Spectator,"  and  was  Bid)se<ju'Mitly  banished. 
The  next  i)a[)cr  was  the  "Colonial  Advocate,"  established  in 
Toronto,  in  1<S21,  by  the  political  agitator,  William  Lyon  ]Mac- 
kcn/ic.  Mackenzie  assailed  the  Tory  government  of  the  day 
with  unsurpassed  virulence,  and  for  it  his  i)rcsscs  and  types 
were  thrown  into  Toronto  J>ay,  in  1(S2().  lie;  sid)se(iuently 
founded  the  "Message,"  which  dropped  when  shortly  after 
he  Avcnt  into  banishment,  but  resumed  on  his  return. 

10.  Among  other  journals  established,  l)ut  not  forgotten,  we  re 
the  "Examiner,"  "  liri'tish  Colonist,"  "Canadian  Review,"  "  Loyal- 
ist," etc.,  Toronto  "  Pilot,"  "  Advertiser,"  "Telegraph, ""Trans- 
script,"  and  others  of  even  more  early  date.  INIontreal,  Three 
Rivers,  (Quebec,  and  the  maritime  provinces,  have  all  had,  simi- 
larly, papers,  from  time  to  lime,  of  note  ;  but  such  live  only  in  the 
past.  After  the  JIalifax  'Acadian  Recorder,"  the;  oldest  living 
])aper  is  the  Halifax  "Chronicle, "and  with  itthelinjckville  (Out.) 
"Recorder,"  each  founded  in  1820.  The  "Chronicle  "is edited  by 
11  gentlemen  well  known  in  political  cireles,  and  a  distinguished 
narliamcnt'irian,  —  lion.  Charles  An.iand.  The  "IJrockville 
Recorder"  is  the  second  oldest  weckJi/  pajjcr  in  Ontario,  ii  is 
edited  now  by  Leaver  *t  Southworth.  (An  evening  e^lition  of 
the  " Recorder  "  is  now  in  its  third  year.)  The  "  St.  Cather- 
ine's Journal  "  stands  next,  having  been  established  in  1824  ;  it 
has  now  a  daily.  "La  Minervc,"  Montreal,  follows  in  order, 
having  been  ibundcd  in  1S2G  by  the  late  Hon.  Louis  ]M.  ]\Ioriu. 
It  stands  hi<2:h  as  the  leadinjr  orj^an  of  French  conservatism  in 
Quebec  province.  Its  editorials  are  coiisi)icuous  for  vigor 
and  point.  Mr.  Dnvernay,  the  editor,  has  long  been  known 
in  the  jjolitical  warfare  of  parties  in  the  ])r()vincc.  Mr.  Dau- 
serean  is  also  associated  in  the  conduct  of  its  cohmms.  I'he 
Toronto  "Christian  (J uardian  "  was  establisluMl  in  1821),  and  is 
the  next ;  it  is  a  weekly  journal  in  the  interest  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  Methodist  body,  and  was  long  conducted  by  the  founder 
of  the  Ontario  common-school  svstem,  the  Rev.  I)r.  Eduarton 
Rycrson  ;  the  Rev.  E.  II.  Dewart  is  present  editor.    The  "  Guar- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


551 


■ing 


ll)y 
bed 
villc 
It  is 
n  of 
hor- 
l ;  it 
rdor, 
oi'in. 
in  in 
•igor 
iiown 
Dan- 
The 
ml  is 
Wcs- 

IU(1<'V 

Ill-ton 
uur- 


dian,"  after  forty-seven  years,  still  preserves  its  ancient  vigor  and 
usefuliiess.  The  Woodstoek  (N.B.)  "Carleton  Sentinel  '  and 
Pietou  (Ont.)  "Ga/elte,"  were  the  next,  in  lfS80,  succeeded  by 
the  C'olMirsr  (Out.)  "Star"  in  1831;  the  Yarmouth  (X.S.) 
"Herald,"  and  St.  Andrew's  (N.B.)  "Standard,"  followed  in 
181^3;  the  SherhrooUe  (Que.)  "  Ga/ette  "  was  also  established 
in  this  year.  I'he  "  CJazetto "  is  among  our  very  best  rural 
jouinals,  being  Avell  edited,  and  having  a  wide  influence  in 
what  is  known  as  the  "  Eastern  Townshii)s  ;"  Bradford  Brothers 
arc  the  [)ublishers.  The  Kingston  ''British  AVhig,"  estal)lished 
in  1.S,'51,  follows  the  "(iazette,"  and  Avith  it  avo  couple  the 
Belleville!  "Intelligencer,"  founded  in  the  same  year.  The 
"  Whig  "  claims  notice  as  being  tlieJlvM  da ili/  paper  eHtahh'xhed 
in  Ontario;  and  as  such  has  the  high  honor  of  being  the  father 
of  that  order  of  journalism  in  the  West.  Dr.  Barker,  one  of  the 
oldest  settlers  of  Kingston,  and  well  known  in  Canada  political 
circles,  was  the  editor  and  proprietor  down  to  1871  ;  it  is  now 
conducted  by  his  nephew,  Mr.  K.  J.  Barker  Pense,  and  is  the 
Kingston  organ  of  the  reform  party.  The  "  AVhig  "  editorials 
are  forcible,  and  the  status  of  the  journal  first-class.  The 
Belleville  "Intelligencer,"  also  1834,  was  long  owned  by  Mr. 
IMcKenzic  Bowell,  souK^time  grand  master  of  the  Ontario 
()rang(!  Assoeiation  ;  it  has  latterly  become  a  daily,  and  is  pub- 
lished by  a  joint-stock  company  ;  —  1834  appears  to  have  been  u 
period  of  newspaper  founding,  as  the  Prescott  "Telegraph" 
and  Perth  "Courier"  Avere  also  started  in  that  year.  Proceed- 
ing in  order,  avc  have  the  St.  John  (X.B.)  "Xcws,"  estal)lished 
in  183(!,  and  t!ie  Halifax  "Christian  Messenger,"  in  i\w  same 
year.  In  bringing  our  revicAV  of  journalism  down  thus  far,  Ave 
have  preserved  the  dates  of  establishment  in  consecutive  order 
as  near  as  possible,  link  by  link,  from  the  first,  in  17(14,  to  the 
tAvo  last  papers  named.  We  Avill  notice  now,  but  perhaps  in 
Jess  order,  the  papers  that  remain,  to  Avhich  age,  etc.,  Avould 
seem  to  attach  any  interest.  The  "Ottawa  Citizen"  Avas 
established  in  1841,  and  was  long  known  as  "Bell's  paper," 
having  been  conducted  many  years  by  the  late  Ivobeit  Bell, 
M.P.P.  for  Carleton  County  (Ont.),  previous  to  confedera 
tion.  The  Toronto  "Globe"  appears  next,  and  stands  first, 
and  pre('minently  the  prince  of  newspaj)ei's  in  the  Dominion. 
Established  in  1844  by  the  late  Peter  BroAvn,  in  conjunction 
Avith  his  son,  the  present  Hon.  George  Brown,  as  a  tri-Aveekly, 
and  shortly  afterwards  as  a  daily,  it  liar,  gone  ou  increasing  in 
circulation   and   political   power,   until  its  name  has   become 


I 


552 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


r 


ji  Hvnonyme  of  whatever  is  strong  in  Canaclijiu  joiiriialisni. 
The  "  Glol)e,"  from  its  inception,  has  been  in  tiic  interest 
of    the    reform   party   of    the    country  ;    and    has    l)een    the 

means  of  advancing  not  a  few 
of  that  shade  of  i)oIitics  to  posi- 
tion and  i)refcrment,  not  tiie 
least  conspicuous  of  Avhom  may 
be  named  the  proprietor  liim- 
self.  The  name  of  the  lion, 
(reorge  Brown  is  so  com- 
pletely one  Avith  that  of  the 
"(ilobc,"  tiiat  to  disassociate 
Ihoni  Avould  l)eto  rend  the  lab- 
ric.  It  would  l)e  impossible 
in  our  space  to  give  even  an 
outline  of  the  career  and  )nan- 
agcment  of  this  newspaper ; 
sulnce  it,  that  it  is  innnediately 
controlled  by  the  "  Globe  Pub- 
lishing Company,"  of  which 
j\Ir.  IJrown  is  managino' director 
and  principal  shareholder.  Mr.  Gordon  Brown,  bi'otlier  of  the 
former,  has  been  for  many  j-oars  one  of  its  chief  writers.  The 
Hon.  William  ]Mcl)ougall,  long  conspicuous  in  Canadian  politics, 
and  sonuitimo  governor  of  jManitoba,  was  also  ibr  years  a  prin- 
cipal writer.  The  "Glol)o"  is  distinguished  for  keen  and 
forcibly  written  editorials;  and  what,  pc>rhaps,  has  more  than 
anything  else  given  its  present  i)osition,  — the  promptness,  ful- 
ness, and  accuracy  of  its  tel(>grai)hic  news  reports.  No  labor 
nor  expense  is  spared  Avhen  a  piece  of  fresh  ni^ws  is  to  bo  ob- 
tained. It  has  its  branch  ofhces  in  all  th(>  principal  cities,  and 
telegraphic  correspondence  in  all  the  towns  of  the  Dominion, 
also  in  London,  England,  cable  telegrams  from  whirli  may 
almoiit  always  ho  seen  in  its  columns.  With  such  adjuncts  it 
is  not  sur[)rising  that  the  "Globe"  takes  the  lead  of  all  contem- 
poraries. A\'ith  tho  reform  party  it  is  needless  to  say  it  has 
ever  been  the  pronounced  niouth-pieco  and  oracle  ;  and  to  them 
it  is  indebted  in  largest  measure's  for  its  success.  The  Montreal 
Weekly  "Witness"  connnenced  in  1H4(),  passing  successfully 
into  tri-weekly  in  185G  and  daily  iu  18()0,  and,  wo  scarcely  need 
say,  has  attained  a  high  place  among  our  Dominion  newspapers. 
The  ''  Witness"'  is  essentially  a  religious  temperance  daily,  and 
the  conspicuously  moral  tone  of  its  columns,  coupled  with  its 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


553 


vigor  from  its  inception  in  the  cause  of  tcnipenince,  liiis  in  ii  large 
degree  secured  for  it  its  present  position.  Tlie  Hamilton 
"  ."spectator,"  established  in  IJS  I<S  by  the  late  Robert  K.  Smiley, 
"vvas  long  the  leading  conservative  jiapcr  in  Ontario  ;  it  is  still 
vigorous,  and  has  a  large  circulation  ;  it  is  owned  by  Lawson, 
]McCulloch  &  Co.  The  Hamilton  "Times,"  London  "Adver- 
tiser," London  "Herald,"  and  London  "Free  Tress,"  Toronto 
"Leader,"  Branford  "Courier,"  and  a  long  list  of  minor  pa[)ers, 
daily  and  weekly,  were  established  between  1848  and  the  suc- 
ceeding decade.  The  pajx  rs  named  are  lirst  class  in  their  kind, 
and  comprise  some  of  the  l/est  enterprise  and  talent  to  be  found 
in  the  Dominion.  Wo  append  a  few  Avords  upon  one  or  two 
daily  papers  of  quite  recent  date,  that  have  taken,  both  in  in- 
lluence  and  circulation,  a  heading  stand  in  theii  respective  local- 
ities, in  conunon  with  their  contemporaries  already^  mentioned. 
The  St.  John,  N.li.,  "Daily  Telegraph."  established  in  ISCu), 
deserves  special  mention,  not  less  for  its  sound  political  and 
commercial  standing  than  for  the  high  litei'ary  character'  it  has 
maintained  since  its  inception.  J\lr.  AVilliam  Elder,  a  gentle- 
man of  distinguished  culture,  has  long  been  its  chief  editor  and 
proprietor.  The  Montreal  "  Evening  Star"  was  cstal)lished  in 
18(ji),  and  claims  attention  for  the  independent  stand  it  has 
taken  since  its  establishment.  On  all  matters,  social  or  p(<litical, 
the  "  Star"  has  exhibited  an  energ}'  of  discussion  and  a  freedom 
of  opinion  at  once  commendable.  The  })aper  was  esta])lish(Ml 
by  Messrs.  IMarshall  &  Co.,  but  almost  innnediately  after  Ava-; 
purchased  by  Mr.  Hugh  Graham,  a  young  man  nearly  connected 
Avith  the  late  E.  H.  Parsons  of  the  old  "Evciing  Telegra{)h,'"  u 
Avriter  sufficiently  known  in  his  day.  After  long  connection 
Avith  the  tinancial  department  of  the  "Telegraph,"  and  subse- 
quently of  the  "(iaz(Ute,"  Ciraham  entered  upon  his  enter[)rise 
of  building  up  the  "Star."  How  Avell  he  has  succeeded,  the 
paper  to-day  tells  ;  for,  after  nnich  struggle,  small  beginnings, 
anil  tiercest  rivalry,  it  stands  forth  at  once  the  ecpial  of  any 
evening  journal  in  the  Dominion.  This  is  attested  by  its  cii-cu- 
lation,  which  has  so  largely  increased  Avithin  the  past  two  y(>ars. 
The  "Star"  is  printed  on  a  "Prestonian"  press,  capai)le-of 
turning  off  ten  thousand  copies  jier  hour.  The  pajjcr,  irom  the 
first,  has  connnended  itself  to  the  masses  by  tlie  cui't,  matter-of- 
fact  styli?  of  its  editorials,  and  the  vigor  Avith  Avhich  it  advocates 
the  interests  of  th<'  workingman.  h\  a  Avord,  the  "  Star"  is 
one  of  a  class  of  journals  to  be  found  in  every  large  metropolis, 
and    to   the    well-being  of  which   its    in'esence    is    sutBciently 


S 


554 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


>V 


essential.  Tho  Toronto  "Miiil,"  established  in  1870,  is  the 
second  most  extensive  Jonrnal  in  point  of*  size,  cireuhition,  and 
influence  in  Ontario.  Like  its  rival,  the  "(jil()l)e,"  it  expends 
large  sums  in  obtaining  latest  news.  It  has  its  agencies  in 
Montreal,  and  some  other  principal  cities  ;  and  the  telegrams 

and  general  reports  found  in  its 


coliunns  are  marked  by  promp- 
titude and  accuracy.  The  "Mail" 
is  the  organ  of  the  conservative 
party  in  Ontario  ;  and  perhaps 
on  no  journal  can  a  greater 
amount  of  editorial  talent  bo 
found.  It  has  a  substantial 
circulation  throughout  the  Do- 
minion, and  its  iniluence  is  daily 
and  deservedly  on  the  increase. 
It  is  printed  by  a  company,  of 
Avhich  T.  C.  Patterson  is  mana- 
ger ;  this  gentleman  is  also  edi- 
tor-in-chief. AVe  close  this 
sketch  by  1)ricfly  remarking  on 
the  strides  assumed  by  journal- 
ism in  Canada  within  the  last 
ten  3'ears.  Statistical  figures  might  l)e  adduced  to  exhibit  Avhat 
those  strides,  at  once  so  substantial  in  themselves,  have  actually 
been  ;  such,  hoAvever,  we  believe  unnecessary  ;  facts  are  jiatcnt 
enough  to  cA'ery  observer.  The  increase  in  inmiigration,  the 
opening  up  of  railway  communication,  the  extension  and  per- 
fecting of  telegraphy,  and,  more  than  all,  the  comi)lctcncss  and 
efficiency  of  the  Kchool  systems  throughout  the  Dominion,  have 
worked  changes  not  to  be  miistakcn.  Every  city  has  its  round 
of  dailies  ;  every  village  and  handct,  its  one  to  three  weeklies. 
These  are  the  sure  indices  of  jiational  progress  and  enlighten- 
ment, the  unerring  registers  that  mark  our  advancement  as  a 
people  now,  and  shall  continue  to  do  so  in  the  future. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

THE   DOMINION   OF  CANADA  —  {continued). 

'  ,  OENEUAL   BUMMART    FROM    1S^7    TO    1878.  — A    REVIEW. 

1.  We  have  already  sketched  some  of  the  more  general 
afl'airs  of  tiio  Domiiiioii  since  confederation,  and  at  this  point, 
before  passing  on  to  notice  tiie  more  recent  events  nnder  the 
administration  of  L<M-d  Dullerin,  we  may  review  the  whole  sub- 
ject. Tlic  IJritish  North  vVmeriean  Act  of  18.G7  hrogated  the 
constitutions  of  Nova  Scotia,  New  lirunswick,  and  Canada,  and 
enacted  that  hencetorward  tliey  should  be  federally  united  into 
one  dominion  under  the  crown  of  Great  liritain  and  Ireland, 
with  a  constitution  similar  to  that  of  Cireat  liritain;  and  al- 
though, as  before  observed,  these  provinces  were  so  united  at 
their  own  recpiest,  yet  it  is  true  that  the  scheme  originated  in 
the  political  necessities  of  the  Province  of  Canada.  The  mari- 
time i)rovinces  had  desired  a  union  apart  from  Canada,  and  had 
entered  into  negotiations  with  that  end  in  view  •  and  it  is  no 
overstatement  of  facts  to  say  that  the  more  inlluential  i)rovinco 
seized  upon  the  opportunity  to  elfcct  the  broader  union,  and 
thus  escape  from  local  embarrassments,  the  nature  of  which 
has  been  fully  described  in  previous  chapters.  It  is  still  be- 
lieved by  many  good  and  able  men  of  the  maritime  provinces, 
that  had  this  lesser  union  preceded  the  greater,  the  latter  would  t 
have  resulted  Avitli  greater  advantage  to  Nova  Scotia,  New 
Brunswick,  and  Prince  Edward  Island.  The  writer  humbly 
shares  in  this  opinion,  but  does  not  tind  an  insui'mountable  diiii- 
culty  in  the  scheme  of  a  maritime  union  yet  to  be  etfected. 

2.  The  D(miiniou  of  Canada,  thus  brought  into  existence, 
required  skilful  guidance.  The  "  rights  of  the  provinces  "  was 
a  vcr}'  probable  (piestion  under  the  new  rc<itni.e.  However, 
care  had  been  taken  to  guard  against  this,  and  Sir  John  A. 
Macdonald,  in  referring  to  this  matter  in  the  light  of  the  United 
States  Constitution,  said,  "They  declared  by  their  constitu- 
tion that  each  State  was  a  sovenngntv  in  itself,  and  that  all  the 
powers  incident  to  a  sovereignty  belonged  to  each  State,  except 
those  powers  which  by  the  constitution  v/erc  conferred  upon 
the  general  government  and  Congress."    Then,  speaking  of  the 


556 


IIISTOKY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


m 


It 

m 


us.; 


Fotloral  I'liion  of  l)rili.<h  America,  he  siiys,  "Hero  we  have 
adoptt'd  a  dillc'rciit  syslom.  We  have  stri'n<j:tlioiK>d  tlio  <j:c'neral 
iroveiiiiiKMit.  W  V  have  j^ivcn  the  y:('iu'ral  Lcjii.slaturc  all  (ho 
great  siihjeet.s  of  h'^i.shilion.  \\'e  have  eoiderred  upon  them,  not 
only  ypceilieally  and  in  detail  all  the  powers  incident  upon  sov- 
ereignty, but  wc  have  expressly  declared  that  all  subjects  of  gen- 
eral infei'cst,  not  dislinctly  and  exclusively  conferred  upon  the 
local  governments  and  local  L<'gislatnres,  shall  be  conferred  upon 
the  general  government  iind  Legislature."  Kotwithstanding 
this  precaution,  discussion  soon  arose  as  to  the  relative  powers 
of  the  local  and  general  governments  and  liCgislatures,  frieiuls 
of  the  former  pretending  to  see  in  the  acts  of  the  lat^,er  a  dis- 
position to  ignore  the  rights  of  the  i)r()vinces.  Atone  time 
Mr.  Dunkin,  apron)'iient  member  of  the  (^uelx'c  government, 
announced  in  his  i)Iace  in  the  Legislature  in  1(S()7,  that  "none 
of  the  functions  of  the  province  have  a  nnmicipal  character. 
They  arc;  not  derived  from  the  Dominion  ;  they  are  not  depend- 
ent on  the  Dominion  ;  their  authority  is  not  subordinate  to  the 
Dominion.  It  has  far  more  the  character  of  coiirdination."  IJut 
later  on  in  the  discussion  Mr.  Dunkin  nioditied  his  views,  and 
in  another  speech  he  aliirmed  that  ''he  never  entertained  a 
thougiit  of  claiming  any  undue  importance  or  jurisdiction  for 
the  local  governments.  'J  he  local  governments  had  subordi- 
nate functions  to  the  general  government;  but  no  one  could 
deny  that  they  had  some  courdinatc  powers,  and  that  was  all 
he  claimed." 

3.  But  trouldo  of  a  more  serious  character  soon  arose  in 
another  (juartcr.  The  people  of  Nova  Scotia,  a  majoi-:ty  of 
whom  from  the  beginning  opposed  some  of  the  pro^■isi()us  of 
the  union  act,  and  protested  in  various  forms,  now  denied  the 
right  of  the  local  Parliament  to  sanction  the  anmilling  of  their 
old  constitution,  holding  l!ie  doctrine  of  Locke,  that  "tlie  Legis- 
lature can  have  no  power  to  transfer  their  authority  of  making 
laws,  or  to  place  it  in  other  hands."  This  opinion  found  an 
able  advocate  in  the  Hon.  Josei)h  Howe,  and  completely  con- 
trolled the  elections  in  Nova  Scotia  for  some  time  after  the  con- 
federation. But  an  appeal  to  England  was  without  etlect,  and, 
being  imablc  to  defeat  confederation,  jVIr.  Howe  obtained  such 
an  extent  of  fiscal  and  other  concessions  for  Nova  Scotia  as  to 
"Warrant,  in  his  own  judgment,  his  acceptance  of  a  place  in  the 
Dominion  Cabinet.  He  says,  "I  did  not  take  otlice,  though 
it  had  been  otlered  to  me  for  eighteen  months,  till  my  e()nntry's 
fair  claim  to  readjustment  of  the  scheme  was  admitted,  and  un- 


r.Xr.LAND,   AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


oo 


57 


til  (Jladstonc's  ciibinot,  with  John  Bright  in  it,  counsoUecl  pcaco 
and  rci'iiscd  ropoal." 

4.  Ill  18(58  Now  foil  lulhuul  signified  hor  desire  to  l)Cconie  a 
nicinlx'r  of  Ihe  J)oininioii ;  but,  u^)  to  (he  |)r('seMt,  the  terms 
satisfiu'tory  to  her  government  and  Legislature  liave  not  l)een 
agretMl  ni)on.  IJritish  Colnnihia  signified  her  willingness  to  join 
the  nnion  immediately  upon  the  Hudson  Bay  Territory  being 
])urelias(Hl  l)y  th(!  Dominion  government.  The  Dominion  Par- 
liament of  1807  passed  resolutions  authorizing  the  a((iuisition 
of  this  territory,  and  two  members  of  the  general  govermnent 
—  Cartier  and  MeDougall  —  were  despatched  to  England  to 
promote  the  necessary  negotiations.  In  IHOH  the  most  ini- 
l)ortant  measure  of  legislation  was  that  authorizing  the  Inter- 
colonial Railway,  and  the  commencement  of  the  great  work. 
This  road  was  the  key-stone  to  confederation.  AVithout  it,  of 
course,  there  could  1)0  nq  nnion,  and  without  tlu^  union  the 
I5ritish  government  would  not  giuu-antec  the  necessary  three 
million  pounds.  The  Imperial  Act,  authorizing  this  loan,  pro- 
vided that  the  "  commissioners  of  her  majesty's  treasury  shall 
not  give  any  guaranty  nnder  this  act  unless  and  mitil  an  act  of 
the  Parliament  of  Canada  has  been  i)assed,  within  two  years 
after  the  nnion  of  Canada  under  the  Ihitish  Noi'th  American 
Act  of  1807,  providing  to  the  satisf.iction  of  one  of  her  majesty's 
principal  secretaries  of  state,  as  follows:  "1st,  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  railway  ;  2d,  for  the  use  of  the  railway  at  all 
times  for  her  majesty's  military  and  other  service."  '  Xor  mdess 
and  nntil  the  line  in  which  the  railway  is  to  bo  constructed  is 
approved  l)y  one  of  her  majesty's  principal  secretaries  of  state." 
The  ol)Ject  of  this  clause  was  to  compel  the  Dominion  govern- 
ment to  adopt  a  line  already  surveyed  by  Major  Kobinson, 
running  along  the  gulf  shore  as  far  north  as  possible  from  the 
American  frontier.  This  line  was  adopted,  and,  of  course, 
secured  the  approbation  of  the  secretary  of  state,  and  the  road 
has  been  l)nilt,  connecting  Halifax  and  Quebec. 

5.  In  1809  negotiations  between  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
and  the  Dominion  had  so  far  succeeded  that  the  former  agreed 
to  surrender  all  its  risfhts  for  the  sum  of  one  million  two  hun- 
dred  thousand  dollars  ;  and  it  was  arranged  that  this  amount 
shonld  bo  paid,  and  a  legal  transfer  of  the  territory  made  on 
the  1st  day  of  December,  18()9.  For  some  reasons  the  au- 
thorities of  the  Dominion  decided  that  the  lieutenant-governor 
of  the  new  territory  should  be  at  the  seat  of  his  future  govern^ 
ment  in  advance  of  the  date  fixed  upon  for  the  transfer,  and 


f 


tdi 


i 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT.3) 


z. 


.0 


1.0 


1.1 


liil^S     125 

|5o   "^"     HMSS 

"'    Ki    12.2 


1^  III  1.4 


IM 


1.6 


V 


V] 


Sciences 
Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STRKT 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


iV 


iV 


i^'s 


a>^ 


>^ 


v^.v  ^J^^  ^oN 


%'^.A. "% 


" 


558 


IIISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


accordingly  the  Hon.  William  McDoiigall,  C.B.,  the  gentleman 
8o  appointed,  took  his  departure  from  the  capital  of  the  Do- 
minion early  in  November,  accompanied  by  officials  selected  to 
aid  him  in  the  government.  These  persons  were  selected  from 
Ontario  and  Quebec,  and,  like  the  governor,  knew  comparatively 
nothing  of  the  country  which  they  were  to  govern.  The  gov- 
ernor and  his  subordinates  Avere  met  by  a  body  of  armed  men, 
who  took  possession  of  a  fort  which  he  had  entered,  and  obliged 
him  to  fall  back  into  United  States  territory.  These  in'-urgents 
next  seized  Fort  Garry,  and  finally  established  a  provisional 
government,  and  Mr.  McDougall  was  obliged  to  return  to 
Ottawa;  but  these  troubles  were  removed  early  in  1870  by 
prudent  measures  on  the  part  of  the  Dominion  government. 
Delegates  were  received  at  Ottawa,  and  on  the  3d  of  May  the 
governor-general.  Sir  John  Youngs  was  enabled  to  telegraph 
the  imperial  authorities  that  negotiations  with  them  closed  satis- 
factoril3\  On  the  12th  of  the  same  month  permanent  effect 
was  given  to  the  arrangements  thus  arrived  at  by  an  act  of  the 
Dominion  Parliament,  which  created  out  of  "Rupert's  Land,  in 
the  North-west  Tcrritor}^  a  new  province,  containing  eleven 
thousand  square  miles,  named  Manitoba,  to  be  represented  in 
the  Senate  of  Canada,  until  its  population  shall  have  increased, 
by  two  members,  and  in  the  House  of  Commons  by  four  members. 
It  was  also  provided  that  there  should  be  a  local  Legislature,  to 
consist  of  a  lieutenant-governor  and  two  houses,  styled  respect- 
ively the  Legishitive  Council  and  the  Legislative  Assembly,  the 
former  to  consist  of  seven  members,  to  be  app(iinted  by  the 
lieutenant-govornor  in  the  queen's  name,  the  latter  of  twenty- 
four,  elected  every  four  years  ;  each  male  person  in  the  province 
being  entitled  to  vote,  subject  only  to  the  condition  of  being 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  a  subject  of  her  majesty  by  birth  or 
naturalization,  and  a  bona  fide  householder. 

6.  The  financial  conditions  upon  Avhic^h  the  new  province 
■was  admitted  into  the  union  were  lair  and  equitable.  Allow- 
ance was  made  for  the  ftict  that  Manitoba  become  liable  for  the 
general  debt,  and  ample  provision  was  guaranteed  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  govi'rnment  and  Legislature  o^  the  provinces. 
The  customs  dutiefi  chargeable  in  Rupert's  Land,  previous  to 
Manitoba  being  erected,  were  to  continue  without  increase  for 
three  j'cars,  the  proceeds  to  form  part  of  the  General  Consoli- 
dated Revenue  Fund  of  Canada.  The  chief  cause  of  the 
insurrectionary  movement  which  greeted  Hon.  Mr.  McDougall 
was  an  apprehension  on  the  part  of  the  half-breeds  of  the  ter- 


sidt 

that 

tion 

dcve 

miniii 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


559 


ritory,  that  not  only  would  future  grants  of  land  be  made  with  a 
view  to  their  injury  as  a  people,  but  that  existing  rights  would 
not  be  sufficiently  respected.  Much  care  was  therefore  shown 
in  the  Dominion  law  to  remove  all  ground  for  such  alarm.  It 
was  expressly  provided  that  one  hundred  thousand  acres  of 
land  should  be  divided  among  the  children  of  the  half-breeds 
residing  in  the  province  at  the  time  of  the  transfer  to  Canada, 
on  such  conditions  as  to  settlement,  and  otherwise,  as  the  gov- 
ernor-general, in  council,  may  fror\  time  to  time  determine. 
The  law  also  provided  for  the  j-ccurilv,  in  the  jiossession  of 
their  lands,  of  settlers  there  in  the  territory.  Soon  after  these 
transactions  the  newly-appointed  lieutenant-governor  of  JSIani- 
toba,  the  Hon.  A.  G.  Archibald,  proceeded  to  lH>rt  Garry, 
where  he  engaged  himself,  with  good  success,  in  inaugurating 
the  ncAV  and  improved  plan  of  government. 

7.  In  1870  the  able  finance  minister,  Sir  Francis  Ilincks, 
introduced  a  new  banking  law,  which,  while  it  worked  radical 
changes  in  the  system,  met  the  approval  of  the  principal  bank- 
ers and  the  publi;^  at  large.  Under  the  law  no  bank  could  bo 
started  without  a  paid-up  capital  of  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  In  the  same  year  the  question  of  the  adjustment  or 
division  of  the  assets  of  the  provinces  of  Ontario  and  Quebec 
caused  considerable  agitation.  The  obituary  list  of  the  year 
contained  some  notable  names.  Archbishop  Baillangcon,  of 
Quebec,  a  prelate  of  saintly  character,  passed  to  his  rest.  Mr. 
A.  S.  Ritchie  and  Mr.  Edward  Hartley,  men  of  science,  one  in 
connection  with  the  Natural  History  Society,  the  other  with 
the  Geographical  Survey  of  Canada,  also  ceased  their  labors. 
And  Chancellor  Blake,  of  Ontario,  whoso  great  services  as  a 
statesman  and  judge  extended  over  a  quarter  of  a  century,  suc- 
cumbed to  a  disease  which  had  its  origin  in  increasing  profes- 
sional toil. 

8.  But  the  event  which  awakened  most  interest  in  Canada, 
throughout  1870-71,  was  the  admission  of  British  Columbia,  — 
a  coiony  of  the  Pacific  coast,  of  small  population,  but  of  largo 
resources,  especially  in  fisheries  and  minerals,  and  so  situated 
as  to  be  adapted  to  command  not  only  the  trade  of  the  western 
side  of  the  continent,  and  the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  but  also 
that  of  the  trans-Pacific  countries.  Previous  to  its  administra- 
tion to  the  Canadian  union  its  isolated  position  rendered 
development  to  any  large  extent  '3carcely  possible.  For  com- 
munication with  England  a  sea  voyage  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  days  was  necessary.     The  leading  condition  upon  which 


rm 


560 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINIOX   OF   CANADA, 


this  colony  entered  the  Dominion  was  an  agreement  on  the 
part  of  the  Dominion  government  to  construct  a  raih'oad  from 
Ontario  to  the  Pacific  coast,  thereby  affording  British  Cohim- 
bia  means  of  active  communication  with  Canada,  and  with  the 
world  at  large.  It  was  at  that  time  computed  that  this  railroad 
would  bo  at  least  two  thousand  live  hundred  miles  long,  ex- 
tending from  Luke  Nipissing,  north  of  Lake  Superior,  and  two 
hundred  miles  from  Toronto,  to  Victoria,  the  capital  of  British 
Columbia ;  and  it  was  stipulated  that  it  should  be  built  '.n  ten 
3'cars,  means  to  ))e  provided  by  grants  of  lund,  of  twenty  miles' 
extent,  on  each  side  of  the  road,  and  by  such  subsidy  as  to  the 

Parliament  of  the  Dominion 
might  seem  fit.  The  estimated 
cost  of  the  road  was  one  hun- 
dred million  dollars,  llcnco 
it  will  be  seen  that  the  Do- 
minion was  already  engaged 
in  public  works  of  a  masterly 
character,  and  was  fast  rising 
into  national  magnificence  and 
importance,  even  in  1870. 
Apart  from  this  Pacific  Kail- 
way  scheme,  the  railways  of 
the  Dominion  were  increasinjr 
in  numl)crs  and  value.  Those 
then  jn  operation  exceeded 
three  thousand  miles  in  length, 
and  there  was  in  jjrocess  of 
construction  about  one  thou- 
sand miles  more,  and  charters 
had  been  granted  for  an  additional  eight  hundred  miles.  The 
principal  line,  —  then  not  completed, — the  Intercolonial,  was 
rapidly  advancing,  under  a  force  of  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety-four  men,  eleven  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  sixty  boys,  twenty-nine  thousand  four 
hundred  and  twenty-six  horses,  and  three  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  oxen. 

0.  The  3d  of  May,  1872,  will  long  be  remembered  in 
Canada  as  that  upon  which  Sir  eTohn  A.  Macdonald,  as  first 
minister  of  the  Dominion,  introduced  a  bill  to  give  effect  to 
those  clauses  of  the  Treaty  of  Washington,  negotiated  between 
the  Ignited  States  and  Groat  Britain  in  1871,  which  alfccted  the 
Dominion  interests.     Sir  John's  position,  as  well  as  that  of  his 


pr* 

pa  I 

BI.' 

nia 

foe 

last 

mill 

to  n 

foil 

part 

vote 

mine 

the 

On 

Mont 
the 
blanu 
Earl 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


561 


colleagues,  was  much  exposed  to  attack  in  this  all-important 
affair.  The  act  of  ccclin"^  iishorv  riffhts  of  almost  incalculable 
value,  together  Avith  the  sovereignty  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
without  reciprocity  of  trade  being  secured,  or  even  an  acknowl- 
edgement by  the  United  States  commissioners  of  the  wrong 
done  by  the  Fenian  invasion,  was  very  distasteful  throughout 
every  province  of  the  Dominion  ;  so  much  so  that,  although  Sir 
John  had,  as  joint-high  commissioner,  been  a  party  to  the  ses- 
sion, he  ultimately  united  with  his  colleagues  in  council,  nt 
Ottawa,  in  an  earnest  protest  against  a  policy  at  once  so  hurt- 
ful to  the  best  interests  of  Canada.  However,  the  timely 
guaranty,  by  the  imperial  government,  of  a  Pacific  Railway 
loan  of  two  million  five  hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling, 
equal  ^o  about  twelve  million 
dollars,  had  a  pacific  effect. 
So  great  Avas  the  personal  in- 
fluence of  Sir  John  that  he 
managed  to  carry  the  treaty 
resolutions  in  Parliament  by  a 
majority  of  sixty-six  in  an 
Assembly  of  one  hundred  and 
seventy-six  members.  The 
debate  was  muiivvd  by  great 
ability.  The  speech  of  Sir 
John  A.  Macdonald  has  been 
pronounced  an  effort  of  incom- 
parable skill ;  that  of  Hon.  Ed. 
Blake,  in  opposition,  Avas  re- 
markable for  cleverness  and 
feeling.  In  June  the  fifth  and 
last  session  of  the  first  Do- 
minion Parliament  Avas  brought 

to  a  close,  and  consequently  general  elections  soon  afterwards 
folloAved.  The  many  contests  throughout  the  several  provinces 
partook  of  the  character  of  a  Aital  struggle.  The  aggr(<gate 
vote  Avas  somcAvhat  in  favor  of  the  ministry,  but  they  luvd  a 
minority  in  the  Province  of  Ontario.  In  closing  Parliament, 
the  governor-general.  Lord  Lisgar,  bade  the  country  farewell. 
On  the  22d  of  the  same  month,  after  attending  a  banquet  at 
Montreal,  in  his  honor,  he  sailed  for  England,  bearing  Avitli  him 
the  reputation  of  a  just  and  judicious  ruler,  and  a  man  of 
])lameless  private  life.  Three  days  later,  his.  successor,  the 
Earl  of  Dufferin,  also  a  peer  of  the  realm,  arrived  at  (Quebec. 


IS 


562 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


10.  But  the  ycai'  1873,  before  its  closo,  witnessed  the  most 
exciting'  i^olitical  crisis  known  in  tlic  Dominion  of  CsmiitLi,  whicli 
resulted  in  the  doAvnfall  of  the  ministry  of  Sir  John  A.  Miic- 
doniikl,  and  the  formation  of  a  new  ministry,  under  the  leader 
of  the  opposition,  Hon.  Alex.  Mackenzie.     The  causes  which 

led  to  this  result  f^rew  out  of 
the  charges  nuide  in  the  early 
part  of  the  year  against  the 
Macdonald  cabinet  by  Mr. 
Huntington,  who  declared  that 
in  the  disposition  of  the  Cana- 
dian Pacilic  Railway  contract 
and  franchises,  the  g  .vernmcnt 
had  been  actuated  by  unpa- 
triotic and  corrupt  motives.  It 
Avas  alleged  that  the  ministry 
had  favored  the  Americans  in 
this  railway  business,  for  which 
favors  money  had  been  re- 
ceived. It  will  be  remembered 
that  the  conditions  upon  which 
British  Columbia  came  into  the 
Dominion  in  1871  included  an 
agreement  on  the  pai't  of  the 
Dominion  government  to  complete  the  Canadian  Pacific  B;:il- 
road  by  the  year  1881.  In  1873  the  company,  in  consequence 
of  financial  di£iculiics,  were  obliged  to  surrender  their  charter 
to  the  government.  After  the  charges  above  alluded  to  had 
been  made,  a  royal  commission  was  a})pointcd  to  take  evidence 
and  report  upon  what  had  now  become  knoAvn  as  the  "  Pacific 
Raihvay  Scandal."  Oa  the  22d  of  October  the  second  session 
of  the  second  Parliament  Avas  opened  at  Ottawa,  and  in  a  speech 
from  the  throne  Lord  Dufferin  announced  the  collapse  of  the 
Pacific  Railway  Company.  Then  followed  that  memorable 
battle  on  the  floor  of  the  Dominion  Commons,  in  whicli  Sir  John 
A.  Macdonald  took  the  leading  jiart  in  defence  of  the  govern- 
ment ;  but  on  the  7th  of  Kovcmbcr  it  was  all  over,  and  a  new 
cabinet,  under  the  able  leadership  of  Hon.  Alex.  Mackenzie, 
was  announced.     Sir  John  had  fallen. 

11.  Prince  Edward  Island,  as  already  observed,  came  into 
the  union  in  this  year,  with  a  population  of  over  one  hundred 
thousand.  For  some  time  the  inhaliitants  of  the  island  had 
been  unwilling  to  join  the  confederation  ;  but  serious  financial 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


563 


difficulties  arose,  and  tlic  i)ul)lic  mind  turned  towards  Ottawa 
for  relief,  and  relief  was  found  there.  In  addition  to  the  l)eneHts 
vouchsafed  to  the  island  on  entering  the  Dominion  it  was  i)ro- 
vided  that  the  railroad  of  two  hundred  miles  in  length,  Avhich 
the  local  government  had  undertaken  to  construct,  at  a  cost  of 
three  million  five  hundred  thousand  dollars,  should  become  the 
property  of  the  Dominion  ;  and  further  advantage  was  conferred 
in  the  form  of  aid  to  steamboat  and  telegraphic  communication 
with  the  main  land. 

12.  The  lion.  Alexander  Mackenzie,  in  taking  the  reins  of 
government,  thus  addressed  his  constituents  in  reference  to  tho 
great  railway  ditKculty  :  "  AVe  must  meet  the  difficulty  imposed 
on  Canada  by  the  reckless  arrangements  of  the  late  government 
with  reference  to  the  Pacific 
Railway  under  which  they 
pledged  the  honor  and  re- 
sources of  this  country  to  the 
commencement  t)f  that  gigantic 
work,  in  July,  1878,  and  to  its 
completion  by  July,  1881. 
That  compact  has  already  been 
broken.  Over  a  million  has 
now  been  spent  in  surveys,  but 
no  part  of  the  lino  has  yet  been 
located,  and  the  bargain  is,  as 
we  always  said  it  was,  incapable 
of  literal  fulfilment.  With  a 
view  to  obtain  a  speedy  means 
of  communication  across  the 
continent,  and  to  facilitate  the 
construction  of  the  railway  it- 
self, it  will  bo  our  policy  to 
utilize  the  enormous  stretches  of  magnificent  water  communica- 
tion Avhieh  lie  between  apohit  not  far  from  the  Rocky  ^Mountains 
and  Fort  Garry,  and  between  Lake  Superior  and  French  river 
on  tho  Georgian  Bay,  thus  avoiding,  for  the  present,  the  con- 
struction of  about  one  thousand  three  hundred  miles  of  railway, 
estimated  to  cost  from  sixty  niiUlon  to  eighty  million  dollars." 
The  now  ministry  started  out  with  the  cry  of  retrenchment,  and 
well  have  they,  with  one  or  two  important  exceptions,  carried 
out  the  polic3^  The  ministry  of  Mr.  Mcckenzie  has  thus  far 
wisely  administered  tho  government. 


^f 


5   t't 


1 


1  ' 
'  I 

.  f  ' 


b    1 


1      I 


.>f 


504 


UlSTOUY    OF    DOMINION    OF    CANADA, 


(CHAPTER   XLIII. 


TIIK  DOMINION  OF  CANADA  — Ccon^mwed). 


CANADA      AT      THE 


■CENTENNIAL      — THE     UAL'FAX     FISHEBV     COMMISSION  —  THE 
AWARD ST.    JOHN    FIRE,    ETC. 


1.  The  administration  of  Lord  DufTcrin  wa8  made  brilliant 
by  tbc  splendid  display  of  (.^inadian  exhibits  at  the  Philadelphia 
Centennial  Exposition  in  187(5,  and  through  this  method  the 
Dominion  of  Canada  was  advantageously  presented,  through  the 
achievements  of  her  industries,  to  the  nations  of  the  world. 
Canada  made  a  very  large  and  comprehensive  exhibit.  Among 
the  prominent  classes  of  products  shown  were  cotton  and  woollen 
clothfc,  hosiery,  hardware,  earthenware,  marbles,  and  made-up 
garments.  The  models  of  ships  and  specimens  of  ores,  petro- 
leum, plumbago,  and  building- 
stones,  were  also  exhibited. 
The  display  of  lirs  was  promi- 
nent and  fine  ;  the  exhibit  of 
agricultural  products  and  ma- 
chinery, snow-ph  ws,  and  other 
novelties. 

2.  The  administration  of 
Lord  Dufferin  is  also*  distin- 
guished by  the  decision  of  the 
Halifax  Fishery  Commission, by 
which  the  sum  of  five  million  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  in 
gold,  was  awarded  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  queen.  Mr. 
C.  H.  Mackintosh,  the  able 
editor  of  the  "  Canadian  Par- 
liamentary Companion,"  fitly 
remarks  that  "  when  the  Halifax  Fishery  Commission  concluded 
its  labors  and  rendered  its  award,  on  the  23d  Nov.,  1877,  one 
of  the  great  modern  international  treaties  became  historical. 
The  Treaty  of  Washington,  o!"  1 87 1 ,  dealt  with  interests  fargreater 
and  in  a  manner  far  more  conformable  to  the  higher  principles  of 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


565 


the  law  of  nations  than  its  almost  trivial  discussion  in  tho  j-ress 
of  England  and  Canada  would  lead  an  impartial  inquirer  to  sup- 
pose. Now  that  it  is  a  ^Mn'tion  of  a  chapter  of  history,  the 
treaty  will  become  at  once  more  interesting  and  important." 
By  no  means  the  least  important  "question,"  the  settlement  of 
which  was  provided  for  in  the  Treaty  of  Washington,  was  the 
vexed  (piestion  of  the  fisheries.  No  great  dispirte,  involving 
territorial  and  conniiercial  (jucstions  the  first  importance,  had 
ever  been  so  little  understood  by  the  general  public.  It  is 
equally  safe  to  say  that  with  no  great  public  question  were 
public  men  in  Canada  less  acquainted.  And  yet  the  official 
correspondence  was  of  enormous  bulk  and  of  constant  occur- 
rence ;  tho  blue  books  contained  many  summaries  of  the  merits 
of  the  dispute  ;  and  for  several  jears  one  of  the  most  imjiortant 
departments  of  the  public  service  (the  Marine  and  Fisheries) 
had  been  almost  fully  occupied  with  the  business  of  discussing, 
formulating,  and  protecting  by  armed  force  the  claims  of 
Canada  over  the  fisheries.  Perhaps  no  other  official  in  the 
public  service  has  had  a  lunger 
and  more  intinrite  acquaint- 
ance with  this  qu'  tUm  than 
Commissioner  Whitcher,  and 
certainly  none  has  taken  a 
more  earnest  and  patriotic  in- 
terest in  it  on  behalf  of  Can- 
ada. The  principal  events 
conne«ted  with  it  have  Irana- 
pired  during  the  ministry  of 
the  Hon.  P.  Mitchell  and  the 
Hon.  A.  J.  Smith,  and  of 
course  their  official  ability  and 
pow^er  have  given  force  and 
effect  to  the  policy  adopted 
and  to  all  measures  carried 
out  in  this  behalf.  Till  tho 
completion  of  the  rebellion 
of  the  colonies  by  the  recog- 
nition of  their  independence,  there  was  of  course  no  "  question  " 
at  all  with  regard  to  the  fisheries.  British  sulyccts  on  both  sides 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  all  over  the  northern  continent,  had 
perfect  freedom  of  tho  fishing-grounds.  The  New  England  fish- 
ermen were  the  most  active  in  following  the  avocation  of  fishermen , 
and  they  had  embarked  much  capital  and  engaged  many  shij)s 


j:.-'i;h; 


r>66 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


and  mon  in  the  business.  When  they  bad  renounced  their 
ullcfjianco  to  the  IJritish  crown,  of  course  they  forfeited  their 
rights  to  share  in  the  profits  of  the  British  fisheries.  This  they 
(!ouhl  not  ])0  got  to  understand,  till  it  was  brought  homo  to 
tlicni  by  armed  vessels  and  shots  across  their  bows,  by  contis- 
cation  and  condemnation  in  the  courts.  This  disagreeable 
state  of  things  preceded  the  treaty  of  1783,  in  wi-Mch  it  was 
provided  (Art.  111.), — 

It  is  agreed  that  the  people  of  the  Unitetl  States  shall  continue  to  enjoy 
unmolestt'd  the  itioiiT  to  take  lish  of  every  kind  on  the  (Irand  Bank,  and  on 
all  the  oilier  banks  of  Newfoundland;  also  on  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence; 
and  at  all  other  jilaces  in  the  sea,  where  the  inhabitants  of  both  countries 
used  at  any  time  heretoforo  to  fish.  And  also  that  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Unitf'd  States  shall  havo  lujeuty  to  take  fish  oi  every  kind  on  such  ports  of 
the  coast  of  Newl'oundland  as  British  lishermen  shall  use  (but  not  to  dry 
or  cure  the  same  on  tliut  island),  and  also  on  the  coasts,  bays  and  creeks, 
of  all  other  of  His  BHtan.iic  Majesty's  Dominions  in  America;  and  tiiat  the 
American  tishernicn  shall  have  liberty  to  dry  and  cure  lish  in  any  of  the  im- 
settled  baj's,  harbors,  and  creeks  of  Nova  Scotia,  IVIagdalen  islands  and 
Labrador,  so  long  as  tiie  same  shall  remain  unsettled,  but  so  soon  as  the 
same  or  either  of  them  shall  be  settled,  it  shall  not  bo  lawful  for  the  said 
fishermen  to  dry  or  cure  fish  at  such  settlement,  without  a  previous  agree- 
ment for  that  purpose  with  tlie  inhabitants,  proprietors  or  possessors  of  the 
gpround. 

32.  The  language  of  the  treaty  was  guarded.*  It  gave  a 
"  right "  to  fish  on  the  banks  and  in  the  sea.  It  conceded  a 
"  liberty  "  to  fish  on  the  shores  and  in  the  territorial  waters. 
The  difi'ereuce  hetween  these  two  concessions  will  plainly  be 
seen  when  we  come  to  consider  the  next  point  in  dispute. 
This  arose  out  of  the  war  of  1812.  When  this  Avar  had  ended, 
the  British  and  colonial  authorities  claimed  that  the  war  had 
put  an  end  to  the  "liberty"  given  to  the  American  fishermen 
in  the  treaty  of  1783.  The  Treaty  of  Peace  (1814)  contained 
no  mention  of  the  fishery  question.  The  British  and  colonial 
authorities  proceeded  to  act  on  this  view,  that  the  "  liberty  "  of 
1783  had  been  abrogated  by  the  war  of  1812.  The  Americans 
claimed  that  the  "  liberty  "  thus  conceded  was  as  much  an  irre- 
movable gift  as  the  concession  or  recognition  of  independence, 
and  was  not  therefore  abrogated  by  war.  But  the  British  view 
was  maintained  with  strictness.  It  is  supported  by  the  strongest 
legal  authority  (see  Wheaton,  page  403;  Kent,  vol.  1,  page 
178  ;  Upton's  " Maritime  Warfare," page  IG  ;  Woolsey's  "Inter- 
national Law,"  page  257,  and  other  authorities  to  which  these 


r( 


'  Mackintosh's  Canadian  Parliamentary  Companion. 


Ian 
Th( 
par 
Fis 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


507 


refer).  Thiiigrs  could  not  remain  long^  in  tliia  condition. 
Twenty  United  Sts.tes  vessels  had  boon  seized  for  trespassing 
on  the  territorial  Avatcrs.  And  in  1818  a  convention  was  held, 
at  which  the  following  article  was  signed  :  — 

AuTiCLE  I.  —  Whoreas  differences  have  arisen  respecting  tho  liberty 
claimetl  by  tho  United  States  lor  tho  inhabitants  thereof  to  take,  dry,  and 
cure  fish  on  certain  coasts,  bays,  harbors  and  creeks  of  ilis  IJritannic 
Majesty's  Dominions  in  America;  it  is  agreed  Ijctween  tiie  high  contracting 
parties  that  the  inhabitants  of  tho  said  United  States  shall  have  forever  in 
ccnnmon  witli  tho  subjects  of  His  Britannic  Alajesty,  tho  liberty  to  take  fish 
of  every  kind  on  that  i)art  of  the  southern  coast  of  Newfoundland  which 
extends  from  Cajx!  Hay  to  the  UanuMU  Lslands,  on  tho  w(!stcrn  and  northern 
coast  of  iNcwfouiidlaiid,  from  the  said  Cape  JJay  to  the  'li!ir|)(»n  Islands,  on 
tho  shores  of  the  Mag'.alen  Islands,  and  also  on  the  coasts,  L  ys,  hari)ors,  and 
creeks  from  Alonnt  Joly,  on  tlic  southern  coast  of  Labrador,  to  and  through 
the  Straits  of  IJclleisle;  and  thence  ncu'thwardly  indefinitely  along  tlio 
coast,  witliout  prejudice,  however,  to  any  of  tho  exclusive  lights  of  the 
Hudson  15ay  (JomjKiny;  and  that  tlie  American  fishermen  shall  also  have 
liberty  forever  to  dry  and  cure  (ish  in  any  of  tho  unsettled  bays,  harbors, 
and  creeks  of  the  southern  j)art  of  (ho  coast  of  Newfoundland  hero  above- 
described,  and  of  the  coast  of  i^abrador;  but  so  soon  as  the  same  or  any 
portion  thereof  shall  be  settled  it  shall  not  bo  lawful  for  the  said  fishermen 
to  dry  or  cure  fish  at  such  portions  so  settled  without  previous  agreement 
for  such  pur])oses  with  the  inhabitants,  proprietors  or  possessors  of  tho 
ground.  And  tho  United  States  .'lereby  itKNOt  nce  foickvku  any  liberty 
heretofore  enjoyed  or  claimed  by  the  inhabitants  thereof,  to  take,  dry,  or 
euro  fish  on  or  within  three  marine  miles  of  any  of  tiie  coasts,  bays,  creeks 
or  harbors  of  His  Britannic  Majesty's  Dominions  in  America,  not  included 
in  tho  above-mentioned  limits  ;  provided,  howtner,  tliat  tho  Ameiican  fisher- 
men shall  be  admitted  to  enter  such  bays  or  harbors  for  tho  purpose  of 
shelter  and  of  repairing  damag(!S  therein,  of  purchasing  wood  and  of  obtain- 
ing water,  and  for  no  other  purpose  whatever  ;  but  they  shall  bo  under  such 
restrictions  as  may  bo  necessary  to  prevent  their  taking,  drying,  or  curing 
fish  ther(!in,  or  in  any  other  manner  whatever  abusing  tlio  privileges  hereby 
reserved  to  them. 

4.  The  language  of  this  treaty,  specific  as  it  was,  did  not 
settle  the  question.  Tho  Americans  proceeded  to  interpret  it 
their  own  way.  1st.  Thus  having  specially  renounced  the 
liberty  of  taking  or  curing  fish  Avithiu  three  miles  of  the  British 
coasts,  bays,  creeks,  or  harbors,  they  proceeded  to  interpret 
that  to  mean  three  miles  from  the  shore  line  throughout  all 
its  sinuosities,  and  not  as,  according  to  the  well-defined  law 
of  nations,  three  miles  from  a  line  drawn  from  headland  to 
headland.  The  dispute  over  this  point  is  called  the  "  Head- 
land Question."  The  merits  of  it  need  not  be  set  down  here. 
Tho  case  is  fully  set  out  in  the  Annual  lieport  of  the  De- 
partment of  Marine  and  Fisheries,  1871  ;  in  a  "Report  on  the 
Fishery  Articles  of  Treaties  between  Great  Britain  and  the 


l|.K  ! 


m 

'  -I  ,  •''9=1 

111  ■!:  :|  il 

(ft  ' 


5C8 


IIISTOIIY   OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


United  Stiitos  of  America,"  hy  Mr.  W.  F.  Whitchcr,  Commis- 
sioner of  Fi-shorics,  Ottuwu  ;  luul  in  the  elaboriito  speech  of  tho 
Hon.  Peter  Mitchell,  in  the  House  of  Commons,  in  tho  session  of 
1875. 

5.  2cl.^  Having  renounced  the  liberty  of  entering  such  bays 
or  harbors,  except  for  tho  purpose  of  shelter  and  of  repairing 
damages,  of  purchasing  Avood  and  of  obtaining  water,  "and  for 

no  other  jiurposo   whatever," 


tho  Americans  proceeded  to 
enter  such  bays  and  harbors  for 
such  i)urposes  as  wero  never 
contemplated  ;  and  between 
1818  and  1854  their  vessels 
wero  seized :  1st,  for  iishing 
within  tho  prescribed  limits  ; 
2d,  for  anchoring  within  tho 
limits,  having  on  board  sutfi- 
cient  supplies  of  wood  and 
Avater ;  3d,  for  packing  and 
cleaning  fish  within  tho  limits  : 
4th,  for  purchasing  bait  and  pre- 
paring to  fish  within  tho  limits  ; 
5th,  for  selling  "goods"  and 
l)urchasing  supplies  ;  fith,  for 
landing  and  transshipping  car- 
goes. All  these  acts  wero  pro- 
nounced illegal  l)y  our  own  courts,  and  wero  said  in  tlic  "  Amer- 
ican Law  llcviow"  to  ho  "plainly  inilawful."  Tho  Treaty  of 
Reciprocity,  in  1854,  put  an  end  temporarily  to  all  these  dis- 
putes. But  at  tho  close  of  the  treaty,  in  18(50,  they  of  course 
wero  reopened.  On  tho  20th  of  February,  180(5,  tho  governor- 
general  formally  announced  to  tho  Americans  that  their  privi- 
leges had  ceased.  Tho  Americans  i)rotestcd,  of  course,  and, 
equally,  of  course,  continued  to  poach  on  our  waters.  Yield- 
ing to  tho  W'ishes  of  tho  imperial  government,  tho  minister  of 
marine  and  fisheries  (Hon.  Peter  Mitchell)  tried  from  1800  to 
1809  a  system  of  licenses.  In  1800  there  wero  four  hundred 
and  fifty-four  licenses  issued.  In  1809  only  twonty-fivo  wero 
taken  out.  This  was  clearly  not  a  satisfactory  arrangement ; 
and  in  1870  tho  minister  of  marine  and  fisheries  organized  a 
police  for  tho  protection  of  tho  fisheries.     Its  operations  wore 


»  Mackintosh's  Canudiau  Parliamentary  Companion. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


5G9 


very  much  complicated  by  the  oxi8tini<^  dispute  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States  concerninj^  the  headland  question. 
It  was  extremely  difficult  to  enforce  exclusion  lV'>tn  undefined 
limits.  Canada,  therefore,  ur^^ed  a  settlement  of  the  disputed 
interpretation  of  the  treaty  of  1818  in  res})ect  of  exclusive  bays. 
In  1800  the  Anjerican  minister  at  London  had  snfrgest'  d  a 
mixed  connnission,  to  settle  the  controversy.  Canada  too\  up 
this  sug<^estion,  and  the  Hon.  Mr.  Cameron  Avas  sent  as  a  dele- 
gate to  England  to  impress  on  the  British  Government  the  ne- 
cessity of  removing  this  cause  of  difficulty,  and  to  adopt  more 
effectual  measures  ;  also  to  secure  more  active  imperial  cooper- 
ation. Mr.  Cameron's  mission  resulted  in  the  opening  nego- 
tiations for  an  international  commission.  These  negotiations 
resulted,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  United  States,  in  a  joint  high 
commission,  to  include  the  Alabama  claims  and  the  fcan  Juan 
boundary  qu(!stion  ;  the  upshot  of  which  was  the  Washington 
Treaty  of  1871.  That  treaty  contained,  among  others,  the  fol- 
lowing provisions  :  — 

AnTicLK  XXII.  —  Inasmuch  as  it  is  assorted  by  the  Govcnimi'iit  of  Ilcr 
Britannic  Majesty,  tliut  the  priviloges  accorded  to  the  citizens  of  the  United 
States  under  Article  XVIII.  of  tliis  treaty  arc  of  graater  value  Mian  those 
accorded  by  Artich.-s  XIX.  and  XXI.  of  this  treaty  to  the  subjects  of  Her 
Britannic  Majesty,  and  tJiis  assertion 
is  not  admitted  by  the  (Jovernmentof 
the  United  States,  it  is  furtlier  agreed 
that  commissioners  sluiU  be  ap- 
pointed to  determine,  having  re- 
gard to  the  privileges  accorded  by 
the  United  States  to  the  subjects  of 
lier  Britannio  Majesty,  as  stated  in 
Articles  XIX.  alid  XXI.  of  this 
treaty,  the  amount  of  any  c()mi)en- 
.satiouAvhich,  in  their  opinion,  ought 
to  be])aid  by  the  (iovernmentof  the 
United  States  to  the  Government  of 
Her  Britannic  INIajesty,  in  return  for 
the  privileges  accorded  to  the  citi- 
zens of  the  United  States  under 
Article  XVIII.  of  this  treaty ;  and 
that  any  sum  of  money  which  the 
said  commissioners  may  so  award 
shall  bo  paid  by  the  United  States 
Government,  in  a  gross  sum,  within 
twelve  months  alter  such  award 
shall  have  been  given. 

Article  XXII.  —  The  commis- 
sioners referred  to  in  the  preceding  articles  shall  be  appointed  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner,  that  is  to  say :  One  commissioner  shall  be  named  by  her 
Britannic  Majesty,  one  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  a  "third 


570 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


by  Iler  Britann'c  Majesty  and  tlio  President  of  the  United  States  con- 
jointly ;  and  in  case  the  third  commissioner  shall  not  have  been  so  named 
within  a  ])eriod  of  three  months  from  the  date  when  this  article  shall  take 
cft'ect,  then  the  third  commisslonor  shall  be  named  by  the  representative  at 
London  of  His  Mtyesty  the  Emperor  of  Austria  and  Kin^  of  J 1  angary.  In 
case  of  the  death,  absence,  or  incapacity  of  any  comnnssioncr,  oi-  m  the 
event  of  any  commissioner  omitting  or  ceasing  to  act,  the  vac  incy  shall  be 
lillei!  ill  the  manner  hereinbefore  provided  for  making  the  original  appoint- 
ment, the  period  of  three  months  in  the  case  of  such  substitution  being 
calculated  from  the  date  of  the  happening  of  the  vacancy. 

'J'he  commissioners  so  named  shall  meet  in  the  city  of  Halifax,  in  the 
r.ovince  of  Nova  Scotia,  at  .be  earliest  convenient  period  after  they  have 
been  respectively  named,  and  sliall,  before  proceeding  to  any  business, 
make  and  subscribe  a  solemn  declaration  that  they  will  imjiartially  and 
carefully  examine  and  decide  the  niiitters  referred  to  them  to  the  best  of 
their  judgment,  and  according  to  justice  and  equity;  and  such  declaration 
shall  be  entered  in  the  record  of  their  proceedings. 

Each  of  the  high  contracting  parties  shall  also  name  one  person  to  at- 
tend the  conimis.sion  as  its  agent,  to  represer.t  it  generally  in  all  matters 
connected  Avith  the  commission. 


6.     Owing  to  various  cau^ies,  which  need  not  be  referred  to 
here,  the  commission  thus  jsrovided  for  did  not  meet  till  June, 

1877.  It  consisted  of  the  fol- 
lowing persons :  For  Great 
Britain :  —  Sir  Alexander  T. 
Gait,  K.C.M.G.,  Commission- 
er; Francis  Flare  Lord,  Esq., 
Agent;  II.  G.  Bergne,  Esq., 
Assistant.  For  the  United 
States: —  Hon.  Ensign  H. 
Kellogg,  Comniissloner  ;  Hon. 


D.  Foster,  Agent.  Neutral 
Conimi.ssioner :  — His  Excel- 
lency Maurice  Delfosse,  Bel- 
gian INIinistcr  to  Washington. 
Canadian .  Coiinnel :  —  Joseph 
Doutre,  Esq. ,  Q.C. ,  Montreal ; 
S.  II.  Thompson,  Esq.,  Q.C, 
St.  John  ;  K.  L.  Weatherbee, 
Eiq.,  Halifax;  L.  II.  Davies, 
Esq..  M.P.P.,  Charlottotown.  The  proceedings  were  opened 
at  Halifax  in  Jinie,  ?877  ;  l)ut  were  kept  as  private  as  possible. 
The  Briti.ih  case  was  first  presented.  Then  the  ximericRii 
answer  Avas  handed  in  after  a  due  delay,  accompanied  by  a 
brief  on  the  headland  question.  Then  the  British  counter- 
reply  was  presented,  also  accompanied  by  a  brief  in  aub .,  er, 


^-^ 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


571 


mEintaiiiing  tho  British  and  Canadian  view  of  the  headlrnd 
question.  These  closed  tho  documentary  position  of  the  pro- 
ceedings. For  montlis  afterj  oral  evidence  was  taken  from 
a  great  number  of  witnesses,  and  documentary  testimony 
filed  on  both  sides.  Every  facility  was  afforded  the  Ameri- 
cans. The  days  when  every  foreigner  was  hostis,  an  enemy, 
have  gone  away  forever,  and  so  official  documents  were 
open  to  Americans,  and  Canadians  freely  testified  orally  and 
in  writing  on  their  behalf;  they  had  the  advice  of  Canadian 
counsel,  the  use  of  the  provincial  library  at  Halifax,  the  priv- 
ilege of  calling  any  witnesses  they  pleased,  and  every  possible 
aid  they  could  have  wished  for  in  their  labors.  Their  personal 
and  professional  iissociations  with  the  other  side  were  of  the 
most  hospitable  kind,  and  tho  social  attentions  they  enjoyed 
were  spontaneous  and  acceptable.  No  public  or  private  influ- 
ence and  not  a  tinge  of  prejudice  existed  anywhere  to  interfere 
with  their  perfect  freedom.  This  unstinted  hospitality  has  had 
its  good  ettects  already,  and  will,  perhaps,  have  more  enduring 
efiects  in  due  time.  The  British  case,  drafted  by  Mr,  Whit- 
cher  and  Mr.  Ford,  set  out,  with  all  necessary  fulness  of  detail, 
all  the  particulars  of  the  claims  for  compensation  ;  the  inmiense 
value  to  tho  Americans  of  the  p:  ivileges  of  fishing  in  the  terri- 
torial Avaters  of  Canada;  the  value  of  the  privileges  of  i)urchas- 
ing  '>ait,  landing  and  transshippijig  cargoes,  hiring  men,  I)uying 
supplies  and  so  on,  which  were  supposed  to  be  incidental  and 
even  essential  to  the  full  enjo3^ment  of  the  treaty;  tho  great 
efforts  Canada  had  made  to  improve  the  river  fisheries,  and 
which  added  very  greatly  to  the  value  of  the  shore  fisheries  ; 
tho  small  value  of  the  American  fisheries  to  the  Canadian  fish- 
ermen ;  the  limited  benefit  of  the  fine  market  for  li.sh  in  the 
United  States,  and  which  resulted  in  givnig  the  Americans 
cheaper  fish,  and  was  of  no  very  essential  or  great  J)enofit  to  the 
Canadian  producer ;  and  so  on  through  all  the  Canadian  courts 
of  iho  claim  for  compensation. 

7.  Tlio  American  answer'  was  a  formidable  document  and 
very  able.  It  claimed  that  nothing  availed  for  compensation  to 
Great  Britain  {i.e.,  Canada)  except  the  concessions  made  under 
Article  XVIII  of  the  Treaty ;  and  these  were  ;  1.  Tho  privileges 


of  the  shore  fisheries  ;  and,  2.  Tho  extended  privileges  of  hmd- 
ing  to  dry  and  cure  fish.  It  also  claimed  that  the  connnissioi; 
had  no  power  to  decide  questions  of  international  law.     It  set 


Mackintosh's  Parliamcntaiy  Companion. 


572 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


out  also  the  grccat  extent  of  the  privileges  practically  enjoyed 
by  the  American  fishermen  previous  to  the  treaty;  the  evident 
desire  of  the  British  government,  as  evinced  by  well-known 
despatches  and  telegrams,  to  prevent  .1  too  rigid  enforcement 
of  abstract  claims  on  the  part  gf  Canada ;  and  also  that  the 
free  market  for  fish  granted  in  the  United  States  was  a  set-ojQT 
for  any  compensation  that  might  be  demanded.  It  also  set 
forth  that,  as  no  right  of  traffic  teas  granted  hy  the  treaty,  no 
compensation,  therefore,  could  be  demanded  ;  and  that  the  laws 
of  the  Dominion  and  the  provinces  prohibiting  such  trj'.ffic  were 
still  unrepealed.  These  statements  were  ably  met  in  the  Brit- 
ish reply.  Two  of  the  points  thus  raised  by  the  American 
counsel  have  been  sustained,  one  by  a  unanimous  decision  of 
the  commissioners,  the  other  by  no  decision  at  all  being  given 
or  required.  The  right  to  claim  compensation  for  traflSc  was 
decided  against  by  the  commission  as  not  being  granted  by 
the  treaty.  The  licadland  question  was  ignored  on  the  ground 
set  forth  by  the  American  counsel,  namely,  that  the  commis- 
sioners could  not  decide  questions  of  international  law,  and 
"must  approach  the  settlement  of  the  question  on  a  comprehen- 
sive basis."     Thus,  Canada  has  left  for  future   assertion  and 

settlement  two  of  her  most 
valuable  claims  :  (1)  the  right 
to  regulate  the  trafiic  of  Amer- 
ican fishermen  in  bait  and 
supplies  ;  and  (2)  the  right  to 
prohibit,  at  the  expiration  of 
the  treaty,  all  fishing  within 
the  headland  line.  It  is  tm- 
derstood  that  Great  Britain 
will  support  both  of  these 
claims  to  the  fullest  extent 
at  the  proper  time.  Both  of 
these  questions  being  ruled 
out,  the  claim  for  compensa- 
tion became  practically  nar- 
rowed down  to  the  points  set 
forth  as  above  in  the  Ameri- 
can answer ;  and,  whereas, 
fourteen  million  eight  hun- 
dred and  eighty  thousand  dollars  might  have  been  no  exagger- 
ated demand  for  the  fuller  claims,  five  million  five  hundred 
thousand  dollars  was  generally  accepted  as  a  fair  estimate  for 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


573 


the  narrower  basis  on  which  the  commissioners  fomided  their 
decision.  The  text  of  the  award,  as  published  in  the  papers, 
is  as  follows  :  — 

The  undersigned,  commissioners  appointed  under  Articles  XXII.  and 
XXIII.  of  the  Treaty  of  Washington,  of  tiie  18th  of  May,  1871,— 

Do  Determine,  having  regard  to  the  privileges  accordod  by  the  United 
States  to  the  subjects  of  Her  Britannic  Majesty,  as  stated  in  Articles  XIX. 
and  XXI.  of  said  treaty,  the  amount  of  any  compensation  which  in  their 
opinion  ought  to  be  paid  by  the  government  of  the  United  States  to  the 
government  of  Her  Britannic  Majesty  in  i-eturn  foF  the  privileges  accorded 
to  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  under  Article  XVIII.  of  the  said  treaty, 
having  carefully  and  impartially  examined  the  matters  referred  to  them, 
according  to  justice  and  equity,  in  conlormity  with  the  solemn  declaration 
made  and  subscribed  by  them  on  the  IStii  day  of  June,  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  seventy-seven,  do  award  the  sum  of  five  millions  five  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars  in  gold,  to  be  paid  by  the  government  of  the  United 
States  to  the  government  of  Her  Britannic  Majesty,  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  the  said  Treaty. 

Signed  at  Halifax  this  23d  day  of  November,  one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  seventy-seven. 

MAURICE  DELFOSSE. 
A.  T.   GALT. 

8.  The  dissent  of  Senator  Kellogg,  on  behalf  of  the  United 
States,  was  expressed  as  follows  :  — 

The  United  States  commissioner  is  of  opinion  that  the  advantages 
accruing  to  Great  Britain  under  the  Treaty  of  Washington  ar3  greater  than 
the  advantages  conferred  upon  the  Uaited  States  by  said  treaty,  and  he 
cannot,  therefore,  concur  in  the  conclusions  announced  by  his  colleagues  ; 
and  the  American  commissioner  deems  it  his  duty  to  state  further  that  it  is 
questionable  whether  it  is  competent  for  t*^e  the  board  to  make  an  award 
under  the  treaty,  except  with  unanimous  consent  of  its  members. 

[Signed],  E.  H.  KELLOGG. 


I*! 


'■if,!'  '"• 


9.     And  Hon.  D wight  Foster,  agent  of  the  United  States, 
made  the  following  statement :  — 

I  have  no  instructions  from  the  government  of  the  United  States  as  to 
the  course  to  be  pursued  in  the  contingency  of  such  a  result  as  has  just 
been  announced,  but  if  I  were  to  accept  in  silence  the  paper  signed  by  two 
commissioners  it  might  be  claimed  hereafter  fhat  as  agent  of  the  United 
States  I  have  acquiesced  in  treating  it  as  a  valid  award.  Against  such  an 
inference  it  seems  my  duty  to  guard.  I  therefore  make  this  statement, 
winch  I  desire  to  have  placed  upon  record. 


This  completes  the  history  of  this  case  so  far  as  it  has  gone  at 
the  time  of  sending  this  volume  to  press.  The  general  opinion  of 
the  United  States,  with  some  important  exceptions,  is  favorable 


574 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


to  the  paym,"nt  of  the  claim,  and  against  the  propriety  of  taking 
advantage  of  any  technicality  in  regard  to  the  unanimity  of  the 
decision.  The  English  press  has  taken  the  view  that  the  United 
States  will  honorably  satisfy  the  award.  The  Canadian  press 
has  taken  the  same  position.  And  the  mcre\y  pro  fonna  temper 
of  the  protests  of  the  United  States  commissioner  and  agent 
leads  to  the  belief  that  no  serious  effort  will  be  made  to  resist 
the  decision  of  the  majority.  But,  in  any  case,  the  connnission 
has  had  most  valuable  results.  It  has  brought  together  in  one 
mass  of  available  information  all  that  has  been  or  can  be  said 
on  this  great  international  subject.  It  has  taught  the  public 
of  Canada  the  value  of  the  fisheries.  It  has  taught  the  English 
government  and  people  the  same  lesson.  It  has  justified  all 
the  efforts  that  were  made  from  18G6  to  1870  to  protect  the 
fishery  grounds  from  the  encroachments  of  the  United  States 
fishermen.  And  it  leaves  Canada  in  a  tenfold  stronger  and 
more  tenable  position  in  any  future  negotiations  or  disputes 
regarding  the  subjects  discussed  and  decided  in  the  commission. 
The  most  peculiar  feature  is  the  evidence  aflbrded  to  Great 
Britain  that  Canada  can  uphold  her  interests  with  moderation 
and  success,  to  the  common  benefit  of  imperial  and  colonial 
diplomacy.  It  may  also  be  seen  by  the  United  States  that, 
notwithstanding  a  prevalent  belief  much  commented  upon  in 
these  proceedings.  Great  Britain  does  value  Canadian  fishery 


rights,  and  is  resolved  to  maintain  them.  Sir  Alexander  Gait 
bears  testimony  to  the  "  fidelity  and  ablhty  "  of  the  Canadians 
connected  with  this  important  inquiry.  Mr.  A.  J.  Smith,  the 
minister  of  marine  and  fisheries,  was  present  throughout  in  an 
advisory  capacity,  and  manifested  great  interest  in  the  progress 
of  the  suit.  His  assistance  and  advice  are  said  to  have  been 
most  valuable. 

10.  Lord  Dufferin  has  now  served  out  his  allotted  term  of 
five  years,  with  great  acceiDtance  to  both  the  people  and  gov- 
ernment of  the  Dominion,  and  the  imperial  authorities.  His 
administration  was  clouded  for  a  moment  by  the  political  crisis 
in  which  the  great  conservative  leader,  Sir  John  A.  Macdonald, 
and  his  ministry  were  overthrown  ;  but  for  a  moment  only,  for 
the  despatches  from  the  colonial  secretary's  office  in  London, 
complimenting  the  earl  on  his  able  management  of  the  turbulent 
elements,  were  not  more  complimentary  than  was  the  every- 
where expressed  satisfaction  of  the  people  of  the  Dominion,  of " 
all  political  parties.  The  Earl  of  Dufferiu  is  a  nobleman  in 
more  than  one  sense.     He  has  a  noble  rank, — a  peer  of  the 


Kh 
Lyi 
Bui 
Aca 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


575 


realm,  —  but  hid  nobility  of  head  and  heart  exceeds  any 
titles  which  royalty  can  bestow.  He  is  a  scholar  of  no 
ordinary  ability,  an  author  of  some  fame,  and  a  man  of  unim- 
poachal)lc  private  character. 
Ho  will  return  to  her  whom 
he  has  so  nobly  represented 
(the  queen),  and  to  his  coun- 
try (Ireland),  with  the  most 
proQ)und  regard  of  every  Ca- 
nadian. He  has  won  the  ad- 
miration and  respect  of  the 
American  people,  and  will 
long  be  remembered  through- 
out the  continent  of  North 
America  as  the  most  accept- 
able governor-general  ever 
sent  to  j^uide  the  affairs  of  the 
British  Ani(>rican  provinces. 
His  noble  wife,  the  Countess 
of  Duflerin,  has  exalted  the 
vice-regal  court  of  the  Do- 
minion by  her  beauty,  her 
brilliancy,  and  her  deeds  of  public  and  private  charity. 

12.  The  destruction  of  a  large  portion  of  the  city  of  Saint 
John,  X.B.,  by  tire,  on  the  20th  of  June,  1877,  cast  a  gloom 
over  the  whole  Dominion,  and  sent  consternation  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  United  States.  The  public 
buildings  destroyed  were  the  Post  Office,  Bank  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, City  Building,  Custom  House  ;  Maritime  Bank  Building, 
in  which  are  the  bank,  that  of  Montreal  and  Nova  Scotia,  office 
school  trustees,  etc.  ;  Bank  of  Nova  Scotia  Building ;  Academy 
of  Music,  in  Avhich  was  the  Knights  of  Pythias  Hall ;  Victoria 
Hotel ;  Odd  Fellows'  Hall ;  No.  1  Engine-house  ;  Orange  Hall, 
King  street ;  Temperance  Hall,  King  street,  east ;  Dramatic 
Lyceum  ;  Victoria  School-house  ;  Temple  of  Honor,  Wiggin's 
Building;  Barnes  Hotel ;  the  Royal  Hotel;  Saint  John  Hotel ; 
Acadia  Hotel ;  the  Brunswick  House  ;  Bay  View  Hotel ;  Inter- 
national Hotel ;  Wiggin's  Orphan  Asylum.  The  churches 
burnt  are  Ti'inity ;  Saint  Andrew's  Church,  Germain  street ; 
Methodist,  Germain  street ;  Baptist  Church,  Germain  street ; 
Christian  Church,  Duke  street ;  Saint  James  Church  ;  Leinster- 
sti'eet  Baptist ;  the  Centenary ;  Caiiiarhen-street  Mission 
(Methodist)  ;  Saint  David's  Church ;   Reformed  Presbyterian 


B  !ii 


''§ir^  M' 


i  i 


576 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


Church ;  Sheffield-street  Mission  House.  Money,  provisions, 
clothing,  etc.,  were  sent  from  all  parts  of  the  Dominion,  and 
the  people  of  the  United   States,   who   had  been  taught  the 

lesson  of  charity  by  the  Chi- 
cago and  Boston  tires,  sent 
freely  of  their  means.  But 
Saint  John  is  rising  from  her 
ashes,  and  will  soon  be  more 
magnificent  than  before. 

13.  I  regret  the  want  of 
space  in  this  volume  to  give 
my  readers  a  description  of 
the  public  works  in  the  Do- 
minion, especially  of  the  grand 
Intercolonial  line  of  railroad, 
stretching  from  Halifax  to 
Quebec,  which  has  for  some 
time  been  in  successful  op- 
eration ;  but  I  must  refer  all 
to  the  second  volume  of  my 
larger  work,  for  an  extensive 
account  of  these  things,  as 
also  for  fuller  sketches  of  the  civil  government,  militia  system, 
laws  and  courts,  principal  cities,  etc.  Leaving  the  Dominion 
of  Canada,  with  having  thus  imperfectly  traced  the  general 
features  of  its  history,  let  us  now  turn  to  glance  at  conteuipo- 
rary  events  in  the  United  States,  and  then  direct  our  attention 
to  England,  and  thence  to  an  account  of  the  late  Turko-Russian 
war,  with  which  it  is  intended  to  close  this  volume. 


*  ♦  ♦■ 


CHAPTER   XLIV. 

THE  UNITED  STATES  FROM  18G7  TO  1878. 


THE   ADMINISTRATION   OF   GENERAL   t'.    8.    GRANT  —  INAtJOCRATION   OF    HAYES. 

1 .  Lincoln  had  fallen  by  the  assassin,  and  the  vice-president, 
Johnson,  had  taken  his  place.  The  new  president  had  no 
claims  upon  the  republic,  except  that  he,  being  a  life-long 
Democrat,  had  remained  faithful  to  the  Union,  and  it  was  not 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


577 


long  before  his  imperious  disposition  had  antagonized  most  of 
the  Ke|)ul)hcan  leaders.  Two  men  more  completely  unlike 
than  Johnson  and  his  great  predecessor  could  hardly  bo  found. 
The  new  president  assumed  the  duties  of  his  office  within  a  few 
hours  of  the  death  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  the  work  of  the 
administration  suffered  changes,  but  no  pause.  Grant  was 
aln^ady  disbanding  the  army,  having  dismissed  the  Confederate 
soldiery  upon  their  parol.  The  terms  extended  to  Lee  and  the 
brave  men  who  had  fought  under  him  would  have  been  annulled 
by  Johnson  ;  but  Grant  came  to  the  rescue,  and  the  indictment 
for  treason  which  impended  was  reluctantly  abandoned.  The 
president  would  fain  carry  Grant's  approval  with  him  in  the 
devious  courses  which  already  promised  an  extension  of  rule, 


tower  of  strength 


as  the  name  of  the  successful  general  was  a 
all  over  the  Union.     Congress  was  eager  to  crown  him  with 
honors  ;  private  citizens,  in  their  bounty  and  munificence,  gave 
him  wealth  and  possessions  ;  he  was  the  hero  of  society. 

2.  Keconstruction  caused  a  quarrel  between  Congress  and 
the  president,  who  recognized  State  governments  in  Virginia, 
Tennessee,  iVrkansas,  and  Louisiana,  and  appointed  provisional 
officers  in  the  other  States  which  had  seceded,  claiming  that  the 
Union  never  had  been  broken,  and  that  therefore  they  had 
never  actually  lost  their  rights  by  their  abortive  secession. 
Conventions  met  in  the  States  provisionally  officered,  repu- 
diated secession  ordinances  and  the  war  debt  incurred  in  the 
South,  and  ratified  emancipation.  The  policy  of  Johnson  was 
now  to  remove  all  legal  disabilities,  proclaim  amnesty  to  seces- 
sionist oflTenders,  except  a  specified  class,  on  their  subscribing 
the  oath  of  allegiance,  and,  still  later,  full  pardons  at  sucessivo 
stages  were  given  to  all  secessionists.  Before  that  point  was 
reached,  the  thirteenth  amendment,  ratified  by  the  States, 
was  engrossed  in  the  constitution,  December  28,  1805.  The 
facility  with  which  Johnson  granted  pardons  upon  personal 
applications  was  one  cause  of  complaint  against  him. 

3.  Congress  took  issue  against  the  presidential  policy,  as  it 
was  claimed  the  power  to  readmit  belonged  to  that  body. 
Proclamations  and  orders,  while  the  land  was  at  peace,  could 
have  no  power  in  the  eyes  of  Congress,  and  bills  were  passed 
over  the  veto  providing  for  the  continuance  in  office  of  civil 
seiTants  until  the  Senate  indorsed  their  removal ;  the  protection 
of  freedmen  and  destitute  Avhites  in  the  South,  and  for  the 
security  of  the  colored  race  in  their  newly-conferred  civil 
rights.     These  acts,  covering  the  Freedmen's  Bureau,  tenure 


\l  .'5: 


\H 


srs 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


of  office,  und  civil  rights,  constituted  an  open  brench.  Ten- 
nessee Avas  restored  to  her  position,  having  accepted  ihc  four- 
teenth amendment ;  but  the  other  States,  under  Johnson's 
provisional  appointees,  refusing  acquiescence,  Avere  placed 
under  military  rule  March  2,  18G7.  Generals  in  charge  of  the 
contumacious  districts  conducted  elections  to  remodel  State 
constitutions,  and  after  much  bitterness  there  Avere  governments 
established  in  the  several  States  on  such  terms  as  satisliod  the 
demands  of  Congress.  One  State  will  serve  to  illustrate  the 
action  everywhere,  as  the  general  features  were  t^io  same,  and 
local  peculiarities  are  of  little  moment  here.  The  State  of  Arkan- 
sas, controlled  by  Union  troops  in  1864,  amended  its  constitu- 


tion and  reorganized  its  Legislature ;  but  when  the  test  was 
applied  by  Congress,  the  State,  willing  to  accept  rcadmission 
to  its  former  rights,  would  not  remove  the  disabilities  of  the 
Union  party.  Military  rule  succeeded  for  four  years,  and  in 
18G8  all  the  demands  of  Congress  having  been  conceded,  the 
State  was  readmitted  to  the  Union,  over  the  veto  of  President 
Johnson.  Alabama,  Florida,  Georgia,  Louisiana,  and  North 
and  South  Carolina,  came  in  at  the  same  time,  June  24,  18G8, 
under  similar  conditions.  Thus  stood  the  quarrel  between  the 
executive  and  legislative  branches  of  the  government  for  years, 
while  the  country  pursued  its  course,  slowly  recovering  its 
former  tone.  The  revenues  at  the  close  of  the  war,  from  rev- 
enue stamps,  taxv?s  on  incomes  and  manufactures,  duties  on 
imports,  and  other  sources,  reached  the  enormous  aggregate 
of  three  hundred  million  dollars  per  year ;  but  the  interest  on 
the  war  debt  was  one  hundred  and  thirty  million  dollars  ;  si  ill 
the  debt  had  been  reduced  by  thirty-one  million  dollars  in 
18GG,  before  the  extra  troops  had  been  entirely  disbanded. 

4.  The  removal  of  Stanton,  the  secretary  of  war,  by  the 
president,  in  August,  18G7,  was  submitted  to  under  protest  by 
Mr.  Stanton,  as  contrary  to  the  Tenure  of  Office  Act,  passed 
in  March.  Gen.  Grant  was  appointed  in  his  stead  by  the 
president,  and  Congress  gave  him  such  powers  as  subordinates 
seldom  hold,  so  complete  was  their  distrust  of  Johnson;  but 
Congress  would  not  confirm  the  removal  of  Straiten.  For 
some  time  Grant  was  able  to  pursue  his  course,  not  conflicting 
with  cither  side  ;  but  eventually,  when  it  became  necessary  to 
break  the  law  or  break  with  Johnson,  he  cast  his  lot  against 
the  president.  The  popularity  of  Grant  rose  to  a  greater 
height  than  ever.  Johnson  had  no  popularity  save  among  tho 
men  who  had  endeavored  to  break  the  Union. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNltED  STATES. 


579 


5.  Impeaching  Iho  president  was  the  linal  atroko  of  Con- 
gress, the  order  being  made  by  an  ininienHe  majority  on  the 
24th  of  February,  1808.  The  trial  commenced  on  the  2.'Jd  day 
of  March,  18G8,  and  resulted,  on  the  Kith  and  2')th  of  May, 
in  thirty-five  votes  against  the  president,  to  nineteen  in  his 
favor.  One  vote  changed  and  he  would  have  been  convicted  of 
high  crimes  and  misilemeaiiors  by  the  required  two-thirds 
majority.  The  remaindci  of  his  term  in  oflice  was  compara- 
tively peaceful,  and  after  its  expiring  he  retired  to  Tennessee, 
where,  after  two  failures  to  secure  election,  ho  Avas  sent  to  tho 
United  States  Senate  in  1875,  and  died  in  oflice,  July  31,  in 
tho  same  year. 

6.  Gen.  Sheridan  was  commissioned  to  suppress  the  Indian 
war  in  tho  south-west,  which  had  grown  to  considerable  dimen- 
sions in  18(),')-6 ;  but  the  battle  of  Wacheia  terminated  the 
struggle  in  1868,  when  Black  Kettle  and  a  large  body  of  his 
braves  were  surprised  and  slain  by  Custei's  cavalry. 

7.  Emperor  Maximilian.  Louis  Napoleon  of  France 
hoped  for  a  Confederate  success,  and  w'hile  tho  war  was  pend- 
ing he  assisted  the  imperialist  faction  in  Mexico  to  a  temporary 
ascendency,  during  which  tho  Archduke  Maximilian,  of  Austria, 
was  chosen  emperor.  The  United  States  protested  at  the  time 
against  Napoleon's  intervention;  but  while  the  civil  war  was 
pending  nothing  more  could  be  accomplished.  The  "  Monroe 
doctrine  "  came  into  operation  as  soon  as  the  war  was  ended, 
and  under  the  pressure  the  French  troops  were  recalled,  where- 
upon Maximilian  was  shot  by  the  Mexican  lil)erals.  The  con- 
duct of  Napoleon  in  receding  from  the  support  of  Maximilian 
has  been  much  blamed  ;  but  the  astute  Emperor  of  France  saw 
that  he  must  be  defeated  in  a  prolonged  contest  with  the  United 
States. 

8.  Joining  the  Nations.  Cyrus  W.  Field  conceived  the 
idea,  in  1853,  of  uniting  this  continent  to  Europe  by  an  elec- 
tric cable,  but  the  work  was  encompassed  by  so  many  difficul- 
ties that  two  cables  had  been  lost  before  1856.  Other 
attempts  were  made  in  1857  .and  in  1858,  the  British  govern- 
ment and  that  of  the  United  States  supplying  the  necessary 
ships  ;  but  the  only,  result  was  a  partial  and  temporary  success 
in  1858.  While  the  war  lasted  capital  was  not  available  to  re- 
new tho  enterprise,  but  in  1865  tho  penultimate  effort  came  so 
near  success  that  the  cable  was  spliced  and  completed  in  1866, 
after  thirteen  years'  heroic  effort.  The  triumph  for  humanity 
cannot  be  stated  in  words.     William  H.  Seward,  secretary  of 


m 


580 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


stnte,  conducted  the  purchase  of  Alaska  from  the  Russian 
government  in  18G7,  the  price  paid  for  the  peninsuUi,  three 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  long,  by  twenty-Hvo  miles  average 
breadth,  being  seven  million  two  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

1).  The  conclusion  of  the  Johnson  term  of  office  was  near 
at  hand.  lie  had  "swung  round  the  circle"  in  vain,  the  nomi- 
nation sought  by  him  from  the  Democrats  was  not  procured, 
and  the  Ivepublicans  nominated  and  elected  Gen.  Grant  by  a 
demonstrative  majority,  Schuyler  Colfax  being  elected  vice- 
president.  The  nomination  of  the  Democrats  was  given  to 
Iloratio  Seymour  and  Gen.  Frank  P.  Blair.  The  enmity  man- 
ifested by  the  late  president  had  by  no  means  impaired  the 
popularity  of  the  general,  and  his  election  was  considered 
certain  from  the  first.  His  administration  during  the  first  term 
•  was  peculiarly  propitious  for  the  nation,  as  the  strifes  Avhich 
arose  out  of  the  war  largely  ceased  after  his  inauguration,  on 
the  4th  of  March,  18()U.  The  war-debt  continued  to  bo  re- 
duced, and  the  Alabama  claims  were,  during  his  presidency, 
referred  to  the  arbitration  of  the  congress  appointed  by  both 
powers,  under  the  award  of  which  Great  Britain  paid  fifteen 
million  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  actual  losses  of  ships' 
cargoes  and  interest,  consequent  upon  that  government  having 
failed  in  due  diligence  in  regard  to  the  Alabama  and  the  Florida 
privateers.  The  rules  for  international  government  suggested 
])y  the  award  of  the  tribunal  at  Geneva  are  even  more  valuable 
than  the  sum  paid  by  England  in  pursuance  of  that  decision. 
During  the  latter  part  of  the  first  term  many  of  the  Republi- 
cans withdrew  from  the  Republican  party,  and  ran  Horace 
Greeley  fen*  the  presidency,  in  conjunction  with  the  Democratic 
section  of  politicians  ;  but  the  result  proved  that  the  general's 
popularity  had  not  waned  with  the  masses,  as  he  received  a 
larger  vote  on  that  occasion  and  a  larger  majority  than  any 
former  president  since  the  nomination  of  Gen.  Washington. 

10.  The  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  afterwards  disastrous  to 
many  reputations,  and  often  referi*ed  to  as  an  evidence  of  the 
corruj^tion  that  almost  invariably  grows  out  of  civil  wars,  was 
in  its  inceplicMi  a  grand  work,  and  it  has  been  found  of  such 
value  for  the  facilities  which  it  affords  to  commerce  and  pas- 
sengers between  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific  coasts,  that  men 
are  constrained  to  wonder  how  the  business  of  the  world  was 
conducted  before  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Wash- 
ington were  joined  by  the  iron  road  to  San  Francisco,  so  that 
freight  and  travel  can  pass  from  one  ocean  to  the  other  in  the 


sion, 
beinf 
throul 
13. 
strou< 
Gen. 
whom 
sonal 
"Tribi 
desire 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  IGNITED   STATES. 


581 


brief  spncc  of  one  Avcok,  and  without  the  luxurious  traveller 
losin^"  one  hour  of  his  aceustomcd  sleep. 

1 1 .  The  fifteenth  unienclnient,  guuninteeing  to  cvcrv  man  the 
right  of  BulTrago  without  regard  to  "race,  color,  or  i)revious 
condition  of  servitude,"  originated  under  the  administration  of 
President  Grant,  and,  having  been  duly  ratified,  was  announced 
as  part  of  the  constitution  on  the  .30th  of  March,  1H70.  The 
negro  is  now  under  no  disability  in  thut  country  save  such  as 
that  under  which  he  labors  by  the  law  of  nature;. 

12.  General  Amnesty.  The  nation  havinjx,  to  a  jrreat 
extent,  recovered  from  the  effects  of  the  war,  and  popular  feel- 
ings having  considerably  softened  as  regards  the  South  and  its 
ill-starred  effort,  a  general  amnesty  was  proclaimed  which 
covered  all  persons  connected  with  the  civil  war ;  but  the  South 
cannot  forget  her  own  errors  and  sufferings  so  readily  as  the 
North,  and  in  consequence  the  work  of  reconstruction  within 


the  law  goes  on  much  more  slowlv  than  the  legislative  action  of 
Congress.  It  is  not  easy  for  men  who  have  been  from  their 
birth  accustomed  to  look  upon  colored  persons  as  chattels  and 
subordinates  to  8ul)mit  to  a  reconstruction  which  raisfs  the 
negro  in  an  electoral  and  legal  sense  to  their  level ;  but,  slowly 
or  not,  the  work  progresses,  and  the  next  generation  will  see 
the  soulhern  States  far  on  the  way  toward  the  North  in  general 
prosperity.  It  is  much  to  the  credit  of  the  Nortii  that  a  man 
of  such  strength  of  mind  and  power  over  human  affections  as 
Alexander  Hamilton  Stephens,  vice-president  of  the  Confederate 
States,  is  now  a  member  of  Congress,  against  M^iom  no  man 
cites  his  career  in  that  office  to  his  discredit ;  but  it  is  often  re- 
membered hy  his  personal  friends,  who  arc  many,  even  among 
his  political,  antagonists,  that,  on  the  night  of  November  14, 
1860,  in  the  Legislature  that  had  already  resolved  upon  seces- 
sion, this  man  exerted  all  his  eloquence  to  prevent  the  decision 
being  arrived  at,  to  which,  once  passed,  he  loyally  adhered 
through  peril  and  storm. 

13.  Ilorace  Greeley's  candidature  and  death  illustrate  the 
strong  feeling  which  prevailed  among  certain  classes  against 
Gen.  Grant's  reelection.  If  there  was  a  man  in  the  Union  for 
whom  the  South  had  a  hatred,  which  Avas  not  relieved  I)y  per- 
sonal regard,  that  man  was  the  editor  of  the  New  York 
"Tribune  "  ;  yet  all  that  animosity  was  smothered  in  the  intense 
desire  to  defeat  Grant ;  and  after  the  Liberal  convention,  at  Cin- 
cinnati, in  May,  1872,  had  given  Greeley  their  nomination,  the 
Democratic  convention,  in  Baltimore,  in  the  following  July,  pre- 


Si   \ 


.* 


11 

"  '    i. 

»  *    '  t  a    ^ 


582 


IIISTOUY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


sentcd  him  to  tho  Unioa  as  their  caiuliduto  also  for  the  oflico  of 
president.  Tliero  were  then,  us  there  are  now  un«l  will  l)e  for 
many  years  to  eome,  whe^Ilcr  tho  imrty  in  ehar<^e  of  j)ul)lio 
utfairs  may  be  changed  or  not,  awkward  suspicions  of  jobbing 
and  corruption  among  high  otKcers  in  tho  State,  and  in  <'onse- 
(|uence  many  Avho  had  been  supporters  of  tho  Republican  party 
were  inclined  to  draw  back  from  the  organization  at  that  time  ; 
besides  which  there  was  a  belief  that  tho  men  of  the  North  and 
South  would  shako  hands  across  tho  bloody  chasm,  under  u  pres- 
ident nominated  by  tho  South,  in  conjunction  Avith  tho  North  ; 
but  all  these  circumstances  combined,  added  to  feelings  of  per- 
sonal love  which  Avero  inspired  by  Greeley  among  those  who 
knew  his  sterling  qualities,  could  not  save  him  from  u  terrible 
defeat,  which  unsettled  his  mental  and  bodily  health,  and  ter- 
minated his  life  oil  tho  2yth  of  November,  1872. 

14.  Schuyler  Colfax,  Avho  Avas  vice-president  Avith  Grant 
during  tho  lirst  term  of  ollice,  came  of  good  lineage,  being  a 
grandson  of  one   of  Washinjrton's  {feneials.     From    1854  to 


of  Washington's  geneials. 
18(51)  he  sat  in  Congress  as  one  of  the  representatives  of 
Indiana,  and  during  six  reelections  his  record  wasunimpeached. 
The  conflict  in  Kansas  called  him  to  the  front  in  Conjjress,  in 
l6oG,  Avhen  ho  depicted  in  eloquent  terms  the  sufferings  and 
Avrongs  of  the  free  settlers.  From  his  general  suavity  and 
evident  capacity  Mr.  Colfax  Avas  chosen  speaker  of  tho  houso 
in  18G3,  tho  Jike  honor  being  conferred  upon  him  again  in  18G5 
and  in  1867  ;  and  it  Avas  said  of  him  that  he  proved  himself  tho 
most  popular  speaker  of  the  house  since  Henry  Clay.  When 
the  nomination^  Avero  made  by  the  llepublican  party  in  May, 
1808,  his  name  Avas  associated  Avith  that  of  Gen.  Grant.  It 
assisted  him  materially  Avith  tho  people  that  he  had  been  during 
the  civil  Avar  one  of  tho  steadiest  and  most  trusted  friends  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  The  election  in  November,  18G8,  gave  to 
the  Republican  ticket  two  hundred  and  fourteen  electoral  votes 
out  of  a  total  of  two  hundred  and  ninety-four.  Tho  name  of 
Mr.  Colfax  became  nnpleasantly  mixed  up  Avith  the  proceedings 
of  "The  Credit  Mobilier  of  America,"  an  organization  chartered 
in  Pennsylvania  in  1851),  and  reorganized  in  18G4,  to  carry  on 
the  construction  of  the  Union  Pacitic  llailroad.  The  breath  of 
suspicion  Avhich  then  for  the  first  time  blurred  the  good  repute 
of  Mr.  Colfax  prevented  his  renomination,  probably,  in  1872 ; 
but  it  is  only  just  to  the  ex-vice-president  to  say,  that  there  Ava? 
no  evidence  of  corrujit  action  on  his  part,  and  that  h.is  entire 
innocence  of  the  charcres  laid  at  his  door  is  an  article  of  faith 


ENOLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


583 


with  niiilions  of  his  couiitryinon.  There  was  a  hirj^e  piuty  in 
the  eoimtry  only  too  ^liul  to  \tv\\\tr  down  a  man  of  wueh  hiph 
standln'?  in  the  ranks  of  the  Kepuhlieans,  because  their  chances 
nnjst  needs  be  improved  by  tlie  defeat  of  their  political  opponents, 
and  for  that  reason  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  substitute  the 
name  of  Henry  Wilson  as  vico-prosident  in  the  second  nomina- 
tion of  (ien.  Grant. 

IT).  Oakes  Ames,  son  of  a  blacksmith  in  Easton,  Mass.,  and 
himself  broujjfht  up  to  the  same  trade,  having  become  wealthy 
as  a  manufacturer  of  agricultural  implements,  was  in  great  re- 
pute as  a  tinaneicr  in  Congress,  wIkmc  he  sat  for  eleven  years, 
from  18(52  to  1873.  When  the  Union  Pacitic  Kailroad  was  to 
bo  constructed,  Mr.  Ames  was  one  of  tho  manipulators  of  the 
Credit  Mobilier,  and  when,  later  than  thiS,  there  was  a  con- 
gressional investigation  as  to  his  ])roceedings  among  his  fellow- 
members,  ho  appears  to  have  either  wantonly,  or  by  inadvcr- 
tcnco,  cast  a  stigma  on  ]Mr.  Colfax,  by  exhibiting  in  his  writing, 
upon  a  check  for  a  considerable  sum,  tho  initials  of  "S.  C," 
which  ho  construed  to  mean  Schuyler  Colfax.  There  was,  how- 
ever, no  evidence  that  tho  money  went  into  tho  hands  of  tho 
vice-president,  and  there  is  positive  evidence  that  the  check 
never  went  through  his  account.  Oakes  Ames  died  May  8, 
1873,  while  tho  public  mind  was  still  undecided  as  to  his  share 
in  tho  transaction. 

16.  Henry  AVilson,  the  successor  of  Schuyler  Colfax,  com- 
menced life  as  a  Now  Hampshire  farm  lad,  with  tho  barest 
rudiments  of  an  education,  to  which  ho  added  all  that  lay  in  his 
power  after  arriving  at  man's  estate.  Not  a  great  man  himself, 
it  was  his  good  fortune  to  be  born  at  an  era  Avhen  simple  forti- 
tude and  iionesty  secured  him  associations  with  some  of  the 
foremost  minds  of  his  time,  after  he  had  made  his  way  upward 
from  tho  humble  occupation  in  which  ho  began  life.  Mr.  Wil- 
son was  one  of  tho  fastest  friends  of  Charles  Sumner,  and  after 
tho  shameful  assault  upon  that  gentleman  by  Preston  S.  Brooks, 
his  remarks  in  Congress  had  the  effect  of  concentratln;r  upon 
him  tho  hatred  of  the  pro-slavery  party  for  a  time.  Dining  his 
term  of  office  ho  was  distinguished  l)y  his  kind  and  conciliatory 
tone  towards  every  section  of  tho  community,  and  he  died 
before  his  term  of  office  had  expired.     He   appears  to   have 

organiza- 


been  one  of  tho  stockholders  in  the  "Credit  Mobilier 
tion,  but  to  have  gone  into  the  venture  as  a  mere  business 
speculation,   without   any   knowledge   of   a  current    i^urpose 
entertained  by  any  of  the  parties.     Unfortunately,  so 


being 


584 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


many  schemes  of  personal  aggrandizement  have  been  traced  to 
Congress  within  the  past  few  years,  in  the  fearless  investiga- 
tions originated  by  the  Republican  party,  irrespective  of  persons, 
place,  or  associations,  that  the  public  have  become  censorious 
and  suspicious,  and  for  that  reason  the  record  of  Henry  Wilson 
was  very  narrowly  scanned  by  friends  and  foes,  but  no  damaging 
fact  could  bo  discovered. 

17.  Genekal  Increase.  There  was  a  proposal  that  St. 
Domingo,  forming  part  of  the  island  of  Hayti,  should  be  fm- 
nexed  to  the  Unitejl  States,  and  a  committee  of  eminent  meuj 
nominated  by  the  president  to  visit  the  island  and  report  upon 
the  proposition,  was  very  favorably  impressed  in  1871 ;  but 
Congress  was  not  convinced  by  the  report  submitted,  and  tiie 
application  was  not  acceded  to.  Nebraska  came  into  the  Union, 
thirty-seventh  in  the  list  of  States,  on  the  1st  of  March,  1867, 
having  been  organized  as  a  territory,  under  the  same  act  as 
Kansas,  in  the  year  1854.  The  first-named  State  had  not  the 
same  charms  for  a  slave-holding  proprietary  as  Kansas,  and 
therefore  it  grew  more  slowly  than  its  neighl3or,  and  was  saved 

from  the  terrible  warfare  that  distracted 
Kansas  for  years.  The  State  will  advance 
by  slow  degrees  to  very  considerable  im- 
portance ;  but,  for  many  reasons,  does 
not  seem  likely  to  keep  pace  with  Kansas, 
which  has  advantages  as  to  soil,  and  a 
very  considerable  start  in  population. 
Colorado  has  also  been  admitted  as  a 
State. 

18.  At  the  expiration  of  Gen.  Grant's 
second  term,  the  Republicans  put  in 
nominatijn  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  of 
Ohio ;  and  the  Democrats  Samuel  J. 
Tilden,  of  New  York.  Mr.  Wheeler,  of 
New  York,  was  the  candidate  for  vice-president  on  the  Republican 
ticket,  and  Mr.  Hendricks,  of  Indiana,  filled  the  second  place 
on  the  Democratic  side.  The  election  took  place  on  the  7th  of 
November,  giving  Mr.  Tilden  a  popular  majority  of  one  hundred 
and  llfty-seven  thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety-four.  TheVotes 
of  Florida,  Louisiana,  and  South  Carolina,  giving  Hayes  a  major- 
ity, were  disputed  by  the  friends  of  Mr.  Tilden.  The  Constitution 
of  the  United  States  makes  it  the  duty  of  Congress  to  canvass  tlio 
electoral  votes  and  to  decla''o  the  name  of  the  person  elected ; 
but  as  the  lower  house  of  Congress  was  Democratic  by  a  large 


PRESIDENT   HAYES. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


585 


majority,  and  the  senate  Kcpublican,  and  as  the  Democrats  of 
the  house  denied  the  correctness  of  the  returns  from  the  three 
States  mentioned,  it  became  probable  that  the  house  wouhl  not 
agree  in  dechiring  the  result ;  therefore  neither  candidate  could 
hold  the  office  of  president  as  the  result  of  the  election.  To 
avoid  the  uncertainties  and  excitement  of  the  country  in  pros- 
pect, an  arrangement  was  made,  under  the  legislation  of 
Congress,  which  resulted  in  uniting  the  two  houses  iu  declaring 
Rutherford  B.  Hayes  as  the  successful  candidate. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 


ENGLAND  FROM   185C  TO   18G6. 

THE   REVOLT   IN  INDIA AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  IXSURUECTION  —  DOMESTI'^  AFFAIRS 

THE    FENIAN    OCTBKEAK. 

1.  In  the  beginning  of  1857  England  had  alread;y  u  aily 
forgotten  the  great  war  in  the  East,  in  which  Russia  had  been 
humbled,  and  time  was  afforded  for  the  discussion  of  domestic 
questions.  A  fight  was  made  to  weaken  the  government, 
but  it  was  without  effect.  The  revolt  in  India,  the  great 
event  of  1857-8,  for  a  long  while  threatened  the  very  existence 
of  the  queen's  empire  in  the  East.  On  the  first  report  of  the 
revolt  in  England,  the  people  were  slow  to  appreciate  the 
great  magnitude  of  the  disaster.  The  first  outbreak  occurred 
in  May,  but  July  had  commenced  before  the  atrocities  of  Mco- 
rut  and  Delhi  were  understood.  In  India  itself,  although  the 
alarm  commenced  at  an  earlier  period,  the  catastrophe  was  no 
less  sudden  and  unforeseen.  After  the  lapse  of  several  months, 
witii  the  aid  of  unliii  ited  discussion,  those  who  wei-e  best  in- 
formed confessed  their  inability  to  explain  the  causes  of  the 
revolt.  It  was  probable  that  the  conduct  of  the  Sci)oys  was 
influenced  by  many  motives,  and  that,  like  the  great  part  of 
human  actions,  it  was  ultimately  decided  by  circumstances. 
There  were  suspicions  of  princely  intrigues,  strong  indications 
of  jNIussulman  conspiracy,  and  abundant  proots  of  Hindoo 
fanaticism ;  but  it  was  uncerfain  whether  the  mutiny  was  in- 
evitable, and  there  Avas  reason  to  believe  that  the  plot  exploded 


l.i4||ii 


586 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


prematurely.  One  of  the  most  characteristic  features  of  the 
outbreak  consisted  in  the  blind  submission  of  the  soldiery  to 
any  cusnai  impulse.  Many  regiments  wavered ;  some  retained 
their  allegiance  for  a  time.  In  several  instances  the  final  de- 
fection W51S  postponed  until  success  had  become  virtually  hope- 
less ;  but  throughout  the  army,  as  soon  as  a  few  ringleaders 
had  committed  themselves  to  the  cause  of  rebellion,  their  com- 
rades followed  their  example  like  a  flock  of  sheep  after  their 
leader.  It  seems  that  no  familiarity  can  enable  the  European 
to  understand  all  the  Avindings  of  Asiatic  character.  Amonij 
the  immediate  causes  of  the  nnitiny  it  would  bo  strange  if  no 
place  could  be  assigned  to  the  errors  of  those  in  power. 
Supincness,  irresolution,  and  ill-timed  severity  were  undoubt- 
edly displayed  on  difTerent  occasions.  The  first  agitation  with 
reference  to  the  greased  cartridges  occurred  during  the  month  of 
Januaiy  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Calcutta.  Early  in 
February  Gen.  Ilearsey  reported  the  existence  of  a  plot  in  the 
ranks  of  the  34th  regiment,  stationed  at  Barrackpore ;  but  the 
first  open  display  of  mutiny  consisted  in  the  refusal  of  the  19th, 
atBerhampore,  to  receive  the  suspected  cartridges.  The  delin- 
quent regiment  was  ordered  for  punishment  to  Barrackpore, 
where,  before  the  sentence  was  executed,  a  Sepoy  and  a  native 
officer  of  the  34th  had  been  guilty  of  open  violence.  The  scan- 
dalous baclcwardness  of  a  commanding  officer,  more  solicitous 
for  the  conversion  of  his  men  than  for  the  discharge  of  his  duty, 
would  probably  have  led  to  an  immediate  outbreak  but  for  the 
ready  gallantry  of  Gen.  Ilearsey.  Two  days  afterwards  the  19th 
and  34th  regiments  were  publicly  disbanded,  and  general  orders 
were  issued  for  the  purpose  of  removing  any  genuine  alarm 
which  might  have  been  felt  as  to  the  obnoxious  cartridges.  At 
a  subsequent  period  the  remainder  of  the  native  troops  at 
Barrackpore  Avere  gradually  disarmed  Avithout  any  actual  dis- 
aster. The  governor-general  continued  for  many  months  to 
surround  himself  with  his  usual  body-guard  of  Mahomedan 
cavaliy,  and  the  garrison  of  Dinapore,  in  defiance  of  repeated 
remonstrances,  remained  in  possession  of  the  means  of  oflTence. 
It  must  not  forgotten  that  at  the  last  moment  the  disarmament 
of  these  troops  could  have  been  successfully  effected  if  the 
connnanding  officer  of  the  station  had  done  his  duty ;  but  the 
government,  which  continued  an  incompetent  general  in  com- 
mand, Avas  in  some  degree  responsible  for  the  mischief  Avhich 
•esultcd  from  the  escape  of  the  Dinapore  mutineers. 
2.     The  commander-in-chief,  a  holiday  soldier,   who   had 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


587 


never  seen  service  cither  in  peace  or  war,  was  in  the  mean  time 
enjoying  the  pleasant  climate  of  Sinihi.  He  approved  the  sen- 
tence of  a  court-martial  by  which  ci;^hty-fivo  men  of  the  Mccriit 
garrison  had  been  condemned  to  hard  labor  for  ten  years  on 
account  of  a  refusal  to  receive  the  cartridges.  The  prisoners 
bad  been  fettered  in  the  presence  of  their  comrades,  and  they 
were  confined  in  the  common  prison.  This  punishment  was  the 
immediate  provocation  to  the  decisive  outbreak  which  occurred 
at  Meerut  on  the  10th  of  May,  1857.  If  the  crisis  had  been 
met  with  ordinary  vigor  and  ability,  the  nnitiny  might  have  been 
crushed  at  its  commencement.  The  Third  Light  Cavalry  and 
the  Eleventh  and  1  wenticth  llcgiments  of  Infantry  lirst  began 
the  scries  of  murders  and  brutalities  which  rendered  the  Bennral 
Sepoy  infamous  throughout  the  Avorld.  All  the  officers  within 
reach  were  cut  down,  the  helpless  population  of  the  cantonment 
were  outraged  or  massacred,  while  Gen.  Hewitt,  Avith  fifteen 
bunUred  European  troops,  was  unable  either  to  protect  the  sta- 
tion or  to  impede  the  flight  of  the  mutineers.  The  revolted 
regiments  at  once  marched  to  Delhi,  where  a  great  arsenal  had 
been  entrusted  to  the  exclusive  care  of  native  troops.  The  gar- 
rison instantly  joined  the  mutineers ;  the  atrocities  of  Meerut 
were  repeated,  and  the  descendant  of  the  mogul  was  openly 
proclaimed  as  King  or  Emperor  of  India.  The  pensioned 
princes  of  the  royal  house  took  an  active  part  in  the  unspeaka- 
ble brutalities  which  were  perpetrated  upon  English  women  in 
the  streets  of  the  capital ;  some  of  the  miscreants  suftcred  for 
their  unpardonable  crime. 

3.  On  the  27th  of  May  Gen.  Anson  died  of  cholera  during 
his  advance  upon  Delhi.  Sir  II.  Barnard,  who  took  the  com- 
mand of  the  besieging  force,  afterwards  fell  a  victim  to  the  same 
disease.  Gen.  Reed  was  forced  by  bad  health  to  resign  the 
command,  and  the  honor  of  capturing  the  rebellious  capital  was 
reserved  for  Gen.  Wilson.  When  the  siege  had  scarcely  com- 
menced, the  mutiny  rapidly  spread  over  the  whole  of  Ilindos- 
tan.  By  the  end  of  June  fifty  thousand  men  had  deserted 
their  standards  and  turned  their  arms  against  the  government. 
At  many  stations  the  crimes  of  Delhi  Avere  imitated,  and  in  one 
fearful  instance  they  Avere  surpassed.  Nana  Sahib,  i  adojited 
son  of  tho  ex-peishAva  of  the  iNIahrattas,  ofliered  the  services 
of  his  troops  to  protect  the  English  treasury  at  Cawnpore,  and 
then  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the  mutineers.  Soon  after- 
wards, in  violation  of  his  plighted  faith,  he  slaughtered  tho 
garrison  of  CaAvnpore,  and  on  the  victorious  advance  of  Have- 


588 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


lock  he  murdered  in  cold  blo(^d  the  women  and  children  who 
had  been  reserved  from  the  original  massacre.  The  treacherous 
Mahratta  owes  a  reckoning  for  a  thousand  English  lives  delib- 
erately sacrificed  to  his  wanton  barbarity.  It  seems  that  his 
crimes  only  strengthened  his  hold  on  the  armed  hordes  who 
acknowledged  his  command. 

4.  Similar  scenes  were  exhibited  on  a  smaller  scale  wher- 
ever Sepoy  rebels  could  surprise  a  defenceless  station ;  but  in 
this  emergency  the  ruling  race  turned  to  bay  with  a  desperate 
and  irresistible  courage  which  has  scarcely  a  precedent  in  history. 
At  Agra,  at  Arrah,  at  Azimghur,  wherever  a  few  soldiers  and 
civilians  had  escaped  the  lirst  massacre,  the  rebels  were  taught 
the  inherent  superiority  of  the  English  character.  In  many 
places  a  mutinous  regiment  was  held  in  check  hy  forces  which, 
to  the  full  knowledge  of  their  officers,  were  themselves  on  the 
eve  of  revolt.  At  the  worst,  the  rifle  or  the  revolver  secured 
preliminary  vengeance  before  an  Englishman  succumbed  to  irre- 
sistible numbers  ;  but  the  resolute  skill  with  which  all  resources 
for  defence  were  made  available  confers  still  higher  honor  on 
the  English  character.  The  effect  of  the  same  qualities,  long 
before  exhibited  by  the  statesmen  and  administrators  of  the 
Eastern  empire,  was  shown  in  the  abstinence  of  the  native 
princes  and  population  from  participation  in  the  revolt.  If  a 
protended  peishwah  had  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  mutineers, 
the  tM'o  chief  Mahratta  rajahs  were  faithful,  notwithstanding 
the  defection  of  their  contingents.  Still  more  important  Avas 
the  fijdelity  of  the  nizam  under  the  influence  of  his  able  minister  ; 
Gholab  Singh  and  Jung  Bahadoor,  of  Nepaul,  potentates  from 
whom  Sir  C.  Nap'er  appre.'iendcd  imminent  danger  to  English 
dominions,  behaved  Avith  exemplary  good  faith.  Beyond  the 
walls  of  the  palace  of  Delhi  and  the  limits  of  Oude  no  move- 
ment took  place  which  can  be  described  as  a  popular  or  dynastic 
rebellion. 

5.  The  influence  of  wisdom,  of  justice,  and  of  courage  over 
men  was  most  strikingly  exhibited  in  the  conquered  Punjab. 
The  key  of  the  territory  at  Peshawur  was  in  the  hands  of  reso- 
lute soldiers,  who  knew  that  the  greater  part  of  their  troops 
were  on  the  eve  of  mutiny.  Cotton,  P^dwards,  and  Nicholson 
were  equal  to  the  occasion.  The  forts  were  occupied  Avith 
trustAvorthy  troops,  ^the  suspected  regiments  Avere  disarmed, 
criminals  Avero  blown  from  guns  in  the  presence  of  thousands  of 
their  accomplices,  guilty  fugitives  Avero  seized  by  the  neighbor- 
ing tribes,  and  bodies  of  the  highlanders,  previously  in  arms 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


589 


against  the  British  power,  were  enrolled  to  take  the  place  of  the 
deserters.  The  chief  authority  in  tho  Punjab  was,  happil}^  in 
the  hands  of  a  hero  and  a  statesman.  Sir  John  Lawrence  not 
oidy  saved  his  own  province  from  revolt,  but  made  it  ar  military 
basis  for  the  operations  against  Delhi.  Sikhs  and  Europeans 
were  directed  towards  the  East,  while  the  Bengal  regiments 
were  disaimcd;  convoys  of  provisions  and  stores  retraced  the 
march  of  previous  conquest.  The  gallant  Nicholson  left  the 
scene  of  his  early  fame  to  find  a  glorious  death  at  the  gates  of 
the  conquered  city.  The  vigilance  of  the  proconsul  was  after- 
wards indicated  by  the  rapid  recall  of  European  troops  as  soon 
as  they  had  performed  the  one  indispensable  service. 

6.  The  capture  of  Delhi  before  the  arrival  of  any  reinforce- 
ment from  England  was  a  great  military  feat,  and  a  solid  advan- 
tage. The  rebel  gariison,  exclusive  of  the  inhabitants,  always 
outnumbered  the  besieging  army,  and  they  had  the  command  of 
an  arsenal  which,  after  several  months'  consumption,  was  still 
unexhausted.     The  general  waited  patiently  until  he  was  ready 


for  the  assault,  and  not  a  moment  longer.  Before  the  end  of 
September  the  Mogul  king  had  ended  his  three  months'  reign 
in  a  prison,  while  the  carcasses  of  his  hateful  offspring  were,  as 
in  old  Hebrew  story,  exposed  in  the  gates  of  the  city. 

7.  The  interest  of  the  struggle  became  chiefly  concentrated 
round  Lucknow,  where  a  few  Europeans,  encumbered  with  the 
care  of  women  and  children,  maintained  themselves  in  a  hostile 
city  of  three  hundred  thousand  inhabitants  against  a  beleaguer- 
ing force  estimated  at  seventy  thousand  men.  Sir  Henry  Law- 
rence suppressed  the  first  mutiny  in  Oude,  but  the  annexed 
kingdom  furnished  abundant  reinforcements  to  the  Sepoys,  who 
were  themselves  for  the  most  part  natives  of  the  adjacent  dis- 
tricts. From  the  death  of  the  noble  soldier  who  governed  the 
territory  till  the  middle  of  November  the  garrison  had  been 
subject  to  an  almost  unbroken  blockade.  The  march  of  Have- 
lock  to  its  relief  gave  occasion  for  the  most  brilliant  series  of 
exploits  in  the  campaign,  but  the  numbers  of  the  enemy  up  to 
the  time  of  Sir  Colin  Campbell's  arrival  were  too  ov^jrwhelming 
to  admit  of  complete  success.  The  year  closed  with  the  report' 
of  the  final  triumph,  which  had  been  so  long  and  so  anxiously 
expected.  The  commander-in-chief  commenced  operations  ou 
the  13th  of  November,  and  his  advance  fi'om  the  Alumbagh  to 
the  Lucknow  residency  was  uninterrupted  by  check  or  defeat. 
Such,  however,  were  the  strength  of  the  defences  and  the  resolu- 
tion of  the  rebels,  that  it  was  only  after  five  days  of  continuous 


I.!'     '^ 


..I 


■ . » -'I 


590 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


fighting  lliJit  Sir  C.  Campbell  was  able  to  open  commuuicationa 
witli  Sir  J.  Outram.  Nevertheless,  after  the  capture  of  Delhi 
and  the  arrival  of  Outram  and  llavcloek  at  LucknoAV,  all  men 
felt  that  the  tide  had  turned.  The  government  had  maintained 
itself  and  reasserted  its  supremacy  before  the  arrival  of  aid  from 
England.  The  onl}'^  reinforcements  had  been  derived  from 
Ceylon,  from  Mauritius,  from  the  Cape,  and  from  the  China 
force,  which  was  fortunately  intercepted  on  its  road. 

8.  The  year  1857  closed  in  Enghmd  Avith  the  tidings  that 
Sir  Colin  Campbell,  after  relieving  Lucknow,  had  temporarily 
evacuated  the  hostile  capital  and  returned  to  inflict  a  signal  blow 
on  the  Gwalior  army  at  Cawnpore.  The  sufferings  and  exploits 
of  the  bclejiguered  garrison  were  fully  recorded  by  Mr.  Kees 
and  Mr.  Gubbins,  and  the}^  were  worthily  commemorated  by  Gen. 
Inglis  in  his  simple  and  eloquent  despatch.  No  episode  of  the 
war  had  excited  so  feverish  an  interest  in  England,  and  the  final 
rescue  of  the  besieged  was  welcomed  in  every  household  as  if  it 
had  been  a  relief  from  personal  or  domestic  anxiety ;  but  the 
common  joy  Avas  tempered  by  universal  regret  for  the  death  of 
Ilavelock.  Above  every  other  leader  in  the  war  he  had  been 
generally  recognized  as  a  hero  of  the  true  national  type.  His 
simple  character,  his  religious  enthusiasm,  and  the  rare  fortune 
which  crowned  with  merited  glory  a  long  life  of  distinguished 
devotion  to  duty,  all  appealed  to  the  d<;epest  sympathies  of  the 
people  ;  and,  although  no  soldier  could  fall  at  a  happier  moment, 
there  was  a  natural  feeling  of  disappointm<3nt  that  he  should 
have  died  before  he  k  lew  how  fully  he  was  appreciated  by  his 
countrymen.  Even  foreigners  of  English  descent  recognized  in 
Havelock  the  favorite  characteristics  of  his  race  ;  and  when  his 
death  was  reported  at  New  York  the  vessels  in  the  harbor 
lowered  their  flags  in  token  of  "mourning  for  the  gallant  old 
foreign  general.  A  few  weeks  later  the  country  sufl'ered  a  loss 
not  less  painful  in  the  death  of  Sir  ^V^illiam  Peel,  who,  at  the 
head  of  his  naval  brigade,  had  performed  the  part  of  a  brilliant 
artillery  ofiicer  in  Sir  Colin  Campbell's  operations.  No  seaman 
of  his  time  appeared  to  inherit  in  so  large  a  proportion  the  in- 
trepid daring  and  the  felicitous  enthusiasm  which  gave  Nelson 
the  instinct  of  victory.  If  his  contempt  of  personal  danger  was 
excessive,  he  never  overlooked  the  minutest  detail  which  could 
tend  to  the  safety  or  success  of  his  undertakings,  for  the  mechan- 
ical aptitude  which  belongs  to  p  sailor  formed  a  principal  part  of 
his  character,  and  indicated  his  peculiar  fitness  for  his  profession. 

9.  Sir  Colin  Campbells  retreat  from  Lucknow  with  his  vasi 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


591 


and  nimbroiis  convoy,  though  it  was  generally  recognized  as  a 
masterly  teat  of  jinns,  has  been  sometimes  censured  by  military 
critics.  It  is  said  that  the  enemy  was  cowed  by  the  capture  of 
the  city,  and  that  the  subsequent  evacuation  was  regarded  as  a 
triumph  of  the  insurgents.  It  is  not  surprising  that  the  garrison 
should  have  quitted  the  scene  of  its  heroism  with  regret,  nor 
can  it  be  doubted  that  General  Inglis  Avas  justified  in  his  asser- 
tion that  he  could  hold  the  fortress  against  all  opponents  ;  but 
the  connnander-in-chief  had  to  consider  the  whole  plan  of  the 
campaign  as  well  as  the  circumstances  at  Lucknow,  and  he  was 
also  compelled  to  take  into  consideration  the  political  objects 
of  the  government.  By  the  retrograde  movement  to  Cawnporo 
Sir  Colin  Campbell  relieved  his  army  from  the  incumbrance  of 
protecting  Avomen  and  children,  and  his  timely  arrival  rescued 
his  rear-guard  and  his  comnumications  from  a  serious  danger. 
Certain  of  recovering  Lucknow  without  ditHculty  at  his  own 
predetermined  time,  the  commander-in-chief  halted  for  two 
months  at  Cawnpore,  while  his  reinforcements  were  coming  for- 
ward, and  his  lieutenants  and  allies  were  advancing  from  differ- 
ent directions  towards  the  centre  of  operations.  In  the  mean  time 
movable  columns  cleared  the  neighboring  districts  from  in- 
surrection, and  after  two  months  the  advance  on  Lucknow  was 
resumed  with  an  irresistible  artillery.  While  the  main  army 
was  at  Cawnpore  General  Franks  was  fighting  his  way  from  the 
east ;  Jung  Bahadoor,  with  a  large  force  of  Clhoorkas,  descended 
from  Xepaul,  and  it  was  hoped  that  Sir  Hugh  Rose  would  pene- 
trate through  Central  India  in  time  to  take  a  decisive  part  in  the 
operations.  Sir  James  Outram,  under  the  orders  of  Sir  Colin 
Campbell,  took  Lucknow  with  little  loss ;  but  the  Ghoorkas 
proved  inefficient.  Sir  Hugh  lioso  was  unavoidably  detained, 
and  the  bulk  of  the  garrison  succeeded  in  escaping  through  the 
interstices  of  the  investing  army.  Yet  the  capture  of  their  guns 
and  stores,  as  well  as  the  capital  itself,  was  justly  esteemed  a 
proof  that  ^'^o  war  on  a  large  scale  was  at  an  end,  although  it 
was  probable  that  a  long  series  of  detached  conflicts  would  still 
test  the  vigor  and  endurance  of  the  arm3^  After  the  capture 
of  Lucknow  the  commander-in-chief  once  moi-e  remained  station- 
ary for  a  time,  Avhen  he  made  preparations  for  the  gradiud  sub- 
jugation of  Oude.  All  the  conditions  of  the  struggle  had 
changed  since  the  previous  summer,  and  there  was  no  longer 
any  occasion  for  such  haste  as  might  be  found  inconsistent  Avith 
any  deliberate  system  of  operations.  The  movements  of  the 
first  campaign,  terminating  with  the  siege  of  Delhi,  had  for  their 


im 


"i 


592 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


base  tlio  remote  and  insecure  position  of  Lahore,  and  Sir  John 
Lawrence  might  at  any  moment  have  been  forced  to  reserve  or 
to  withdraw  his  reinforcements  for  tlie  indispensable  protection 
of  the  Punjab.  In  tho  second  cami)aign  Lord  Clyde  relied  on 
his  communications  Avith  Calcutta,  and  it  has  been  justly  ob- 
served that  the  true  basis  of  his  operations  was  London  or 
Southampton.  The  unequalled  resources  of  England  were  even 
more  strikingly  displayed  during  that  contest  than  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  powerful  army  which  was  collected  in  the  Crimea 
at  the  end  of  the  Itussian  war.  The  European  force  in  India 
was  raised  to  one  hundred  thousand  men,  while  an  equal  num- 
ber remained  in  the  United  Kingdom  as  a  reserve,  and  for  the 
purposes  of  defence.  The  old  prejudice  that  maritime  greatness 
was  incompatible  with  military  strength  was  found  by  experience 
to  be  the  reverse  of  the  truth.     It  would  be  more  accurote  to 


assert  that  English  armies  had  the  means  of 


acting  wherever 


they  could  lind  an  apjjroachablo  sea-coast  for  the  commencement 
of  their  operations.  Towards  the  close  of  the  cold  season  Lord 
Clyae  marched  into  the  north  of  Oude,  dispersing  with  little 
difficulty  the  insurgent  forces  which  attempted  resistance  under 
the  begum,  the  nawab  of  Bareilly,  and  the  moulvie.  A  suc- 
cessful expedition  was  saddened  by  the  loss  of  many  valuable 
lives,  and  especially  that  of  Brigadier  Adrian  Hope,  one  of  the 
most  efficient  and  promising  officers  of  the  army.  Early  in  June 
the  commander-in-chief,  in  suspending  active  operations  for  the 
summer,  was  able  to  congratulate  his  troops  on  the  suppression 
of  all  open  opposition,  and  on  the  prospect  of  an  early  termina- 
tion of  the  war.  In  the  south  a  brilliant  and  arduous  cai-ipaign 
was  prolonged  far  into  the  summer.  At  the  commencement  of 
the  year  Sir  Hugh  Rose  began  his  march  from  Indore,  in  the 
hope  of  taking  a  part  in  the  investment  of  Lucknow ;  but  the 
chiefs  in  Central  India  were  in  insurrection,  there  were  many 
strong  places  to  reduce,  and  the  Gwalior  contingent,  after  its 
repulse  at  Cawnpore,  still  held  together  and  watched  the  passage 
of  the  Jumna  at  Calpee.  At  Saugor  and  at  Kotah  the  superi- 
ority of  the  British  troops  was  established,  and  at  Jhansi  the 
ranee,  one  of  the  remarkable  heroines  who  were  produced  by 
the  war,  Avas  defeated  in  a  pitched  battle,  and  the  fortress  was 
subsequently  stormed.  When  the  Calpee  army,  avoiding  a 
collision,  marched  southwards  upon  Gwalior,  Scindia's  troops, 
with  the  exception  of  his  body-guard,  immediately  joined  the 
mutineers,  so  that  the  maharajah,  driven  from  his  capital,  was 
compelled  to  take  refuge  in  the  English  camp.    Sir  Hugh  liose, 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


593 


who  was  on  the  point  of  resigning  his  command,  instantly  col- 
lected all  the  forces  within  his  reach,  marched  upon  Gwalior, 
defeated  the  mutineers,  and  retook  the  fortress,  which  had  been 
Imputed  impregnable.  The  restoration  of  the  faithful  Mahratta 
ruler  former  a  worthy  termination  to  the  most  daring  and  skilful 
among  the  subsidiary  campaigns  of  the  year.  With  the  royal 
amnesty  in  one  hand,  and  the  means  of  instant  punishment  in 
the  other.  Lord  Clyde  succeeded  in  procuring  the  submission  of 
many  troublesome  opponents ;  and  the  civil  authorities,  follow- 
ing in  his  track,  were  able,  in  a  limited  period,  to  complete  the 
disarmament  of  the  country.  Beyond  the  limits  of  Jude  the 
so-called  army  of  the  pcishwa,  confiding  in  the  rapidity  of  its 
movements,  almost  alone  maintained  the  rebellion,  which  once 
threatened  to  embrace  the  whole  of  India. 

10.  Thus,  through  the  bravery  and  indefatigable  efforts  of 
British  military  officers,  the  Indian  rebellion  came  to  an  end. 
In  the  same  year,  1858,  serious  difficulties  arose  between  Eng- 
land and  China,  but  these  were  settled  to  the  honor  and  profit 
of  the  former  power.  The  grandest  domestic  event  of  the  year, 
which  excited  intense  interest,  was  the  marriage  of  the  princess 
royal.  The  internal  history  of  England  during  the  fifteen 
years  next  succeeding,  presents  little  excitement  or  variety.  The 
death  of  the  prince  consort,  in  the  early  part  of  18G2,  shed  a 
gloom  over  the  kingdom,  and  his  loss  materially  affected  the 
brilliancy  and  prosperity  of  the  great  exhibition  in  South 
Kensington.  Nevertheless,  the  enterprise  attracted  for  six  suc- 
cessive months  an  uninterrupted  stream  of  visitors  from  the 
country  and  from  the  continent,  as  well  as  from  London  itself. 
The  spectacle  was  less  picturesque  than  the  previous  show  in 
1851 ;  nor  was  it  possible  that  it  should  suggest  illusions  of 
universal  peace,  to  be  founded  on  unlimited  commercial  inter- 
course. Yet  the  collection  was  richer  and  more  complete  than 
the  previous  exhibition,  and  competent  judges  were  not  dissatis- 
fied with  the  intermediate  progress  of  art  and  industry.  The 
advance  of  commerci:il  liberality  was  marked  by  the  unrestricted 
admission  of  all  manufactured  articles  from  every  part  of  the 
world.  In  18')1  it  had  been  necessaiy  to  make  special  arrange- 
ments for  the  importation  of  dutiable  commodities,  which  might 
otherwise  have  competed  unfairly  wiiL  the  ordinary  stocks  of 
merci>  r.ts  and  dealers. 

11.  The  year  1865  was  characterized  by  some  important 
occurrences.  These  were  the  appearance  of  the  cattle  plague  in 
Great  Britain,  and  the  Feniai?  conspiracy  in  Ireland.     Down  to 


1*?^, 


594 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


the  middle  of  December,  18().'3,  fifty  thousand  reported  cases  of 
cattle  disease  had  in  the  great  majority  of  cases  ended  fatally. 
Although  the  plague  subsided  in  some  pails  of  the  country, 
while  other  districts  were  exempt  from  its  ravages,  the  total 
number  of  attacks  was  increasing  from  Aveek  to  week.     A  royal 
commission  recommended  a  temporary  prohibition  of  all  move- 
ment of  cattle,  and  local  authorities,  acting,  with  imperfect  con- 
cert, under  the  general  guidance  of  the  Privy  Council,  in  many 
jilaces  suspended  cattle  markcis  and  fairs.     The  criminal  folly 
of  Fenianism  was  almost  equally  morbid  and  unaccountable. 
The  design  of  establishing  an  Irish  republic  by  American  aid 
appears  to  have  been  formed  two  or  three  years  previous,  at  a 
time  when  animosity  to  Englnnd  was  professed  even  more  vocif- 
erously than  usual  by  all  parties  in  the  United  States.     The 
plot,  said  the  London  "Times  "  of  1865,  "exhibits  in  a  concrete 
form  American  rhodomontade,  and  the  more  serious  element  of 
Irish  disaffection.     The  Fenian  agents  were  provided  with  con- 
siderable sums  of  money,  arising  from  contributions  by  Irish 
settlers  in  America ;  they  imported  arms  ;  they  found  numerous 
dupes  ready  to  take  oaths,  and  to  drill  in  secrecy  ;  and  as  the 
Federal  armies  were  disbanded,  a  few  officers  came  to  take  com- 
mand in  the  expected  insurrection.     The  Irish  government  had 
early  become  acquainted  with  the  secret  of  the  conspiracy,  and 
when  the  time  was  ripe  for  action  Lord  Wodehouso  and  his 
subordinates  struck  the  traitors  Avith  celerity  and  vigor.     The 
principal  ringleaders  were  arrested ;  and,  with  the  exception  of 
Stephens,   the   chief  author   of  the   plot,    who   unfortunately 
escaped  from  prison,  they  have  been  sentenced  to  severe,  but  not 
excessive,  punishments,  after  conviction  by  juries  in  trials  con- 
ducted with  exemplary  calmness  and  impartiality.     Although 
the  discontent  of  the  Iris'i  peasantry  constitutes  a  grave  political 
evil,  it  is  in  some  degree  s.itisfactory  to  find  that  the  latest  proj- 
ect of  rebellion  has  not  been  countenanced  by  a  single  member 
of  the  upper  classes,  or  by  a  single  Roman  Catholic  priest.    The 
conspiracy  has  now  contracted  into  the  dimensions  of  a  club, 
which  affects  the  style  of  an  Irish  government  and  Legislature 
in   its   lodging  at  New  York.     In   conformity  with  national 
tradition,  the  president  is  said  to  have  already  quarrelled  with 
the   senate,    and  the   entire   organization   is   ridiculed  by  all 
sensible  Americans.     During  the   recent   State   elections  the 
Democratic  party  bid  for  the  Irish  vote  by  professing  Fenian 
sympathies ;  but  in  ordinary  times  the  Fenians  are  not  even 
respected  as  serious  enemies  of  England." 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


695 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

ENGLAND  FROM  18CC  TO  1878. 

1.  The  year  18(5G  was  one  of  gloomy  events  in  England. 
A  long  season  of  prosperous  tranquillity  Avas  now  interrupted 
oy  political  and  connnereial  disturbances,  and  by  a  conscious- 
ness of  the  relative  inefficiency  of  the  national  armaments,  and 
of  a  proportionately  declining  or  suspended  intlucnce  in  the 
councils  of  the  world.  The  sources  of  public  wealth  wore 
happily  untouched,  for,  in  spite  of  monetary  ditficulties,  the 
amount  of  imports  and  exports  had  not  diminished,  nor  had 
manufacturing  industry  beon  extraordinarily  depressed.  The 
great  linancial  collapse  of  the  spring  of  1800,  though  it  produced 
wide-sjiread  ditficulty  and  distress,  represented  no  diiiiinution 
in  the  stock  of  useful  commodities,  or  in  the  aggregate  pos- 
session of  the  community.  Except  in  a  limited  number  of 
cases,  in  which  capital  had  been  withdrawn  from  profitable 
enterprises,  losses  and  gains  had,  as  on  a  settling-day  after  a 
race-meeting,  been  approximately  balanced.  The  hundreds  of 
millions  by  which  the  value  of  securities  and  fixed  investments 
had  been  diminished,  were  added  to  the  purchasing  poAver  of 
ready  money.  The  stagnation  of  the  stock  exchange  by  the 
side  of  an  overflowing  money-market,  although  it  reduced 
thousands  of  families  to  real  and  tangible  poverty,  was  but  a 
transfer  of  items  from  one  page  of  a  ledger  to  another.  The 
social  and  moral  evils  of  a  financial  crisis  were  out  of  all  pro- 
portion to  the  collective  loss.  The  sufferers  often  belonged 
to  classes  which  could  ill  afford  pecuniary  sacrifices,  and  they 
found  no  consolation  in  the  indirect  advantages  which  followed 
from  the  bursting  of  commercial  bubbles.  The  panic  of  186G 
recurred  after  the  unusually  short  interval  of  eight  years  and  a 
half,  and  there  followed  an  unprecedented  absence  of  elasticity 
in  the  revival  of  credit.  During  the  early  part  of  the  year  a 
high  rate  of  interest  indicated  unusual  pressure ;  but  it  was 
commonly  asserted  that  trade  was  healthy,  and  the  failure  of 
one  or  two  country  banks  was  attributed  to  local  causes.  In 
April  the  greater  part  of  the  ordinary  stock  of  the  London, 
Chatham,  and  Dover  Railway  was  advertised  for  sale  at  an 
apparently  ruinous  discount,  and  it  was  known  that  several 


'  M 


K    ' 


i^    '! 


m 


«t     ) 


596 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


railway  contractors  woro  unable  to  obtain  a  contlniian(;o  of  the 
aJvanccs  on  wliich  their  solvency  clepended.  Tlio  llrst  week 
of  May  was  niarkcul  by  increased  dis'|uict  and  anxiety,  and  on 
the  10th  of  the  month  the  stoppage  of  the  great  discount  estab- 
lishment of  Overend  &  Gnrney  produced  universal  cmsterna- 
i'vjL.  The  business  had  been  transferred  only  a  year  before  by 
the  partners  of  a  well-known  lirm  to  a  limited  joint-stock  com- 
pany ;  and  shareholders  and  customers  had  relied  with  equal 
confideuco  on  Iho  solvency  and  prosperity  of  the  undertaking. 
At  the  time  of  the  suspension  the  engagemerts  of  the  company 
amounted  to  nineteen  million  pounds,  and  traders  and  specu- 
lators depended  on  its  resources  for  a  proportionate  supply  of 
accommodation.  No  single  bankruptcy  had  ever  caused  so 
great  a  shock  to  credit.  The  following  day  produced  the 
greatest  agitation  which  had  ever  been  known  in  London,  and 
the  government  was  compelled,  as  in  1847  and  1857,  to 
authorize  the  Bank  of  England  to  issue  notes  beyond  the  legal 
limit.  It  was  rumored  that  thu  strongest  j-jiul  stock  banks 
were  almost  drained  of  their  ready  money,  nor  could  it  bo 
doubted  that  a  slight  increase  of  distrust  on  the  part  of  de- 
positors might  have  produced  mischievous  results.  Two  or 
three  banks,  including  the  Agra  and  Easterman's  Limited  Com- 
pany, failed  within  the  week,  and  several  of  the  new  credit 
companies,  framed  on  the  French  model,  were  summarily 
crushed.  The  rate  of  ten  per  cent,  discount,  imposed  on  the 
Bank  of  England  by  government  as  a  condition  of  additional 
power  of  issue,  lasted  from  the  11th  of  May  to  the  17th  of 
August,  and  althovigh  the  rate  afterwards  declined  rapidly  from 
eight  per  cent,  to  six,  to  five,  and  to  four  per  cent.,  the  price 
of  the  funds  and  of  shares  in  railway  and  joint-stock  companies 
had  scarcely  risen  at  the  close  of  the  year.  For  some  months 
after  t)  o  panic  English  credit  fell  into  entire  disrepute  on  the 
continpii*,  and  a  circular  from  the  Foreign  Office,  containing  an 
accuriir ;  explanation  of  the  distinction  between  sci'.rcity  of 
money  and  insolvency,  appeared  only  to  aggravate  the  prevail- 
ing "suspicion."  At  home  one  important  class  of  securities 
wrs  additionally  discredited  by  the  exposure  of  scandalous 
irregularities  in  the  financial  conduct  of  the  London,  Chatham, 
and  Dover,  and  the  North  British  Railways.  The  most  pros- 
perous and  solvent  companies  suffered  from  the  doubts  which 
had  been  thrown  by  unscrupulous  directors  and  managers  on 
the  reality  of  their  profits,  and  more  especially  on  the  security 
of  their  debentures. 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES 


2.  IJiit  u  graver  and  luoro  complicated  danger  menaced 
England  in  18GG,  consisting  in  the  combinations  of  worUmon. 
Concerning  these  institutions,  the  London  "  Times  "  of  that  yar 
remarked:  "The  Trades  Unions,  as  their  organization  is  per- 
fected, become  daily  more  formidable  to  their  employers  and  to 
the  community  at  large.  As  li»ng  as  their  success  consists  in 
the  increase  of  wages  at  the  exix-nsc'  of  profits,  the  question 
c(mccrn8  only  masters  and  men  ;  but  arbitrary  restrictions  rap- 
idly tend  to  raise  prices,  to  discourage  enterprise,  and  to  k- 
privo  industry  and  skill  of  their  natural  rewards.  Ariilicit»» 
contrivances  for  raising  the  price  of  labor  beyond  a  certain  level 
arc  as  absurd  in  the  i)resence  of  free  trade  as  a  plan  of  handi- 
capping the  horses  from  a  single  stable  if  they  had  to  run  in  a 
race  open  to  the  world.  Statfordshire  or  Yorkshire  Unions  may 
easily  make  iron  dearer  ;  but,  unless  they  can  close  the  Belgian 
furnaces,  they  must  fail  in  their  attempt  to  tax  the  consumer 


through  the  employer.  The  shallow  eeonomistn  of  the  work- 
shop have  already  created  an  import  trade  in  iron  castings,  and 
even  in  locomotive  engines,  and  joiners'  llttings  are  introduced 
from  northern  ports,  while  carpenters  are  striking  for  wages  or 
for  the  dismissal  of  apprentices.  A  scandalous  outrage,  which 
was  lately  perpetrated  at  Sheffield,  has  been  followed  by  a  rapid 
diminution  in  the  trade  of  the  town,  nor  could  the  retribution 
cause  a  moment's  regret  if  the  loss  fell  exclusively  on  the  abet- 
tors of  tyranny  and  persecution.  An  attempt  to  murder  a  poor 
man,  with  his  family,  because  he  liau  held  aloof  from  the  Saw- 
Grinders'  Union,  produced  from  the  secretary  of  that  body  only 
a  mild  and  conventional  censure  of  the  crime,  accompanied  with 
an  assertion,  afterwards  sanctioned  by  the  Union,  that  the  con- 
tumacy of  the  victim  was  only  less  culpable  than  the  attempt 
of  the  assassin.  The  moral  theories  of  Sheffield  are  probably 
not  approved  by  the  great  body  of  English  artisans,  but  the  in- 
quisitorial despotism  of  the  Unions  scarcely  provokes  among 
their  members  a  murmur  of  opposition.  Like  the  horse  in  the 
fable,  like  volunteers  in  a  regiment,  the  workmen  sacrifice  indi- 
vidual freedom  for  the  power,  conferred  by  discipline,  of  co- 
ercing their  employers,  and  in  utter  forgetfulness  of  the  economic 
laws  which  overrule  the  domestic  squabbles  of  capital  and  labor. 
While  the  docility  and  ready  organization  of  the  working-classes 
are  exciting  fears  of  a  decline  in  commercial  prosperity,  our 
great  agitator  has  conceived  the  project  of  applying  industrial 
combinations  to  political  purposes.  The  ready  obedience  of 
homogeneous  multitudes  to  the  command  of  s  3lf-appointed  lead- 


598 


HISTORl    OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


ors  furnishes  a  suggefctivc  temptation  to  ambitious  demagogues. 
Mr.  Bright  has  boasted  of  having  been  the  first  to  discern  the 
poHtical  iCapabilities  of  the  Unions,  and  an  unfortunate  combi- 
nation of  circumstances  has,  after  long  disappointment,  enabled 
him  to  make  use  of  their  organization.  As  late  as  Easter,  his 
proposal  that  crowds  should  assemble  in  the  streets  to  intimidate 
Parliament  excHed  neither  attention  nor  response  ;  but  Avhen 
Mr.  Gladstone's  unskilful  strategy  and  the  divisions  of  the  lib- 
eral mpjority  had  proved  fatal  to  the  ministerial  reform  bill,  the 
artisans  of  London  and  the  great  manufacturing  towns  readily 
listened  to  assertions  that  their  claims  had  been  slighted  ;  nor 
was  reiterated  misrepresentation  wanting  to  persuade  them  that 
their  order  had  been  insulted.  The  Hyde  Park  meeting,  with 
the  partial  disturbances  which  followed,  showed  the  possibility 
of  alarming  the  upper  and  middle  classes  ;  and  in  the  course  of 
the  autumn  vast  bodies  of  men  were  collected  at  Birmingham, 
at  Manchester,  at  Leeds,  and  at  Ghisgow,  to  demand  universal 
suffrage  at  the  bidding  of  their  leaders  with  the  same  unanimity 
they  had  often  displayed  in  obeying  an  order  to  'strike'  for 
wages.  Simultaneous  meetings  were  addressed  by  Mr.  Bright, 
in  u  series  of  declamations  Avhich  tended  rather  to  excite  the 
fury  of  his  followers  against  his  political  opponents  than  to  con- 
vince or  conciliate  wavering  opinion.  At  Manchester,  Mr. 
Bright  wantonly  referred  to  the  possible  contingency  of  a  justi- 
fiable rebellion,  and  on  a  later  occasion  he  threatened  Parliament 
with  the  change  of  peaceable  demonstrations  into  a  display  of 
force  if  resistance  to  his  demands  were  continued  at  the  opening 
of  the  ensuing  session.  Li  the  midst  of  his  fiercest  invectives 
he  never  failed  to  display  his  characteristic  intolerance  of  free 
parliamentary  speech.  An  unguarded  and  misinterpreted 
phrase  of  Mr.  Lowe's  was  denounced  as  an  insult  to  the  work- 
ing-classes, Avho  were  at  the  same  time  listening  to  the  fiercest 
and  most  calumnious  invectives  against  the  House  of  Commons. 
The  great  open-air  meetings,  including  only  a  single  class  and 
one  set  of  opinions,  have,  in  the  absence  of  opposition  or  inter- 
ference, been  peaceable  and  orderly.  Grave  apprehensions  were 
aroused  by  a  notice  that  all  the  organized  Avorklng  societies  of 
London  intended  to  march  through  the  West  End  in  procession 
on  the  3d  of  December.  Theii  leaders  boastfull^'^  estimated 
their  numbers  at  two  hundred  thousand  ;  but  the  cortainty  of 
disturbance  and  the  probability  of  riot  were  averted  by  the  dis- 
appointment of  their  anticipations.  The  march  of  twenty-three 
thousand  or  twenty-five  thousand  artisans  in  military  order  was 


ENGLA:jfD,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


599 


accomplished  with  no  other  inconvenieuco  than  the  :" iterrup- 
tion  for  u  day  of  traffic  and  business.  It  will  be  well  if  the 
incompatibility  of  similar  assemblages  with  the  good  order  of  a 
great  capital  is  understood  in  London  before  it  has  been  illus- 
trated, as  in  Paris,  by  tragical  experience.  Large  masses  of 
men  acting  in  obedience  to  the  word  of  command  may,  perhaps, 
not  always  bo  instructed  to  abstain  from  violence.  Some  of  the 
agitators  of  the  Trades'  Unions  have  already  threatened  to  re- 
produce the  procession  of  1780  to  the  Houses  of  Parliament, 
if  they  can  induce  Mr.  Bright,  like  Lord  Goorge  Gordon,  to 
receive  their  petition  at  the  door  of  the  House  of  Connnons." 
It  will  not  be  forgotten  that  the  statement  of  this  journal,  al- 
waj's  conservative  and  always  opposed  to  popular  reform,  must 
be  discounted  by  the  measure  of  Canadian  freedom.  Mr.  Bright 
is  admired  on  one  side  of  the  Atlantic,  by  even  the  best  con- 
servatives, for  that  Avhich  occasions  the  bitterest  denunciations 
of  his  political  enemies  on  the  other. 

3.  In  1871  an  illness  from  which  the  queen  suffered,  in  the 
early  part  of  the  autumn,  produced  many  sincere  expressions 
of  loyal  feeling,  and  the  great  mass  of  the  community,  which 
had  Jievcr  wavered  in  its  attachment  to  the  crown  and  to  the 
royal  family,  was  astonished  at  its  own  profound  emotion  when 
it  became  known  that  the  Prince  of  Wales  was  in  imminent 
danger.  An  attack  of  fever,  commencing  in  November,  had 
from  the  first  excited  considerable  anxiety,  though  the  medical 
reports  for  three  weeks  were  comparatively  encouraging.  At 
the  end  of  the  first  week  in  December  a  relapse,  which  appeared 
to  have  rendered  recovery  hopeless,  produced  an  outburst  of 
sympathy  and  sorrow  Avhich  could»  only  be  compared  to  the 
national  grief  on  the  death  of  the  Princess  Charlotte  in  1817. 
In  every  town  crowds  Availed  anxiously  for  the  issue  of  news- 
papers containing  the  latest  news  of  the  prince,  and  the  gov- 
ernment found  it  expedient  to  forward  the  medical  bulletins  to  all 
the  telegraph  offices  in  the  United  Kingdom.  Throughout  India, 
in  the  colonies,  and  even  in  the.  United  States,  the  daily  jirogress 
of  the  disease  was  recorded  and  watched  ;  and  in  England,  in  the 
churches  of  every  religious  conununion,  prayers  were  offered, 
though  almost  without  hope,  for  the  recovery  of  the  prince. 
A  natural  associatioH  directed  special  attention  to  the  accounts 
of  the  14th  of  December,  the  day  on  which,  ten  years  before, 
the  princo's  father  had  succumbed  to  the  same  disease.  On  that 
very  day,  or  a  few  hours  earlier,  there  were  symptoms   of 


wm 


m 


iii 


1 1  <" ) 


600 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


amendment,  and  before  the  end  of  the  week  the  most  dangerous 
complications  had  disappeared. 

4.  The  year  1872  found  Mr.  Gladstone  at  the  head  of  the 
ministry,  which  position  he  had  held  since  18G8.  His  cabinet 
was  shghtly  strengthened  during  the  year.  The  recovery  of 
the  Prince  of  Wales  from  his  severe  illness,  about  the  com- 
mencement of  the  year,  was  a  substantial  cause  for  rejoicing 
throughout  the  whole  kingdom.  Sir  Charles  W.  DilUe  moved, 
in  his  place  in  the  House  of  Commons,  an  inquiry  into  the  ex- 
penditures of  the  civil  list,  looking  to  an  exposure  of  the 
alleged  extravagance  of  the  royal  family.  Ho  defended  his 
proposition  in  an  able  speech,  but,  after  a  reply  by  Mr.  Glad- 
stone, who  eulogized  the  queen,  and  denied  with  great 
warmth  the  statements  of  Sir  Charles,  the  proposition  was 
utterly  defeated  by  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  negative  votes 
to  two  affirmative.  The  Parliament  of  1872  was  dc  ')ly  con- 
cerned with  the  Alabama  claims  question  pendin<'  H\'  'oneva 
conference. 

5.  In  1873  an  indirect  vote  of  want  of  confidence  in  Mr. 
Gl2,cIstone's  cabinet  resulted  in  the  defeat  of  the  University 
Education  bill  (Ireland),  a  fiivorite  measure  with  the  premier. 
It  was  subsequently  aimounced  by  Mr.  Gladstone  in  the  Com- 
mons and  by  Earl  Granville  in  the  House  of  Lords  that  the 
ministry  had  resigned,  and  that  the  queen  had  sent  for  Mr. 
Disraeli  to  form  a  conservative  cabinet.  Meanwhile  the  latter 
exerted  himself  to  form  a  cabinet  that  would  command  the  con- 
fidence of  the  Commons,  but  was  unsuccessful,  and  was  there- 
fore compelled  to  inform  her  majesty  of  the  circumstrmces. 
Her  majesty  thereupon  sent  for  Mr.  Gladstone  and  requested 
him  to  make  certain  changes  in  his  cabinet  and  return  to  office, 
to  Avhich  he  assented.  The  reason  why  Mr.  Disraeli  did  i  .t 
accept  office  as  first  minister  was  because  there  were  a  majoviiv 
of  liberals  in  the  house,  and  he  was  known  to  be  a  stanch  con- 
servative, lie  knew  very  well  that  with  such  material  to  be 
controlled  a  month  would  not  pass  before  a  vote  of  M'ant  of 
confidence  would  overturn  his  cabinet.  However,  after  Mr. 
Gladstone's  resumption  of  office  in  March,  187^5,  it  was  evident 
that  he  held  his  place  by  a  very  frail  tenure.  He  was  compelled 
to  withdraw  some  govermnent  measures  to  prevent  their  defeat, 
and  to  make  all  the  capitid  ho  could  out  of  the  Ashantco  Avar, 

Ho  may  have  lost  some  i)restigv    in 


which  was  well  manaifcd 

asking  the  additional  grant  for  the  Duke  of  Edinburgh  '  I'lo 

second  son  of  the  queen) ,  in  view  of  his  approaching  marriage ; 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


601 


but  this  was  managed  with  such  skill  as  not  to  materially  affect 
his  strength.  During  the  recess  of  1873  he  carefully  studied 
the  state  of  public  feeling.  He  found  his  political  enemies  very 
formidable.  The  Roman  Catholics,  under  the  lead  of  their 
bishops,  were  all  opposed  to  the  Irish  Educational  bill.  The 
.  aristocracy,  and  particularly  the  clerical  portion  of  it,  were  sus- 
picious of  his  disestablishment  policy,  fearing  that  England 
might  share  with  Ireland  in  the  measure.  He  could  not  rely 
upon  the  Irish  home  rulers,  and  the  great  body  of  the  v;orking- 
men  had  been  turned  against  him  on  his  refusal  to  grant  an 
extension  of  suffrage.  Altogether  the  outlook  was  not  promis- 
ing. 

6.  In  the  winter  and  autumn  of  1873  Mr.  Gladstone,  the 
liberal  premier,  became  satisfied  that  he  could  not  command  a 
working  majority  in  the  Commons  at  the  next  session,  and, 
accordingly,  on  the  24th  of  January,  1874,  the  twentieth  Parlia- 
ment was  dissolved  and  writs  for  a  new  election  issued.  The 
returns  from  these  elections  gave  three  hundred  and  fifty  con- 
servatives, two  hundred  and  forty-two  liberals,  and  sixty  home 
rulers.  The  conservatives  having  thus  a  clear  majority,  Mr. 
Gladstone  resigned,  and  the  queen  sent  for  Mr.  Disraeli,  the 
conservative  leader,  to  form  a  new  cabinet.  This  gave  Mr. 
Disraeli  a  second  tcim  as  first  minister.  On  the  21st  of  February 
the  new  cabinet  was  announced.     It  was  as  follows  :  — 

First  Lord  of  the  Treasury  and  Premier.  —  Right  Hon.  Benj.  Disuaeu. 
Lord  High  Chancellor.  —  I.oud  Caiuns,  formerly  Sir  Hugh  ]\IcCalmont 

Caiuns. 
Lord  President  of  the  Council.  —  Charles  Henry  Goruon-Lennox,  Duko 

of  Itiehinond. 
Secretari/  of  State  for  Home  Department.  —  Right  lion.  Richard  Assheton 

Cross. 
Lord  Privy  Seal.  —  James  Howard  Harris,  Earl  of  Malmesbury. 
Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer.  —  Right  Hou.  Sir  Stafford  IIenrV  North- 
cote. 
Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs,  —  Right  lion.  Edward  Henry 

Smith-Stanley,  Earl  of  Derby. 
Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies. — Right  Hon.  Henry  Howard  M.IIi.u- 

rert,  Earl  of  Carnarvon. 
First  Lord  of  the  Admiralty.  —  Ri^ht  Hon.  George  Ward  Hunt. 
Secretary  of  State  far  India.  —  Right  Hon.  Rouert  Arthur  Talbot  Gas- 

COIgne-Cecil,  Marquis  of  Salisbury. 
Secretary  of  State  far  War.  — Right  Hon.  Gathorne  Hardy. 
Postmas'ter'-Oeneral.  —  Right  Hon.  Lord  John  James  Robert  Manners. 

7.  With  the  foregoing  cabinet  the  great  leader,  who  is  still, 
1878,  at  the  head  of  the  government,  began  his  administration 


''ill 

m 
III 


-I 

m 

•    :  ,1- 

"  I  '■^, 

■  i '  •  ■ 


'\m 


j? 

,«;«' 

aiSi 

— :r  :tir 

602 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


in  1874.  The  war  with  Ashantee,  that  had  extended  through- 
out the  previous  year,  was  carried  forward  under  the  vigorous 
leadership  of  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley,  and  was  successfully  termi- 
nated in  February,  1874, — Coomassie,  the  capital  of  Ashantee, 
being  captured  in, that  month,  and  burned,  tlie  king,  Koffer, 
thereupon  suing  for  peace.  Tiie  marriage  of  Prince  Alfred, 
Duke  of  Edinburgh,  second  son  of  the  queen,  to  the  Grand- 
Duchess  Marie  of  liussia,  only  daughter  of  the  Czar  Alex- 
ander II.,  was  celebrated  at  St.  Petersburg,  Jan.  21,  1874, 
and  the  duke  and  duchess  took  up  their  residence  in  England 
in  March.  The  remains  of  Dr.  Livingstone,  who  had  died  in 
Centi'al  Africa,  May  4,  1873,  were  brought  from  Africa,  and 
buried  with  great  ceremony  in  Westminster  Abbey,  April  18, 
1874. 

8.  The  opening  of  the  Eastern  question  by  the  insurrection 
in  European  Turkey  led  to  an  earnest  reconsideration  of  the 
position  which  England  ought  to  occupy.  While  the  confidence 
in  the  former  policy  of  the  government,  to  maintain  under  all 
circumstances  the  integrity  of  the  Turkish  Empire,  was  gener- 
ally' shaken,  public  o[)inion  expressed  itself  strongly  in  favor 
of  strengthening  British  influence  in  Eg3''pt,  for  the  j)urposc  of 
securing  the  possession  of  India.  AV'hile  this  subject  was  dis- 
cussed by  the  English  press,  the  whole  world  was  surprised  by 
the  announcement  that  the  British  government  had  purchased 
from  the  Khedive  nearly  one-half  of  all  the  shares  of  the  Suez 
Canid  Company.  Public  opinion  in  England  received  this 
clear  indication  of  the  intention  of  the  government  in  regard 
to  the  Eastern  question.  AVe  will,  however,  reserve  further 
comment  on  the  Eastern  question  for  succeeding  chapters, 
which  are  devoted  to  that  question,  and  to  the  war  between 
Russia  and  Turkey  which  resulted.  In  1870  a  measure  was 
carried  in  Parliament  to  enable  her  majesty  to  assume,  in 
addition  to  her  former  titles,  the  style  and  title  of  "Empress 
of  India."  The  royal  familj^  of  England  consists  of  the  follow- 
ing members :  — 


1.  Her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria. 

2.  I'RiNCESS  Victoria  (married  to  the  crown  Prince  of  Germany). 

3.  Prince  Albert  Edward,  heir  apparent.  (Prince  of  Wales  married 
daufihter  of  King  Christian  IX.  of  Denmark.  Issue,  two  sons  and  three 
daughters.) 

4.  Princess  Alice  (married  to  Prince  Ludwig  of  Ilcsse). 

5.  Phince  Alfred,  Duke  of  Edinburgh  (married  to  Grand-Duchess 
Mario  of  llussia). 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


603 


6.  Prixcess  Helena,  (married  Prince  Christian  of  Schleswig-IIolstein- 
Londerburg-Au^ijstenburg) . 

7.  pRiNCEsa  Louise  (married  to  Marquis  of  Lome). 

8.  Prince  Arthur,  Duke  of  Connaught. 

9.  Prince  Leopold. 
10.  PiuNCEsa  Beatrice. 


♦ »  ♦ 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

ENGLAND  IN  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 

1.  We  can  but  glance  at  a  few  of  the  important  incidents 
in  the  general  features  of  social  and  religious  improvement  in 
England  during  that  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  now  i)assed. 
By  all  means  the  noblest  religious  work  has  been  in  connection 
with  "Tiie  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,"  an  enterprise 
mighty  and  eternal  in  its  results,  yet  instigated  by  a  little  child. 
Mr.  Bcrard  thus  tells  the  incident  which  led  to  the  formation  of 
this  society  :  "A  Welsh  girl,  tripping  over  her  native  hills,  was 
met  by  the  Bev.  Mr.  Charles,  of  Bala.  He  stopped  the  child, 
and  asked  if  she  could  tell  him  the  text  on  Avhich  he  had  preacheu 
the  preceding  Sunday.  The  little  girl  hung  her  head  as  she 
replied  that  she  had  not  been  able  to  get  at  the  Bible  that 
week.  On  inquiring  the  reason,  the  clergyman  foimd  that 
there  was  but  one  Bible  within  several  miles,  and  that  this 
child  was  in  the  habit  of  walking  a  long  distance  every  Aveek, 
over  rugged  mountain  paths,  for  the  privilege  of  reading  the 
word  of  God.  The  fact  that  a  large  district  of  Great  Britain 
was  destitute  of  Bibles  made  a  deep  impression  on  the  mind  of 
Mr.  Charles.  He  visited  London,  and  spoke  of  it  to  others. 
Christian  hearts  Avere  roused,  nor  Avas  it  long  before  the  reso- 
lution Avas  made  to  print  and  sell  Bibles  at  such  prices  as  would 
enable  the  poor  to  obtain  them."  Thus  began,  in  1804,  Avith  a 
subscription  of  only  three  thousand  dollars,  "  The  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society,"  Avhich  has  now  a  revenue  of  OA'cr  eight 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  has  circulated  nearly  forty  mil- 
lions of  Bibles  and  Testaments. 

2.  The  societies  established  in  the  previous  century  for  the 
promotion  of  religious  truth  have  been  greatly  lextended  during 
the  past  fifty  years.  In  addition  to  this,  ncAv  institutions  for 
the  same  grand  purpose  have  been  established  by  the  Church 
of  England  and  the  A'arious  dissenting  bodies.  By  the  good 
offices  of  these  societies,  and  in  connection  Avith  similar  Christian 


~"1 


¥'.  M 


m^ 


Jm 


U^i: 


604 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


enterprises  in  America,  the  great  blessings  of  Christian  civiliza- 
tion have  been  extended  to  the  remotest  colonics  of  Great 
Britain,  and  to  many  heathen  nations.  Schools  and  churches 
of  the  Christian  faith  have  been  founded  in  China,  India,  Africa, 
and  the  isles  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Sunday  schools,  tirst  estab- 
lished by  Itobcrt  Kaikes,  in  1780,  have  become  almost  universal, 
and  there  is  scarcely  a  parish  or  religious  society  in  England 
or  the  United  States  in  which  one  or  more  Sunday  school  does 
not  flourish.  It  would  require  a  volume  much  larger  than  the 
present  to  record  the  wonderful  triumphs  of  Christianity  in 
the  present  century,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the 
centre  of  these  victories  has  been  in  the  United  Kingdom. 
England 
great 


truth  well-known  to   all   languages   that  no 
have   done  so  much  for  the  whole  human 


has  ever  been  the  foremost  Christian  nation,  and  the 
extension  of  her  possessions  in  all  parts  of  the  world 
has  been  greeted  with  universal  satisfaction,  chiefly  because 
these  have  been  coextensive  with  religious  and  civil  liberty. 
The  Avorld  cannot  easily  measure  the  blessings  which  God  has 
seen  tit  to  bestow  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  English 
nation.  It  is  a 
pebplo  of  the  race 
family  as  the  English. 

3.  The  j\Ietropolitan  Lunatic  Asylum,  at  Hanwell,  stands 
forth  to  mark  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  Christian  charity  in 
England.  Here  for  the  first  time  in  th(»  kingdom  the  barbarous 
system  of  coercing  the  insane  gave  place  to  that  of  judicious 
medical  treatment.  "Instead  of  being*  chained  in  cells,  and 
left  to  idleness,  a  prey  to  the  fancies  of  their  own  disordered 
intellects,  empl-^yment  has  been  furnished  according  to  the 
abilities  of  the  inmates :  the  men  engaged  in  gardening  and 
building;  the  women  made  happy  by  the  industry  of  the 
needle." 

4.  English  literature  has  made  some  of  its  most  gigantic 
strides  during  +he  present  century.  "An  interesting  feature 
has  been  a  new  style  of  periodical  review.  The  tirst  which 
appeared  was  '  The  Edinburgh  Review,' established  in  1802,  by 
the  licv.  Sydney  Smith,  Messrs.,  afterwards  Lords,  Jeffrey  and 
Brougham,  and  other  men  of  distinguished  talent.  The  con- 
tributors to  the  columns  of  this  periodical  were  Whigs,  who 
advocated  successively  the  great  reform  questions  of  the  day. 
The  boldness  and  ability  of  their  writings  gave  no  little  sup- 
port to  the  promoters  of  the  abolition  of  slavery,  the  repeal  of 
the  corn-laws,  etc.  'The  Quarterly  Review,' a  Tory  publica- 
tion, was  established  in  London,  in  the  year  1809.     It  is  distin- 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


605 


gui^Iied  for  beauty  of  literary  composition,  and  its  columns 
have  been  enriched  by  the  genius  of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Southoy, 


and   Lord   Canning.       '  lilackwood's 


Magaznic,' 


dcsi/jrned   to 


counteract  the  Whig  influence  of  'The  Edinburgh  lioviov/,'  was 
set  up  in  1817  by  its  able  editor.  Professor  \Vilson,  so  well 
known  ns  'Christopher  North.'" 

5.  The  "Society  for  the  Promotion  and  Diffusion  of  Useful 
Knowledge"  was  inaugurated  in  1827,  and  mainly  through  the 
eflbrts  of  Mr.  Brougham,  Lord  John  llussell,  and  the  Priend 
William  Allen.  Its  object  was  to  cft'ect  the  i)ul)lication,  in 
cheap  form,  of  elementary  treatises  on  scientitic  subjects,  such 
as  would  be  within  the  means  and  uses  of  the  working-men. 
"The  Penny  Magazine,"  "The  Penny  Cydopiedia,'  and  "The 
Library  of  Entertaining  Knowledge,"  and  many  other  Avorks 
of  an  entertaining  and  valuable  nature,  have  been  sent  forth  by 
this  society,  which,  through  the  influence  of  Mr.  Knight,  have 
done  a  ffreat  work  in  the  line  of  disseminatini?  useful  knowledsje 
among  the  wx)rking-clas8. 

6.  The  discoveries  and  improvements  in  the  industrial  and 
fine  arts  have  worked  a  revolution  in  tlu  ,o  departments  in  the 
last  half-century.  The  breadth  of  these  improvements  is  com- 
pared only  by  the  distance  from  the  simple  Inciter  match  to  the 
mighty  steam-engine  and  electric  telegraph.  Each  year  seems 
to  unfold  some  new  triumph  of  genius  over  the  Avorld  of  mat- 
ter, the  latest  of  which  is  the  telephone,  Avhich,  be  it  said  to 
the  boast  of  that  enterprising  republic,  is  an  American  ii  ven- 
tion.     The  telegraph  is  also  an  American  invention. 

7.  "To  the  Prince  Consort  of  England,"  says  Mr.  Bcrard, 
"is  due  the  praise  of  having  originated  the  grand  idea  of  an  ex- 
hibition of  the  industry  of  all  nations.  To  Mr.  (afterwards  Sir 
Joseph)  Paxton  l)elongs  the  honor  of  having  designed  the 
marvellous  structure  of  iron  and  glass,  wherein  might  be  ex- 
hibited fair  samples  of  the  world's  art  and  industry.  Thi#,  the 
largest  compa(,'t  building  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  was  erected 
in  Hyde  Park,  London,  in  less  than  nine  raonths,  out  of 
materials  hitherto  wholly  untried  in  the  great  constructions  of 
ancient  or  modern  times. 

•Like  Arabia's  matchless  palaco, 

Chilli  of  Magic's  strong  decree, 
One  vast  globe  of  living  sapphire. 
Floor,  walls,  columns,  canopy.' 

"Nor  was  the  exhibition  within  unworthy  of  the  beautiful 
structure.    There,  during  the  summer  of  1851,  was  represented 


ill  ;■ 


■!;i  '  ,i1 


606 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANXdA, 


all  that  was  most  excellent  in  use  or  beauty  of  the  industry  of 
all  lands.  Literally  one  hundred  nations,  from  Europe,  Asia, 
Africa,  America,  and  the  fifth  continent,  Australia,  united  in 
the  celebration  of  this  jubilee  of  art.  From  the  1st  day  of  May, 
when  the  queen  in  person  opened  to  her  subjects  and  to  the 
world  the  portals  of  this  marvellous  palace,  so  great  was  the 
throng  of  admiring  visitors,  from  ev  nk  and   class   in 

society,  and  almost  from  every  quarter  o.  ie  glol)e,  that  the 
great  exhibition  of  1851  was  aptly  named  'The  World's  Fair.' 
To  the  looker-on  in  London  it  might  have  seemed  as  if  the 
world  had  indeed  given  itself  a  holiday,  and  gone  thither  to 
enjoy  it.  When  the  exhibition  was  over,  many  schemes  were 
devised  for  the  future  disposition  of  the  building.  At  length, 
in  May  of  1852,  the  Crystal  Palace,  in  Hyde  Park,  was  purchased 
by  a  private  company  of  English  gentlemen.  Thoy  designed 
that  this  noble  structure  '  should  rise  again,  greatly  enhanced 
in  grandeur  and  beauty ;  that  it  should  form  a  palace  for  the 
multitude,  where,  to  the  inhabitants  of  London  especially,  should 
be  afforded,  in  wholesome  country  air,  amidst  the  beauties  of 
nature,  the  elevating  treasures  of  art,  and  the  instructive  mar- 
vels of  science,  an  accessible  and  inexpensive  substitute  for  the 
injuries  and  debasing  amusements  of  a  crowded  metropolis.' 
The  Crystal  Palace,  rising  amid  the  natural  beauties  of  Syden- 
ham, in  Kent,  within  a  few  miles  of  London,  has  amply  fulfilled 
this  noble  design.  The  palace  and  its  grounds  occupy  two  hun- 
dred acres.  To  the  lover  of  out-door  beauty,  parterres  filled 
with  the  richest  and  gayest  flowers,  green  terraces,  fountains, 
parks,  lakes,  and  every  attraction  of  landscape-gardening,  allure 
in  this  fascinating  spot.  To  the  lover  of  art  there  exists  within 
a  world  of  interest  and  delight.  And  yet  so  simple  is  the 
arrangement  of  the  treasures  Avithin  this  mighty  edifice  that 
there  is  no  confusion,  —  nothing  inharmonious.  In  the  fine 
arts  and  industrial  courts  and  galleries,  the  visitor,  whether  a 
man  of  science  or  of  literature,  poet,  painter,  i^culptor,  artisan, 
or  mechanic,  may  learn,  as  it  were  in  epitome,  of  all  that  his 
fellow-man  has  accomplished,  almost  from  the  first  dawn  of 
civilization  down  to  the  present  moment.  In  the  great  nave, 
sixteen  hundred  and  eight  feet  in  length,  is  beheld  a  glorious 
vista  of  fountains  and  foliage,  flowers  and  statuary.  On  either 
side  tiers  of  pendant  baskets,  filled  with  graceful  vinss  and 
richest  bloom,  perfume  the  air  with  delicious  fragrance.  The 
ear  is  regaled  with  the  singing  of  birds,  the  playing  of  the  grand 
organ,  or  the  music  of  the  orchestra,  or,  if  these  are  hushed. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


607 


with  tho  refreshing  sound  of  the  fountains.  Prominent  in  the 
foreground  of  tho  picture  rises  the  transparent  fountain  of  ghiss, 
which,  glittering  with  all  tho  colors  of  the  rainbow,  and  tower- 
ing from  a  solid  base  up  to  a  point,  pours  its  unceasing  streams 
upon  the  crystal  basin  below.  In  this  sheet  of  water  float  the 
gigantic  leaves  of  the  Victoria  liegia.  In  the  basins  of  other 
fountains  are  to  bo  found  rare  and  curious  aquatic  plants,  water- 
lilies,  gold-fish,  and  in  some  basins  all  tho  curiosities  of  the 
aquarium.  Beds  or  borders  ranging  on  cither  side  of  tho  nave, 
in  front  of  the  various  courts,  contain  tho  rich  botanical  treasures 
of  the  palace.  In  these  groves  may  bo  found  the  trees  and 
shrubs  and  plants  of  almost  every  clime.  Their  waving  foliage 
forms  a  pleasing  backgrounc?  to  tho  numerous  specimens  of 
statuary,  which,  singly  or  in  sculptured  groups,  adorn  the  whole 


extent  of  this  magnificent  nave.  And  over  all,  heightening 
immeasurably  the  eifect  of  this  scene  of  beauty,  stretches  the 
arched  roof,  with  its  delicate  aerial  tint,  spanning  tho  whole  as 
if  it  were  with  a  vault  of  opal.  Thus  stands  the  Crystal  Palace, 
an  enduring  monument  of  a  new  and  wonderful  architecture,  a 
permanent  palace  of  education  and  art  for  the  use  of  mankind, 
and  an  ample  fulfilment  of  tho  noblest  designs  of  its  founda- 
tion." 


ill 

11 

■  1 

i 

ir^ 

U 

!'" 

:  .1(1- 

lit 

i:|| 

fc 

:,,| 

,1.'^ 


(,:•«. 


i'vi. 


(K)8 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

THE  TURKO-RUSSIAN   WAR. 

THE  REr.ATIVB  MILITARY   STHENGTII  OF  THE  TWO   POWERS  AT  THE  COMMENCEMENT 
OF   THE   WAR  —  I'ROOUESa   IN   THE    FIELU  —  THE   CONTEST  —  lALL  OF  TURKEY. 


1.  It  is  no  slight  task  to  write  or  compile  a  consecutive 
history  of  tlio  grojit  Tiirko-Kussian  war  of  1877-8.  The 
sources  of  information  are  ample,  but  equally  as  conflicting, 
and  nuicli  that  has  found  its  way  into  print  is  unreliable.  We 
must  contcut  ourselves  with  tracing  briefly  the  dii)lomatic 
struggles  which  preceded  the  war,  or  the  causes  producing 
the  Avar,  the  war  itself,  and  the  diplomatic  contest  which  fol- 
lowed the  treaty  of  San  Stefano.  Thus  wo  have  our  subject 
divided  into  three  parts.  First,  then,  let  us  glance  at  diplo- 
matic measures  previous  to  the  war,  and  see  if,  in  our  observa- 
tions, wo  may  not  happen  on  the  immediate  causes  of  the 
appeal  to  arms.  This  Eastern  question  is  a  very  old  one, 
and,  although  old  as  European  nations,  has  not  slept  sufficiently 
long  at  any  one  time  to  have  been  forgotten  by  a  single 
generation.  The  English,  French,  German,  and  Prussian 
statesmen  have  found  their  greatest  abilities  most  heavily 
taxed  when  grappling  with  the  designs  of  Russia.  The  atti- 
tude of  this  Eastern  question  is  ever  changing,  and  it  is  this 
constant  changing  which  has  rendered  the  problem  so  difficult 
and  so  much  of  a  puzzle  to  the  popular  mind.  What  is  of  the 
greatest  importance  this  week  sinks  into  utter  significance  next, 
and  thus  the  scene  is  ever  changing  and  repeating.  But  it  is 
these  varying  phases  which  have  led  to  every  crisis,  and  to  every 
war  in  which  the  armies  of  Russia  have  fought ;  and  it  was  this 
peculiar  nature  of  the  case  which  led  to  the  desperate  war  of 
1877-8,  which  has  prostrated  Turkey  at  the  proud  feet  of 
Russia,  and  necessitated  a  reconstruction  of  those  provinces 
of  the  Balkan  peninsula  recently  in  some  measure  dependent 
upon  the  Ottoman  government.  I3y  glancing  at  the  most  promi- 
nent phases  of  the  Eastern  question,  we  may  easily  discern  the 
ground  of  disputes  between  the  two  late  contending  powers, 
and  understand  what  are  the  "  English  interests  "  touching  the 
populations  which  inhabit  the  countries   extending  from  the 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


609 


Bouthcrn  frontiers  of  Austria  and  Russia  to  the  northern  fron- 
tier of  Greece. 

2.     The  phase  of  the  question  whieh  ajritated  the  powers  nt 
the  close  of  1^75  was  to  deal  with  the  rebellion  in  Bosnia  and 


TUC  ORAKD  OUKS  ALEXANDEn  ALEXANOIIUVITCII,  UEIR-APPAKLNT  TO  THE  TIIKO.NE  OC  BISSIA. 

the  Herzegovina.  The  troubles  in  the  latter  had  their  origin  in 
tJie  corrupt  administration  of  the  provinces.  As  we  are  well 
aware,  the  great  powers  of  Europe  dealt  with  it  hy  merely 
giving  advice,  but  carcfull}'  avoiding  action.  The  rebellion, 
however,   only   increased,  and  received  strong  encouragement 


ft      „  1, 


r  I 


610 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


from   the   Slavo   populations   of  Austria,    Scrvia,    and   Mon- 
At  last  the  govcrnnicnts  of  Germany,  Russia,  and 


to  negro. 


Austria-Hungary  decided  that  a  bolder  course  of  action  was 
imperative,  and  in  May,  1870,  they  drew  up  the  Dcrlin  memo- 
raudiini,  with  the  object,  as  the  document  declares,  "to  support 
their  diplomatic  action  by  the  sanction  of  an  agreement  with 
a  view  to  such  clficacious  measures  as  might  l)e  demanded,  in 
the  interests  of  general  peace,  to  check  the  evil  and  prevent  its 
development."  On  the  15th  of  May  the  governments  of  France 
and  Italy  signified  their  approval  or   acquiescence  ;    but  the 


government  of  Great  Britain  refused. 


At  this  time  the  foreign 
regret 


(;f 


minister  of  Italy  openl}'  avowed  his  regret  at  the  action 
England,  and  stated  that  ho  considered  "  united  action  between 
all  the  powers  was  the  surest  means  of  securing  peace ;  and 
that,  in  associating  themselves  with  the  policy  of  the  three 
ii.ipei'ial  cabinets  in  the  present  instance,  the  Western  Powers 
would  be  in  a  better  position  to  exercise  an  influence  over  sub- 
sequent proceedings  should  the  measure  now  proposed  fail  to 
realize  the  hoped-for  pacification.  These  were  the  motives 
which  had  determined  the  Italian  government  to  accept  the  new 
proposals."  Such  was  the  gentle  m  ^ner  in  which  Italy  remon- 
strated with  England,  while  at  tl"  ne  time  the  foreign  min- 
ister of  Franco  expressed  to  Eng  .o  representocive  at  Paris 
"  his  surprise  and  regret,  and  spoke  at  length,  and  in  a  pecu- 
liarly earnest  language  of  the  result  which  ho  dreaded  if,  by 
the  non-consent  of  all  the  powers,  an  armistice  became  impos- 
sible, and  thus  the  present  struggle  were  kept  up.  He  im- 
plored her  majesty's  government  to  reconsider  their  decision. 
He  trusted  that  they  Avould  at  least  consent  to  recommend  an 
armistice,  however  short,  in  order  that  an  attempt  might  be 
made  to  find  some  ground  for  the  establishment  of  a  common 
concert  between  the  six  powers  ;  and  he  declared  that,  for  his 
part,  he  could  but  consider  that,  if  England  stood  aloof  at  this 
momentous  crisis,  it  would  bo  a  public  calamity  for  Europe." 
But  England  yielded  n6t,  and  for  good  reasons.  But  this  was 
by  no  means  all  the  pressure  brought  to  bear  against  the  gov- 
ernment of  England.  Prince  Bismarck  said  "he  would  willingly 
entertain  modifications  or  improvements  which  the  English 
government  might  propose ;  but  he  greatly  regretted  that  her 
majesty's  government  had  not  been  able  to  give  a  general 
support  to  the  principle  of  the  plan  submitted  by  the  northern 
powers,  and  agreed  to  by  France  and  Italy,  and  had  felt  obliged  to 
withdraw  from  the  cordial  understanding  so  happily  established 


KXOLANn,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


Gil 


hotwcon  tho  six  great  })()wor.s  iii  re<(urtl  to  tho  piicilUatiou  of 
Ww!  IIerzt'«;oviim.''  On  the  other  hand,  Prince  (lortchakow, 
of  Ilnssia,  "  dcei»ly  regl'etted  the  resoUition  taken  by  tlio  London 
cabinet;"  and 
Connt  Andras- 
sy,  of  Austria, 
oilered  to  de- 
hiy  the  presen- 
tation to  the 
Porto  of  the 
Berlin  propo- 
sitions, in  the 
hope  that  tho 
English  gov- 
ernment might 
still  1)0  in- 
duced to  give 
its  CO oi)e ra- 
tion. But  still 
Engl  a  11  '  re- 
mained lirm, 
and  thus  broke 
up  the  concert- 
ed action  of 
the  powers. 

3.  Tho  Porto 
was  overjoyed 
at  England's 
attitude,     and 


I'KIXCE    CHARLES    OF   ROKMAXIA. 


became  moro  than  over  determined  to  disregard  tho  advice  of 
tho  powers,  no  longer  imanimous.  John  W.  Probyn,  in  an  able 
article  on  tho  Eastern  Question,  seems  to  lind  cause,  though 
not  in  our  estimation  justiliablc,  for  complaint  against  England, 
lie  says,^  "A  policy  advocated  by  Austritl,  whoso  iieighl)oring 
Slave  populations  necessarily  and  naturally  sympathized  with 
tho  Slaves  of  Bosnia  and  tho  Herzegovina,  was  assuredly  one 
that  should  have  commanded  tho  assent  of  English  statesmen. 
They  would  have  done  well  to  reflect  that  if  Austi-ian  statesmen 
(dreading  that  the  continuation  of  tho  revolt  against  tho  Poilo 
would  load  Servia  and  Montenegro  to  aid  tho  insurgents) 
thought  it  time  '  to  supplement  their  diplomatic  action  by  the 

'Compiled  from  sketch  in  "  British  Quarterly  Kcvicw,"  iiml  from  articles  in  Lomlon 
"  News  ''  and  "  Times." 


..IS).: 


t 


:r 


Jii|*l 


G12 


IIISTOUV   Ol«'  DOMINION   OF  CAN/\I)A, 


stiiu'tiou  of  an  n^rooiiuMit  with  ii  view  to  hucIi  cffiran'oKs  mw.y- 
uri's  as  iui<;ht  \w  i\vi\\iun\v(\  in  llu«  iiilcri'sls  of  j^(<n<>ral  piMU'ti  to 
<>li('(>lv  tlio  evil  and  )>rovt>nt  its  <l(>v<<lo|/hu'nt/  Kn^u^land  would 
Imvo  dono  nvll  (o  a^ro(Mo  Iho.so 'I'llicai-iouH  nuMisuroM.'  Jt,  \s 
diiiicult  to  soo  what  dan;j^«'r  (in-at  Hiitain  coidd  liavo  run  \ty 
assontiiifx  t<.  a  policy  a<j;rt'o(l  to  by  Austria,  it  was  l>y  tlid  adop- 
tion of 'rllicj  fions  nioasuivs,'  and  n<>(  Uy  a  refusal  to  join  in  llicuj, 
that  Lord  PalincM'stou  put  an  ond  to  nusrnli',  Hti'ito,  and  nias- 
sacro  in  tho  li(>l)anon,  in  IHdt).  Ho  diti  not  hesitate  to  join 
France  in  eoerein;^  TnrUey,  and  oidi^j^ing  her,  by  means  of  a 
FnMieh  army  and  an  English  Ueet,  to  punish  her  oU'endiu^ 
otHeera.  ()r(h>r  thus  hein;;  restored  by  tlu'arms  (if  the  Western 
powers,  they  proceeded,  in  <u»ncert  with  the  other  powi'rs  and 
Turkey,  to  establish  a  government  in  the  Lebanon  which  has 
since  luled  fairly  well  its  various  raves  and  cret-ds.  lint  this 
remarkable  precedent  was  of  no  account  ap|)anMitly  in  the 
counsels  of  Lord  Hcaconti(dd's  cabint>t,  not  oven  when  Austria 
herself  had  sanctioncnl  an  aji^reement  with  a  view  to  '  ellicaiioiis 
measures.'  lict  those  who  desired  tho  njainteiumco  of  *h(».  in- 
dcpctidcnce  and  iutcijrity  of  the  Ottoman  empire,  as  settled  by 
the  treaty  of  \H!)[},  ask  themselves  whether  the  results  of  Kn<;- 
land's  a^iHMMui!^  to  tlu» '  etlicacious  measures  '  implied  in  the  Ber- 
lin memorandum  could  possibly  havi^  been  as  <lisastrous  to  tho 
Porte  as  have  been  the  results  of  that  policy  of  rel"usal  io  join 
in  'etlicacious  measures'  so  [)crsistently  jjursued  by  the  Kni>lish 
cabinet.  The  (Miemies  of  Turkey  may  indeed  con/jjralidato 
tlxMusclves  that  no  'etlicacious  measures '  were  taken  by  tho 
j)owers  of  Europe  to  put  an  end  to  misrule  and  rebellion  in 
Bosnia  and  the  llcr/e^j^ovina  ;  but  tho  avowed  friends  and  sup- 
porters of  th'  Ottoiuiui  <>()vermnent  have  assuredly  not  tho  same 
eau.-^e  for  riMoicinii"  in  this  year  of  {jrnu'o  1}^7<S." 

4.  The  rejection  of  the  IJcrlin  memoraiulum  was  soon  fol- 
lowed by  Servia  and  Montenegro  declaring  war  against  the 
Porte.  Thus  the  conllagration  spread,  and  tho  danger  to  the 
peace  of  Luroi)c  was  thereby  sensibly  increased.  Tho  mas- 
sacres in  Bulgaria,  which  occurred  in  May,  187G,  turned  tho 
tide  of  feeling  throughout  Europe  strongly  against  Turkey. 
After  Mr.  Baring's  carefully  prepared  otKcial  report  upon  these 
massacres,  Lord  Derby  wrote  in  September,  187(),  his  famous 
despatch  on  the  subject  to  tho  Porto.  In  it  tho  foreign  socro- 
tary  of  England  directed  her  ambassador  at  Constantinople  to 
demand  a  formal  audience  with  tho  sultan,  to  communicato  the 
result  of  ^!^L.  Baring's  inquiries  into  the  Bulgarian  atrocities,  and, 


ENOLAND,   ANn  TIIK  tlNITKn  STATKS. 


OlIJ 


in  tlici  iituuo  of  tlui  (|iKMMi,  mil  for  reparation,  jiiHtioo,  and  (ho 
])unisinn('nt  of  IIioho  who  had  pcrpc^tratiMl  thoni,  nicnlionin*^ 
ot^pccially  ('h<'fkct;  PaHha,  JIo  had  pri^vionsly  iTiad(!  hiin- 
Hclf  ('(/nHpicMioiiH  by  (rcachcronsly  aflackin^i^  and  inaHsacrinjU^ 
a  hirgci  liody  of  ndn/jjccH  at  I*o,shovo,  in  Ihe  Hcr/c/^ovina.  w'-o 
wtM'o  rclnrnin'if  to  their  Iionies,  <'onlidin;^  in  Wut  proniiscM  of  tho 
'rnrUi.sh  f^overninent.  His  jx'isonai  nhan!  in  Ihe.  niasHaert'H  i!^ 
(h'.sei'ihed  in  Mr.  Jiai':n;;('.s  n^port  as  "  ahoniinahle,  as  therc^  was 
not  a  Henihhmeo  of  nnolt.  The?  inhahilanis  wen;  peileelly 
peaceable,  antl  tho  attaek  on  tlu^ni  wnn  us  (;rnel  and  wanton  ii 
deed  as  eonid  well  havi,  \n'vn  connniHcMl."  'I'!ie,  I*ort(^  was,  of 
coiM'se,  p.rofnsr!  in  promises  lh.it  justire  shonid  l)e  done.  This 
Tnrkish  jiislitro  took  th<!  form  of  leavin*^  <  Ilief  kei  Pasha  nn- 
pmiished.and  nitimately  •;ivin<^  him  hii^h  eonimand  in  nnl<^aria. 
Jt  is  dillienlt  to  eoneeive  a  "grosser  insult  ihan  was  (hiis  ollerc^d 
by  (he  Ottoman  jj^overnment  to  that  of  IOn<i^iand.  'Vho  latter 
demanded  the  [)nnishnient  of  this  oilieial  eiiniinal;  tin;  l'ort(^ 
replied  by  promotin<;  him.  V(M-y  dillerent  was  the  justice  which 
Lord  I'almerston,  in  1H(K),  compelled  tlui  Turkish  government 
to  met(^  out  to  its  otilcials  who  had  b(MMi  con<;ern(!d  in  tho 
L(!banon  maHHa(!res.      Those  criminals  were  duly  shot. 

T).  iMontene<rro  prosecuted  .successlnlly,  in  1870,  her  war 
with  Turki-y.  Servia  was,  on  tho  contrary,  diifcated,  despite 
consi(ler»bl(!  aid  ^ivcMi  to  her  by  Russian  voluntc^cirs.  This  latter 
l)rincip;dity  was  saved  from  con(juest  by  th(!  Turks  thn)u;^h  the  in- 
terposition of  Kni^land,  and  tin;  ultimatum  addressitd  to  tho  J'orto 
by  Kiissia.  In  tho  end  of  Sei)t(Mnb(!r  lliissia  mado  a  proj)osal 
to  ICn^^hmd  that  Hosnia  should  be  occupied  by  Austrian  troops, 
and  Hulpiria  by  ]\ussi;m,  while  tlu;  IhM'ts  of  tho  combined 
powers  of  Europe!  took  jjossession  of  the  Hosphorns.  Sucli  a 
demonstration  tho  cabinet  of  St.  l*(!t(!rsbur<^  b(!li(!ved  woidd 
brin^  tho  Porto  to  terms,  but  tin;  En<rlish  ^(iverinnent  prott-sted 
a«j^ainst  th(i  ])roi)os!d.  Kussia  then  with<Ii(!W  that  portion  of  her 
scIkmiio  relating  to  the  military  occupation,  and  ui'^ed  that  tho 
fleets  of  iihc  i)owers  should  all  go  up  to  Constantino[)le,  with  a 
view  of  showing  that  Europe  was  in  earnest.  This  proposal 
WIS  bacdced  up  by  Austria  lirst,  and  then  by  tho  other  powers. 
But  this  proposition  also  was  negatived  by  th(!  English  govern- 
n)ent.  Then  followed  tho  conferenco  jit  (,'onstantinoplc.  Kussia 
produced  her  |)rogramme.  Exception  was  taken  to  it,  upon 
v.'hich  it  was  witlxlrawn,  and  England  stilted  her  plan.  It,  too, 
Avas  reduced  and  modido'l,  nntil  an  "irreducibh;  mininnnn"  Avas 
at  length  pressed  upon  the  Turkish  governuient.     J^ord  Salis- 


:jS-?i 


si       i 


GU 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


buiy  warned  the  Porte  that  the  alternative  Avas  a  war  which 
would  put  in  peril  "the  very  existence  of  the  Turkish  Empire  ; " 
and  he  added,  "The  responsibility  Avill  rest  solely  Avith  the  sul- 
tan and  his  advisers."    Heedless  of  such  Avarnings,  the  Porte 

first  put  out  a 
bran-neAv  con- 
stitution (the 
h  o  p  c  1  e  s  sness 
of  Avhich  no 
one  has  ex- 
pose d  ni  o  r  e 
vigorously 
t  h  a  n  L  o  r  d 
Salisbury  him- 
self), and  then, 
Avith  an  infat- 
uation that  has 
scarcely  a  par- 
allel in  recent 
times,  rejected 
the  proposals 
of  the  confer- 
ence. Before 
the  month  of 
April,  1877, 
closed,  the  jus- 
tice of  Lord 
S  a  11  s  b  u  r  y's 
Avarnings  Avcre 

THE   MARQCIS    OF   SALISBCRY,    ENGLAND.  VCriUed.       IvUS- 

sia,  unable  to 
obtain  anyUiing  by  negotiations,  appealed  to  arms.  Turkey 
thus  exposed  herself  to  the  tremendous  risk  of  a  single- 
handed  contest  Avith  her  formidable  neighbor.  After  a  few 
months  of  gallant  fighting,  she  now  finds,  to  her  cost,  that  she 
has  1)ut  put  in  peril  "her  very  existence."  Thus  it  Avas  that  the 
Eastern  question  entered  in  April,  1877,  upon  this  new  and 
critical  phase  of  a  Avar  betAveen  Kussia  and  Turkey  alone. 
Throughout  the  precedmg  negotiations,  extending  from  the 
autumn  of  1875  to  the  spring  of  1877,  the  cabinet  of  St.  Peter- 
burg  had  either  agreed  to,  or  proposed,  various  plans  l)y  Avhich 
"efficacious  measures  "  Avere  to  be  taken  by  united  Europe  in 
order  to  compel  Turkey  to  introduce  substantial  reforms,  at 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


G15 


first  in  Bosnia  and  the  Herzegovina,  and  afterwards  in  Bulgaria. 
To  all  such  proposals  the  English  government  refused  its  con- 
sent. Turkey  at  the  same  time  rejected,  systematically,  the 
suggestions  of  the  European  powers,  both  before  the  conference 
at  Constantinople,  and  in  the  conference  itself.  It  cannot  be 
doubted  that  this  blind  resistance  of  the  Porte  was  not  a  little 
due  to  the  attitude  taken  up  by  the  English  cabinet.  The 
Turkish  government  saw  England  differing  on  various  occasions 
from  the  other  powers,  while  always  refusing  to  unite  with  them 
in  taking  "etiicacious  measures"  against  Ottoman  misrule,  such 
as  Lord  Palmerston's  government  so  wisely  joined  in  when  dis- 
turbances and  massacre  desolated  the  Lebanon  in  18G0.  Tur- 
key, therefore,  counted  upon  this  disunion,  and  steadily  refused 
the  advice  of  Europe.  The  Porte  was  all  the  more  obstinate  in 
her  resistance,  because  her  avowed  supporters  in  England  ap- 
plauded this  infatuated  policy,  while  their  words,  both  spoken 
and  written  (if  the}'  had  any  meaning  at  all),  led  to  the  con- 
clusion that  Turkey  might,  at  any  rate  in  the  last  resort,  count 
upon  England's  material  support.  Thus  these  self-constituted 
advisers  of  the  Ottoman  govermnent  lured  it  on  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  its  military  power,  and  its  utter  prostration  at  the  feet 
of  llussia.  To  those  who  advocated  the  policy  of  united 
Europe,  including  England,  actually  taking  "  etiicacious  meas- 
ures "  against  Turkish  misrule  in  Bosnia  and  the  Herzegovina, 
and  later  on  in  Bulgaria,  it  may  now  indeed  be  said  that  the 
advocates  of  such  a  policy  Avould  thereby  have  preserved,  at 
least  to  some  extent  the  continuation  of  Turkish  rule.  But 
surely  the  answer  is  obvious,  that  it  would  have  been  wiser  by 
the  concerted  action  of  all  Europe  to  have  coerced  Turkey,  to 
have  circumscribed  her  authority,  and  dictated  a  proper  use  of 
it,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Lebanon,  rather  than  to  have  left  Russia 
alone  to  coerce  Turkey.  Every  dictate  of  a  wise  anu  prudent 
policy  was  in  favor  of  such  coercion  coming  from  united 
Europe,  so  that  both  its  action  and  its  results  might  have  been 
directed  by  all  the  European  powers.  As  it  is,  a  drifting  and 
uncertain  policy  has  allowed  Russia  aJone  to  assume  the  part  of 
the  chastiser  of  Turkey's  misrule,  and  the  champion  of  her  op- 
pressed subjects.  The  consequence  is,  that  an  inordinately 
preponderating  influence  has  been  acquired  by  Kiissia,  while 
Turkey  has  been  almost  destroyed.  But,  since  the  conclusion 
of  the  war,  England  has  so  far  counteracted  the  inthience  of 
llussia  as  to  make  it  a  question  of  grave  uncertainty  to-day 


^wm 


■!■    ( 


GIG 


HISTOUr   OF   DOMINION   OF   CANADA, 


whether  or  not  the  hitter  will  yield  her  claim  in  a  large  degree, 
or  risk  a  war  with  the  English. 

6.  But  let  us  pause  in  our  observations  of  diplomacy  to 
glance  at  the  field  of  battle  ;  to  record  the  principal  military 
operations  in  the  great  war.  The  war  itself  may  bo  conveniently 
divided  into  four  periods.  The  first  comprises  the  gathering 
together  of  the  Russian  armies  in  Europe  and  Asia,  their  ad- 
vance to  the  Dumibe  and  into  Armenia,  the  easy  successes  of 
the  invaders  in  their  operations  until  June  and  July,  and  the 
sudden  reverses  which  befell  their  arms,  on  either  theatre,  at 
Zewin  and  Plevna.     The  second  comprises  the  eventful  time 

when  the  issue 
of  the  struggle, 
and  all  that  it 
involve',  hung 
in  doubtful  sus- 
pense for  sev- 
eral weeks,  and 
embraces  the 
oliensive  move- 
ments of  the 
Turks  against 
the  Shipka 
Pass,  and  on 
the  Lom  and 
the  Jantra,  and 


the  great  lius- 
sian  defeat  of 
the  11th  of 
Scpte  mber. 
The  third  opens 
with  the  turn 
in  aftaii's  caused 
by  the  gigantic 
eflbrts  of  llus- 
sia  and  l)y  the 
declining  pow- 
er of  the  Turks  ; 

it  contains  the  second  campaign  in  Armenia,  the  decisive  victory 
of  Alajagh  Dagh,  the  fall  of  Kars,  and  the  march  on  Erzeroum  ; 
and  it  terminates  with  the  crowning  triumph  of  the  surrender  of 
Plevna  and  its  brave  defenders.  The  fourth  period  is  little 
known  as  yet,  but  it  abounds  in  stirring  and  dramatic  scenes ; 


SAVFET    PASHA,   TUKKEV. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


Gi: 


the  advjvuco  of  the  Russians  acrojss  the  Balkans,  tlospite  the 
tempests  and  frosts  of  winter ;  the  rising  of  Servia  and  the  fall 
of  Sophia ;  the  last  struggles  of  Suleiman  Pasha ;  the  sudden 
collapse  of  the  defence  of  the  Turks  after  their  crushing  defeat 
in  the  Shipka  Pass ;  and,  tinaliy,  the  unresisted  march  of  the 
conquerors  from  Adrianople  to  the  shores  of  the  Bosphorus, 
events  which,  whatever  their  other  results,  have  probably  ellaced 
forever  the  rule  of  the  Ottoman  caste  in  Eastern  Europe. 

7.  If  we  consider  it  in  its  broader  aspects,  the  war  forms 
one  of  those  grand  eras  occasionally  seen  in  the  world's  history. 
It  marks  another  of  the  decisive  triumphs  of  the  race  of  Japhcth 
over  that  of  Shem  ;  it  is  another  act  in  the  eventful  drama  in 
which  the  once  terrible  hordes  of  Asia  have  been  gradually 
forced  to  yield  their  conquests,  and  to  bow  to  the  superior  power 
of  Europe.  Henceforward,  we  trust  the  down-trodden  Slave 
will  know  what  freedom  and  peace  mean,  from  the  banks  of 
the  Danube  to  those  of  the  Hebrus  ;  and  the  time,  we  believe, 
is  not  far  distant  when  the  Greek  Avill  regain  his  lost  heritage  ; 
when  the  Crescent  will  disappear  forever  from  Byzantium  and 
its  renowned  temples  ;  when  Greek  life  and  progress  will  again 
animate  the  shores  of  the  disenthralled  Euxine.  We  cannot, 
however,  dwell  on  these  topics,  for  our  purjiose  is  to  survey 
only  the  actual  events  and  the  course  of  the  contest,  and  to  give 
our  readers  a  short  account  of  it.  From  this  point  of  view  the 
struggle  is,  perhaps,  of  less  exciting  and  profound  interest  than 
some  of  the  great  campaigns  of  this  century,  and  is  of  less  value 
to  the  military  student.  It  contains,  indeed,  here  and  there, 
instances  of  brilliant  daring  and  thoughtful  generalship  ;  and  it 
is  characterized  throughout  by  the  heroic  courage,  the  endurance, 
and  the  tenacious  energy  Avhich  have  often  distinguished  wars 
of  the  kind.  But,  A'iewed  as  a  whole,  it  has  not  been  signalized 
by  master-strokes  of  the  art  of  war ;  it  can  show  no  Austerlitz, 
Jena,  or  Sedan  ;  and  it  abounds  in  examples  of  strategic  failure, 
of  great  and  striking  military  errors,  and  of  combinations  with- 
out skill  or  forethought.  Yet,  even  if  we  regard  It  from  this 
side  only,  the  contest  deserves  attention  and  study,  for  military 
science  can  draw  lessons  as  well  from  ill-directed  and  ill-con- 
ceived projects  as  from  the  operations  of  the  greatest  command- 
ers ;  and,  in  addition,  the  campaign  abounds  in  episodes  of 
peculiar  interest,  and  in  passages  of  arms  that  we  shall  not 
easily  forget. 

8.  It  is  unnecessary  for  us  to  dwell  at  length  on  the  circum- 
stauces  that  preceded  the  war.     If  we  recollect  that  for  many 


1  " 


SH 


If 


I 


!'*'iH 


liiii 


618 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


ages  the  Slavonic  nations  around  the  Danube  were,  in  diflorent 
degrees,  under  Turkish  rule  ;  that  they  have  been  advancing  in 
power  and  wealth  while  their  tyrants  have  been  a  declining 
caste  ;  and,  finally,  that  Rnssia  necessarily  is  at  once  the  pro- 
tector of  these  communities  and  the  natural  foe  of  their  Moslem 
oppressors, — it  is  impossible  not  to  sec  that  this  state  of  things 
inevitably  led  to  a  tremendous  conflict.  It  is  more  important 
for  ns  to  note  the  attitude  Avith  respect  to  the  crisis  of  the  two 
powers  which,  on  this  great  occasion,  might  have  shaped  the 
destiny  of  this  part  of  Europe.  We  cannot  doubt  that  more  or 
less  ambition  was  intermingled  with  purer  motives  in  the  con- 
duct of  Russia  in  1875-G,  and  she  will  be  condemned  by  history 
if  her  present  triumph  is  sullied  by  intrigue  or  the  lust  of  con- 
quest. On  the  other  hand,  it  was,  no  doubt,  difhcult  for  Eng- 
land to  recede  on  a  sudden  from  what  had  been  her  traditional 
policy,  and  to  abandon  her  support  of  the  Turk ;  and  she  is  per- 
fectly within  her  rights  to  see  that  her  interests  shall  receive  no 
injury  at  the  present  juncture.  But  we  must  not  the  less  ex- 
press our  regret  that  England  and  Russia  did  not  cooperate  in 
the  great  deliverance  which  seems  now  accomplished  ;  and  we 
arc  firmly  convinced  that  this  very  alliance,  negotiated  wisely, 
and  under  just  conditions,  Avould  not  only  perhaps  have  assured 
the  freedom  of  European  Turkey  without  Avar,  but  would  have 
been  the  best  means  of  maintaining  the  rights  we  seek  to  uphold 
in  this  part  of  the  continent.  As  events  have  turned  out,  what- 
ever her  motives,  Russia  has  become  the  liberator  of  the  Sla- 
vonic race,  from  the  Carpathians  to  the  a  ergo  of  the  Bosphorus, 
Avhilc  the  goA^ernmcnt  of  England,  avc  say  it  Avith  shame,  has  done 
nothing  to  promote  this  object,  nay,  has  crossed  and  opposed  it 
in  every  Avay  ;  the  result  being  that  England  has  had  no  share 
in  one  of  the  grandest  of  human  achievements. 

9.  A  fcAv  Avords  must  noAV  be  said  on  the  resources  and  the 
military  ])osition  of  the  belligerent  poAvers  Avhen  the  contest 
began.  The  armies  of  Russia  Averc,  beyond  question,  incompar- 
ably superior  to  those  of  the  Turks,  in  numbers,  efficiencA',  and 
Avorth  in  the  field  ;  and,  notwithstanding  all  that  l^as  been  said  to 
the  contrary,  this  Avas  demonstrated  in  the  course  of  the  struggle. 
The  czar  disposed  of  probably  six  hundred  thousand  Avarriors  ; 
and  though  the  organization  of  this  poAAcrful  force  was,  in  some 
respects,  very  far.  from  perfect,  it  Avas  infinitely  better  than  that 
of  their  enemies,  comparatively  useless  in  the  open  field,  from 
a  deticiency  in  most  of  the  requirements  of  Avar.  On  tlie  other 
hand,  the  Turks  had  contrived  to  assemble  more  numerous  and 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


019 


even  better-appointed  arrays  than  generally  had  been  supposed 
in  Europe.  The  colleetive  strength  of  their  armies  perhaps 
was  from  three  hundred  thousand  to  four  hundred  thousand 
men  ;  and  though  these  levies  had  in  a  great  degree  the  eharae- 
ter  of  the  hordes  of  the  East,  thevhad  one  advantaofe  over  their 
diseii)lined  foes,  —  a  superiority  in  arms,  —  whieh,  i;i  defensive 
■warfare,  made  them  adversaries  of  the  most  forinidabk;  kind. 
There  was  less  disparity,  therefore,  in  the  hostile  forees  than 
many  observers  believed  beforehand,  and  the  inferiority  of  the 
Turks  was  to  some  extent  eompensated  by  the  eonditions  of  the 
strife.  As  the  llussians  of  course  Avould  assume  the  oll'ensive, 
they  would  necessarily  encounter  many  obstacles  of  a  natural 
and  artiticial  kind :  in  Asia  the  mountain  chains  of  Armenia 
and  the  strong  places  that  cover  Erzeroum  ;  in  Europe,  the 
Danube,  the  Bulgarian  fortresses,  the  Balkans,  and  the  innnense 
distances  between  the  Pruth  and  the  plains  of  Koumelia  ;  and 
these  circumstances  concurred  to  favor  a  belligerent  on  the  de- 
fensive in  the  hi":hest  degree.  Add  to  this  that  the  Turks  had 
the  great  advantage  of  the  uncontrolled  command  of  the  sea, — 
that  is,  possessed  the  means  of  throwing  their  forces  on  almost 
every  point  of  the  theatre  of  war  with  comi)arative  rapidity  and 
with  little  risk, — and  we  shall  understand  how,  for  a  few 
months  at  least,  the  contending  powers  were  not  wholly  un- 
matched. For  the  rest,  the  Russian  conunanders  were  not,  as 
a  general  rule,  superior  men ;  and  though,  with  some  excep- 
tions, they  were  more  versed  in  war  than  the  nominees  of  the 
corrupt  Nurgish  court,  many  among  them,  Avhen  hostilities  be- 
gan, seem  to  have  had  a  doubt  as  to  what  was  to  be  done,  and 
were  either  over-contident  or  timid  in  the  extreme. 

10.  War  was  proclaimed  by  llussia  in  April  of  last  year 
(1877),  and  Asia  Minor  became  the  first  scene  of  the  conllict. 
On  this  theatre  the  Grand  Duko  Michael  had  assembled  an 
army  which  has  been  described  as  from  eighty  thousand  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand  strong,  and  which  was  certainly 
superior  to  the  enemy  in  its  front.  This  force,  conunanded  by 
Loris  MelikotF,  marched  rapidly  across  the  Turkiish  frontier, 
and,  dividing  itself  into  three  bodies,  made  on  the  right  for 
Batoum,  on  the  lilack  Sea,  in  the  centre  for  the  great  fortress 
of  Kars,  and  on  the  left  for  the  lino  of  the  Aras.  The  column 
on  the  right,  when  it  approached  Batoum,  received  S(^vere 
checks  from  the  garrison  of  the  place,  and  became  isolated  from 
the  rest  of  the  army  ;  but  on  every  other  point  of  their  bref'u 
advance  the  Russians  at  first  were  completely  successful.     Tur- 


G20 


HISTORY   OF   DOMINION  OF   CANADA, 


gtilcjissofr,  to  the  left,  passed  the  plains  of  Ararat,  and,  taking 
possession  of  Bayazid,  reached  the  head-waters  of  the  Eastern 
Euphrates  ;  and  jNIelikoft',  with  the  main  column,  had  in  a  few 
days  forced  the  approaches  to  Kars,  had  surrounded  the  fortress 
"with  his  light  horsemen,  and  hud  even  despatched  some  ti'oops 


THE    GRAND    DUKE    MICHAEL,    RUSSIAN    COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF   IN   ASIA   MINOR. 

beyond  it.  The  frontier  of  Armenia  was  thus  occupied ;  and 
though  the  ranges  and  the  detiles  that  impede  the  march  of  an 
enemy  are  difficult  in  the  extreme,  a  daring  offensive  might,  at 
this  moment,  have  assured  the  Russi'  ns  decisive  success.  The 
Turks,  in  fact,  always  slow  and  unready,  had  been  completely 


get 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


621 


taken  by  surprise,  and,  though  orders  had  been  given  to  defend 
the  provinee,  Armenia  was  really  all  but  defenceless.  It  is  now 
known  that  Mukhtar,  the  Turkish  coniniander,  had  a  force  of 
only  u  few  thousand  levies  when  Melikott'  tirst  appeared  before 
Kars  ;  and  had  the  llussian  general  pressed  boldly  forwards,  ho 
might  probably  have  made  his  way  to  the  capital,  and  finished 
the  campaign  almost  at  one  blow.  Melikoff,  however,  contented 
himself  with  bcgiiming  operations  to  invest  Kars,  and  soon  af- 
terwards he  directed  a  part  of  his  forces  to  attack  Ardahan,  a  sec- 
ondary fortress  at  a  distance  on  his  right.  This  delay  may  have 
changed  the  course  of  events ;  at  least  it  gave  the  Turks  u 
favorable  chance,  which  their  leader  knew  how  to  make  use  of. 
Having  hastily  reinforced  the  garrison  of  Kars,  Mukhtar  fell 
back  with  his  scanty  force  to  the  position  of  the  .Soganlook 
Pass,  —  a  mountain  defile  that  covers  Erzeroum,  —  and  once 
there  ho  made  great  efforts  to  increase  and  to  form  his  imper- 
illed army.  His  exertions  were  seconded  by  the  government 
at  home,  which  sent  him  a  large  detachment  by  sen  ;  recruits 
also  flocked  into  his  camp  from  the  Moslem  population  of  the 
surrounding  country ;  and  before  long  he  Avas  at  the  head  of  a 
force  which,  though  of  a  motley  kind,  was  not  contemptible  as 
regards  mere  numbers. 

11.  Simultaneously  with  the  campaign  in  Asia,  the  Russians 
began  to  advance  in  Europe.  For  months  before  war  had  l)een 
declared,  the  hosts  of  the  czar  had  been  drawing  together  from 
the  interior  to  the  banks  of  the  Pruth,  and  the  Grand  Duke 
Nicholas  was  now  at  the  head  of-  an  army  which  had  a  numer- 
ical strength  of  fully  three  hundred  thousand  men.  A  large 
iyv\j  of  this  force,  however,  was  left  in  the  rear  to  defend  the 
coasts  of  Southern  Russia  from  the  Turkish  fleets.  Very  great 
deductions,  too,  must  be  made  from  what  Averc  merely  returns 
on  paper,  and  probably  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  eighty 
thousand  men  crossed  the  frontier  of  the  empire  in  the  first  in- 
stance. A  variety  of  circumstances  caused  the  march  of  the 
invaders  to  bo  extremely  slow :  bad  weather  injured  the  Rou- 
manian highways ;  large  tracts  of  the  country  were  turned  into 
swamps  impracticable  but  at  a  few  pluces  ;  the  railway  commu- 
nic;»tion  was  very  defective ;  and  the  affluents  of  the  Danube, 
largely  swollen  with  floods,  were  difficult  barriers  for  ops  to 
get  over.  Complaints,  too,  were  made  that  the  Russian  ar- 
rangements were  cumbrous,  and  showed  a  want  of  system  ;  and 
though  wc  ought  not  to  lay  too  much  stress  on  them  there  can 
be  little  doubt  that  the  Russian  advance  was  not,  like  that  of  a 


'"hn 


a**-*'^ 


G22 


HISTORY   OF   DO^riNION  OF  CANADA, 


modern  German  army,  marked  by  that  care  of  administrative 
detail  which  i.s  a  secret  of  celerity  in  war.  In  addition  to  these 
there  Avas  another  cause  that  made  the  operations  of  the  Rus- 
sians tardy.     It  Avas  necessary  that  they  should  cross  the  Dan- 


G£Mii<AL  LUiUtiii-MJiUKuyi!'. 


ube,  a  water-way  of  immense  breadth,  in  places  guarded  by 
l)owerful  fortresses,  and  occupied  by  a  hostile  flotilla  ;  and  time 
Avas  required  to  overcome  these  obstacles,  and  to  make  the  pas- 
sage of  the  river  possible.  The  Russian  commanders  devoted 
weeks  to  making  preparations  for  this  great  object,  to  con- 


ii! 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


(J2:} 


Stnictiug  pontoons,  tlirowing  up  battcM'ios,  and  j^athcrin;;  to- 
gotlicr  boats  and  small  cnd't ;  and  though  events  showed  that 
they  were  too  oircunispect  wc  can  scarcely  hhinie  them  tor 
excess  of  caution.  At  Iho  same  time  there  is  no  denying  that 
the  sh)wncss  of  the  invaders'  advance  gave  the  Turks  an  occa- 
sion they  miglit  have  made  use  of.  More  than  eight  weeks 
passed  from  the  declaration  of  war  l)efore  the  Russian  arniy 
was  upon  the  Danube  ;  and  dining  this  interval  an  active  enemy 
might  have  seriously  impeded  the  colinnns  on  their  march,  by 
making  raids  into  the  Koumanian  plains  and  by  nndti[)]ying 
obstacles  to  the  passage  of  troops.  W  the  Tui-ks,  too,  could 
not  have  accomplished  this,  they  might  at  least  have  largely 
increased  the  flotilla  with  which  they  held  the  line  of  the  Dan- 
ube ;  they  might  have  greatly  strengthened  tlie  liulgariau 
strongholds  ;  and,  above  all,  they  could  have  removed  to  the 
north  of  the  Balkans  a  part  of  the  numerous  forces  which  they 
had  in  Albania  and  Montenegro.  The  Turks,  however,  did 
none  of  these  things,  or  did  them  in  an  imperfect  fashion.  The 
march  of  the  llnssians  was  not  molested  ;  the  Ottoman  Uotilhi 
received  no  additions,  and,  was,  indeed,  paralyzed  by  the  fear 
of  torpedoes  ;  and  though  something  was  done  to  improve  the 
works  of  llustchuk,  Silistrin.  and  other  places,  scarcely  a  Turk- 
ish soldier  was  despatched  to  the  aid  of  the  army  formed  in  the 
Bulgarian  plains. 

12.  We  dwell  on  these  points,  for,  in  our  judgment,  suffi- 
cient attention  has  not  been  given  to  them.  If,  as  professional 
experts  say,  the  strategy  of  the  Russians  in  this  part  of  the  war 
was  halting,  timid,  and  wasteful  of  time,  that  of  the  Turks  was 
far  more  characterized  l)}'^  sluggishness,  feeldeness,  and  want 
of  pm'poso.  By  the  middle  of  dune  the  preparations  to  cross 
the  Danube  seem  to  have  been  nearly  complete,  but,  as  the 
river  Avas  still  big  wirh  Hood,  a  further  delay  of  some  da3's  was 
needed.  At  this  time  the  invading  army  w'as  in  occupation 
of  the  Roumanian  bank  of  the  river  for  nearly  two  hundred 
miles  ;  but  it  was  formed  for  the  most  part  into  two  masses,  — 
one  to  the  left,  holding  the  country  between  Galatz,  Bucharest, 
and  Kalarash,  the  other  liolding  the  tracts  extending  from 
Giurgevo  to  the  banks  of  the  Vede,  —  and  it  was  already  evi- 
dent that  it  had  become  impossible  for  the  Turks  seriously  to 
dispute  the  passage.  The  Urst  crossing  took  place  at  Galatz, 
and  was  executed  not  without  skill  and  judgment.  A  feint 
was  made  to  bridge  the  stream  near  Ibraila,  by  bringing 
materials  for  pontoons  together,  and  this  seems  to  have  de- 


624 


niSTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


ccivcd  the  Turks,  who  sent  a  (letiichinont  near  the  spot,  at 
Matchin.  On  tlio  morning,  however,  of  the  22(1  of  Juno,  a 
few  hundred  Russians  put  oil'  in  boats  from  the  shore  at  (lahitz 
upon  the  Danube,  and,  successive  reinforcements  coming  to 
their  aid,  a  footing  was  made  at  last  on  the  Bulgarian  bank, 
notwithstanding  a  fierce  and  gallant  resistance.  Bridges  were 
thrown  across  at  Galat^  and  Ibraila,  and  in  a  few  days  a  whole 
liussian  corps  was  in  full  marcli,  through  tlio  Dobrudscha 
waste,  leaving  the  Danube  completely  in  its  power  in  the  rear. 
The  second  crossing  was  effected  on  the  27th  of  June,  at  a 
point  much  higher  up  the  river,  and  it  presented  features  of  a 
similar  kind,  though  it  was  on  a  larger  scale,  and  more  sternly 
contested.  As  in  the  preceding  instance,  i)rcparations  were 
feigned  to  pass  nenr  Nicopolis  and  other  points,  but  Simnitza 
was  the  real  place  selected ;  and  a  Russian  detachment  Issuing 
from  this  spot  was  launched  in  rafts  and  barges  across  the 
river.  The  movement  was  sustained  by  a  heavy  fire  of  bat- 
teries from  the  Roumanian  bank,  and  l)y  the  cnii)arkution  of 
troops  in  succession,  but  it  was  perceived  at  once  by  a  Turkish 
detachment,  and  it  was  encountered  with  the  most  determined 
courage.  At  last,  however,  after  several  hundreds  of  the  as- 
sailants had  been  drowned  and  had  fallen,  the  Russians  suc- 
ceeded in  forcing  the  passage,  and  Sistova,  on  the  Bulgarian 
shore,  was  occupied.  The  Danube  was  afterwards  easily 
bridged,  the  defenders  having  given  Avay  at  all  points,  nnd 
before  a  week  was  over  the  invading  army  was  spreading  on  all 
sides  into  Bulgarian  territory. 

13.  This  passage  of  the. Danube,  so  rapid  and  easy,  was 
ominous  of  the  fate  of  the  Ottoman  power,  and  was  the  cause 
of  excitement  and  wonder  in  Europe.  It  was  certainly  a  brill- 
iant military  feat,  designed  with  care  and  carried  out  ably ;  but 
it  was  executed  under  conditions  of  a  kind  which  lessen  our 
surprise  at  its  complete  success.  As  wo  have  seen,  the  Turks 
made  scarcely  an  attempt  to  prevent  or  retard  the  march  of 
the  enemy,  or  even  to  interfere  with  his  preparations  to  cross  ; 
the  flotilla,  from  which  they  had  hoped  so  much,  did  simply 
nothing  to  check  the  Russians ;  and,  though  their  fortresses 
barred  some  points  of  passage,  they  were  made  all  but  useless, 
not  being  supported  by  armies  in  the  field  to  mauoeavro  be- 
tween them.  The  Turks,  in  fact,  had  contented  themselves 
with  stationing  detachments  on  the  Bulgarian  shore  at  the 
places  where  thoy  expected  the  crossing ;  and  as  the  invader 
approached  the  Danube  they  drew  the  mass  of  their  movable 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


625 


forces —  not  less,  perhaps,  than  one  hundred  and  forty  thousand 
men — into  their  strongholds,  where  they  remained  cooped  up. 
In  these  circumstances  the  lliissians  were  able  to  effect  the 
passage  almost  as  they  pleased ;  the  weak  cordons  of  troops 


EDHEM  PASIIA,  GHAKD  VIZIER  OF  TVRK£Y. 


that  lay  in  their  front  were  swept  away  at  the  first  real  pressure, 
and  it  was  a  matter  of  certainty  that  the  Bulgarian  bank  would 
be  readily  mastered,  nnd  with  little  loss.  In  a  military  point 
of  view  the  lino  of  the  Danube  was,  in  short,  given  up  by  the 
Turks  at  once  ;  their  show  of  defending  it  was  worse  than  idle  ; 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF   CANAT>A, 


and  though  the  elaborate  arrangements  of  th  Russian  com- 
manders to  secure  the  crossing  show  forethought  and  sense,  the 
enterprise  itself  was  not  wonderful.  As  for  their  enemy,  the 
inability  of  the  Turks  to  avail  themselves  if  this  great  barrier, 
by  the  manoeuvres  usual  in  instances  of  i.>(i  kind,  proves  how 
ignorant  they  were  of  the  art  of  war,  r  iOW  incapable  were 
their  tropps  in  the  field. 

14.  The  Russian  army  had  scarcely  obtained  a  hold  on  the 
southern  bank  of  the  Danube  when  intelligence  arrived  that 
successive  dioasters  had  befallen  the  cause  of  the  czar  in  Asia. 
Ardahan  having  fallen  after  the  middle  of  May,  Loris  Melikoff 
had  proceeded  with  the  siege  of  Kars,  had  opened  fire  on  the 
nortli-caster'i  part  of  the  fortress,  and  had  made  an  attempt  to 
invest  it  closely.  The  strength  and  the  extent  of  the  place, 
however,  were  too  great  for  the  force  of  the  enemy,  and  the 
works  of  the  siege,  it  has  been  asserted,  were  ill  desigucu,  and 
by  no  means  efficient.  After  delaying  for  several  weeks  on 
the  spot  the  Russian  commander  resolved  to  turn  the  siege 
into  a  mere  blockade  ;  and,  leaving  some  troops  to  observe  the 
garrison,  made  ready  to  march,  with  the  rest  of  his  army, 
against  Muktar  Pasha,  for  some  time  safe,  as  we  have  seen,  in 
the  Soganlook  defiles.  By  this  time  the  corps  of  Turgakassoff 
had  advanced  far  on  the  way  to  Erzeroum  ;  it  was  drawing  near 
the  val'ey  of  the  A^as,  and  it  would  soon  be  in  a  position  to 
threaten  the  dank  of  Muktar,  and  perhaps  even  to  turn  it. 
Melikoff,  accordingly,  scorns  to  have  planned  a  combined  attack 
on  the  Turkish  army  by  his  own  and  TurgakassofTs  forces ;  and 
if,  as  he  supposed,  success  was  certain,  he  anticipated  that  the 
Soganlook  would  be  forced,  that  he  would  advance  rapidly  with 
the  united  columns,  and  that  he  would  be  ere  long  at  the  gates 
of  the  capital  The  project  was  bold,  and  even  ingenious  ;  but 
it  Avas  ill-a(-tpted  to  existing  facts,  and  it  was  executed  without 
skill  or  judgment. 

15.  By  this  time  Mukhtar  had  collected  and  entrenched  in 
the  Soganlook  Passes  an  army  at  least  thirty  thousand  strong, 
and  formidable  in  a  defensive  position.  The  two  Russian 
generals,  though  nearing  each  other,  were  separated  by  moun- 
tain chains  and  defiles,  and  therefore  Melikoff,  to  ensure  suc- 
cess, ought  to  have  had  a  force  sufficient  to  defeat  Mukhtar 
and  ought  to  have  made  his  junction  with  his  colleague  certain. 
That  general,  however,  broke  up  from  Kars  with  forces  which, 
it  is  said,  were  not  moro  than  twenty  thousand  men,  and  he 
was  never  able  really  to  combine  his  movements  with  those  of 


.  II' «:«! 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  HMTED   STATES. 


627 


his  lieutenant  on  the  left.  The  result  was  a  series  of  Russian 
defeats,  and  bad  generalship  was  made  worse  by  faulty  tactics. 
Turgakassoff,  advancing  into  the  Aras  valley,  defeated  Mukh- 
tar  in  an  affair  of  outposts,  but  was  defeated  in  turn  on  the 
2 2d  of  June ;  and  three  days  afterwards  Melikoff  assailed  the 
main  Turkish  army  in  the  Soganlook  defiles,  but  was  utterly 
routed  with  enormous  loss,  his  enemies  being  superior  in  num- 
bers,* and  his  attack  on  their  entrenched  position  being  reckless 
and  wild  in  the  highest  degree.  This  battle,  called,  from  the 
place,  Zewin,  completely  batfled  the  Russian  projects.  "The 
question  now  was  not  of  attacking  Erzeroum,  but  of  retreating 
as  fast  as  possible  ;  and,  in  fact,  the  campaign  was  for  the  time 
ended.  The  Russian  army  fell  back  on  all  points ;  the  siege 
of  Kars  was  raised  by  the  middle  of  July ;  Turgakassoff 
scarcely  effected  his  escape,  and  by  the  first  of  August  the 
repelled  invaders  had  retired  almost  to  their  own  frontier. 

16.  In  spite,  however,  of  this  reverse  in  Asia,  the  Russians 
continued  to  advance  in  Europe.  During  the  week  that  fol- 
lowed the  27th  of  June  new  bridsres  were  thrown  across  the 
Danube,  and  by  the  first  days  of  July  not  less  probably  than 
one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  Russians  were  on  their  way 
towards  the  line  of  the  Balkans.  Two  causes  seem  to  have 
induced  their  leaders  to.  press  forward  with  energy  and  speed, 
and  to  have  given  their  movement  a  different  character  from 
that  which  marked  their  ojierations  at  first.  One  class  of  gen- 
erals in  the  Grand  Duke's  camp  is  said  to  have  been  convinced 
that  the  Turks  would  not  venture  to  make  a  serious  resistance  ; 
that  the  campaign  would  be  a  mere  showy  march ;  and  these 
counsellors,  who  now  appeared  in  the  right,  urged  their  chief 
to  advance  at  any  risk,  and  to  carry  the  war  bej^ond  the  Balkans, 
with  little  regard  to  military  rule.  Then,  again,  the  attitude 
of  the  Turks  themselves  seemed  to  encourage  a  dashing  and 
bold  offensive,  and  even  to  make  it  the  wisest  strategy,  As 
we  have  seen,  even  before  the  Danube  was  crossed,  the  Otto- 
man chiefs  had  withdrawn  the  mass  of  the  forces  into  the  Bul- 
garian fortresses ;  they  had  scarcely  attempted  to  dispute  the 
passage ;  they  remained  stationary,  although  their  enemy  was 
now  encamped  on  Bulgarian  soil.  Was  it  not  possible,  there- 
fore, nay,  true  generalship,  to  advance  into  the  heart  of  the 
empire,  merely  holding  in  check  the  hostile  levies  which  seemed 
unable  to  leave  their  strongholds?  The  Russians  accordingly, 
at  this  juncture,  precipitated  the  invasion  with  almost  reckless 
energy,  and  neglected  precautions  of  the  simplest  kind  very 


628 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


seldom  to  be  neglected  in  war.  Their  general  design  was  to 
hasten  onwards,  and  to  penetrate  into  the  Eoumelian  lowlands, 
hoping  doubtless  to  finish  the  war  at  once,  yet  not  wholly  omit- 
ting, however,  to  protect  their  base  and  flank  from  possible 
attack.  With  these  objects  a  considerable  force  was  sent  to 
seize  Tirnova  and  Selvi,  and  open  a  Avay  to  the  Balkan  range  ; 
and,  these  places  having  been  easily  occupied,  a  division  under  a 
gallant  chief,  Gourko,  was  despatched  over  the  mountain  bar- 
rier, with  orders  to  hold  one  principal  pass  and  to  clear  Eou- 
melia  for  an  invading  army.  The  march  of  this  small  but 
well-led  force  forms  one  of  the  most  attractive  episodes  of  the 
war,  but  our  space  forbids  us  to  dwell  upon  it.  SuflSce  it  to 
say,  that,  after  great  exertions,  it  traversed  the  Balkans  by 
almost  unknown  paths,  and,  advancing  up  the  valley  of  the 
Tundja,  not  only  carried  the  Shipka  Pass,  the  main  issue  in 
this  part  of  the  range,  but  spread  terror  up  to  Adrianople. 
The  operations  of  the  invaders  in  the  rear  were  alsc  marked  by 
no  little  vigor.  On  their  left  large  detachments  were  sent  to 
observe  the  fortresses  of  Kustchuk  and  the  course  of  the  Lom, 
and,  extending  themselves  towards  Rasgrad  and  Shumla,  to 
cover  the  flank  of  the  Russian  advance.  On  the  right,  Nicop- 
olis  was  besieged  and  stormed,  in  order  to  secure  the  invaders' 
base  and  to  strengthen  their  hold  upon  the  Danube ;  and  a 
division,  not  of  large  force  however,  was  directed  to  make  its 
way  to  Plevna,  and  to  cover  on  that  side  the  Muscovite  line. 

17.  These  operations  were  completed  between  the  first  and 
the  third  weeks  of  July.  The  effect  of  them  was  to  place  the 
Russian  army  in  a  line  from  the  Danube  to  the  Maritza ;  to 
give  it  a  footing  beyond  the  Balkans,  with  the  command  of  the 
chief  pass  from  Tirnova ;  and  to  secure  it  a  hold  on  the  tract  of 
country  between  the  Jantra  andOsma,  and  thence  to  the  Tundja. 
The  military  position  seemed  brilliant  in  the  extreme  ;  the  in- 
vaders, with  scarcely  the  loss  of  a  man,  had  made  their  way 
into  the  heart  of  Roumelia ;  the  second  great  line  of  the  defence 
of  the  Turks,  the  difficult  Balkans,  had  been  overcome  ;  a  part 
of  Bulgaria  had  been  overrun  and  was  held  by  the  invading 
host ;  and  from  Nicopolis  to  Sistova  the  Danube  had  become  a 
safe  avenue  for  the  Muscovite  troops.  As  ominous  a  sign,  too, 
as  any  other  perhaps,  the  Russians  had  been  everywhere  wel- 
comed as  liberators  of  the  Bulgarian  race ;  and  the  Bulgarian 
peasantry  had,  in  many  places,  sought  and  obtained  arms  for  a 
war  of  revenge.  No  wonder,  then,  that  even  in  the  eyes  of 
experienced  statesmen  and  trained  soldiers  the  Ottoman  power 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


629 


seemed  wholly  broken,  especially  as,  up  to  this  momeut,  the 
Turks  had  scarcely  given  a  sign  of  life,  and  still  for  the  most 
part  kept  their  armies  in  the  fortresses  where  they  had  taken 
refuge.  Yet  events  were  to  show  that  the  situation  of  the  in- 
vaders was  very  far  from  safe,  nay,  that  a  single  mischance 
might  make  it  critical.  The  Russians  were  not  in  sufficient 
force  to  occupy  firmly  the  great  extent  of  territory  they  had 
spread  themselves  over ;  it  is  probable  that  they  had,  at  this 
momeut,  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  men 
between  the  Danube  and  their  farthest  advance ;  and  these 
numbers  were  not  large  enough  to  guard  several  points  that 
invited  attack.  In  addition  to  this,  the  left  Russian  flank,  that 
from  Rutschuck  to  Shumla,  was  well  protected ;  but  the  right 
flank  had  scarcely  any  protection  on  a  line  from  Nicopolis  to 
the  Balkans,  and  a  successful  eftbrt  by  the  enemy  on  that  side 
might  at  once  paralyze  the  invading  forces,  and  even  place  them 
in  serious  peril.  In  short,  daring  and  brilliant  as  it  seemed, 
the  strategy  of  the  Russians  had  been  incautious ;  it  assumed 
that  the  Turks  could  do  scarcely  anything,  and  thus,  so  to 
speak,  "took  liberties"  with  them ;  and,  in  this  state  of  things, 
anj  well-planned  attack  of  their  despised  foe  might  have  grave 
consequences.  Though  the  Tnrks,  too,  as  yet  had  been  motion- 
less, there  were  indications  that  they  were  about  to  move  on 
either  side  of  the  Russian  advance ;  and  in  that  event,  should 
they  be  once  able  to  break  in  on  the  invader's  flank,  or  even  to 
establish  a  force  near  it,  the  Muscovite  army,  thrown  far  forward 
on  a  narrow  front  and  Avith  a  cramped  base,  from  the  Danube 
to  the  Maritza  valley,  not  to  "^peak  of  a  mountain  range  between, 
would  be  in  a  position  of  no  little  lifiiculty. 

18.  Events  were,  in  a  few  days,  to  show  how  perilous  the 
situation  of  the  invaders  was,  and  what  risks  they  had  run  from 
extrcKiO  confidence.  A  short  time  after  the  fall  of  Nicopolis, 
Osman  Pasha,  the  Turkish  commandant  at  Widdin,  had  set  off 
from  his  camp  round  the  fortress  with  an  army  perhaps  thirty- 
five  thousand  strong,  his  object  being,  it  is  believed,  either  to 
take  part  in  a  general  movement  of  the  Ottoman  forces  against 
the  Russians,  or  to  make  a  demonstration  to  relieve  Nicopolis, 
of  the  surrender  of  which  he  had  not  been  apprised.  His  out- 
posts had  just  occupied  the  banks  of  the  Vede  and  taken  pos- 
session of  the  to\vn  of  Plevna,  a  position  of  remarkable  natural 
strength,  lying  on  the  right  flank  of  the  Russian  advance,  when 
Krudener,  one  of  the  chief  Russian  generals,  who,  as  we  have 
seen,  had  received  orders  to  take  the  place,  as  a  strategic  point 


'!! 


li 


630 


♦   HISTOUY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADi, 


from  which  '.he  invaders'  lino  on  that  side  would  be  covered, 
arrived  on  the  spot  to  fulfil  his  mission.  The  Kussian  officers, 
however,  elated  with  success,  and  ignorant  that  a  largo  Turkish 
force  was  actually  within  a  few  hundred  yards,  marched  their 


OSMAN    I>ASUA. 


troops  incautiously  into  the  streets  of  Plevna,  without  recon- 
noitring the  approaches  to  it ;  and  the  result  was  that  the  men 
were  assailed  by  a  well-directed  fire  from  the  mosques  and  the 
house-tops,  and  that  hundreds  were  slain  in  a  few  moments. 
Krudener  seems  to  have  returned  to  the  attack  next  day,  but  he 


ENGLAND,   AND  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


631 


was  unable  to  drive  from  his  points  of  vantage  an  enemy  already 
conscious  of  strength,  and  his  divisions  fell  back  defeated  and 
baffled.  The  importance  of  the  position  of  Plevna,  commanding 
one  flank  of  the  entire  invasion,  being  now  evident  in  the  Russian 
camp,  the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas  hastily  directed  a  part  of  one  of 
his  corps  to  leave  the  Lom  and  to  join  hands  with  and  support 
Krudener  ;  and  he  added  peremptory  orders  that  the  united  force 
should  attack  and  storm  Plevna,  whatever  the  cost.  This 
movement,  however,  required  some  days  ;  and  in  the  mean  time 
the  Turkish  commander,  evidently  also  aware  of  the  immense 
advantage  to  the  Turkish  cause  of  retaining  Plevna,  had  addressed 
himself  with  remarkable  energy  to  fortifying  and  entrenching 
the  place,  and  making  it  a  formidable  point  of  defence.  The 
natural  features  of  Plevna,  we  have  said,  mark  it  out  as  a  very 
strong  position ;  but  Osman's  efibrts,  short  as  was  the  time, 
added  greatly  to  its  defensive  power.  The  town  lies  behind 
a  range  of  uplands,  not  easily  approachable  at  several  points, 
but  everywhere  commanding  the  adjoining  country  from  Oponetz 
on  the  north  to  Kirshine  southwards,  and  to  the  east  these  form 
a  kind  of  salient  overlooking  Gravitza  and  Radichcvo,  and  re- 
sembling the  angle  of  a  gigantic  fortress.  Availing  himself  of 
these  characteristics  of  the  ground,  Osman  strengthened  the 
heights  at  every  place  where  they  were  most  accessible  to  a 
hostile  movement  with  ranges  of  ably-constructed  earthworks  ; 
he  threw  up  redoubts  along  the  face  of  the  angle,  especially  one 


of  large  size  near  Gravitza ;  and  he  drew  up  his  army  within 
these  lines  thus  formed,  concealing  it  as  much  as  possible  from 
sight. 

19.  These  preparations  were  completed  between  the  20th 
and  31st  of  July,  and  they  reflect  the  highest  credit  on  the 
Turkish  leader.  By  the  last-named  day  the  position  of  Plovna 
had  assumed  the  aspect  of  a  great  entrenched  camp,  defying  an 
assault  at  several  points,  affording  a  front  of  most  destructive 
fire  at  every  spot  where  an  attack  was  possible,  and  especially 
along  the  kind  of  bastion  from  the  Gravitza  to  the  Radichcvo 
redoubts,  and  holding  in  its  recesses  and  under  cover  a  well- 
armed  and  confident  force.  The  Russian  commanders,  it  is 
said,  remonstrated,  when  they  had  become  aware  of  the  task 
before  them,  at  the  notion  of  endeavoring  to  storm  the  place  ; 
and  it  is  indeed  certain  that  even  their  combined  forces  were 
less  numerous  than  those  of  Osman,  a  circumstance  which  con- 
demned an  attempt  of  the  kind.  The  Grand  Duke,  however, 
would  brook  no  delay,  —  it  is  now  believed  that  ho  had  no  con- 


I 
It   ■ 


632 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


ception  of  the  real  numbers  of  Osraan's  army,  —  and,  after  an 
ineftectual  protest,  Krudener,  with  Shaft'osky,  the  chief  of  a 
Lom  corps,  made  arrangements  to  carry  out  their  orders.  The 
attempt  took  place  on  the  31st  of  July,  and  even  from  the  first 
it  was  ill-planned  and  executed.  From  some  unknown  reason 
the  Russian  commanders  selected  the  formidable  eastern  front, 
that  of  the  great  Gravitza  and  the  liadichevo  redoubts,  as  the 
sceno  of  their  most  determined  ciforts,  and  for  several  hours 
they  persistently  tried  to  storm  the  entrenched  camp  v/here  it 
was  almost  impregnable.  The  attacks,  too,  were  not  well  con- 
ducted. Krudener,  it  is  said,  and  Shatfosky  disliked  each  other, 
and  did  not  cordially  act  together ;  and  it  has  even  been  assert- 
ed that  the  attacks  were  made  in  the  dense  formation  of  the  close 
column,  —  an  III  most  inconceivable  mistake  in  tactics.  Under 
these  conditions  the  defeat  of  the  Russians  almost  followed  as  a 
matter  of  course,  and  the  success  of  the  defence  was  well-nigh 
assured.  The  Russians,  advancing  with  devoted  courage,  more 
than  once  entered  the  Turkish  lines,  and  even  carried  some 
outlying  works ;  but  their  movements  were  desultory  and  ill- 
combined,  and  their  serried  masses  dissolved  in  fragments 
under  the  plunging  fire  of  the  hostile  redoubts,  especially  of 
the  Gravitza  work,  and  the  withering  volleys  of  the  Turkish 
infantry,  almost  hidden  from  sight  in  their  well-laid  trenches. 
After  three  or  four  bloody  repulses  like  these,  Krudener  and 
Shafibsky  gave  up  the  attempt,  and  their  troops  were  withdrawn 
from  the  scene  of  carnage.  On  one  point,  however,  of  Osman's 
lines  a  young  Russian  chief,  Skobeloff,  made  a  real  impression ; 
he  conducted  his  attack  with  remarkable  skill,  and  a  few  of  his 
men  even  entered  Pleva.  But  this  was  only  a  feigned  attack, 
and  SkobeloflTs  force  was,  of  course,  involved  in  the  disaster 
that  had  befallen  his  seniors.  By  nightfall  on  the  31st  the 
defeated  army  had  fallen  back  to  its.  camps  of  the  morning,  not, 
strange  to  say,  pursued  by  the  victors. 

20.  The  losses  of  the  Russians  in  this  fruitless  efibrt  were 
from  six  thousand  to  seven  thousand  men.  The  forces,  in  fact, 
which  they  had  brought  into  action  were,  for  the  present,  com- 
pletely shattered,  and  it  was  fortunate  for  them  that  Osman 
Pasha  did  not  press  them  as  they  fell  back  from  his  lines.  To 
the  military  observer  the  Turkish  chief  seems  now  to  have  had 
a  great  occasion  to  strike  a  heavy  blow  at  his  beaten  enemy. 
He  had  probably  thirty-three  thousand  men,  while  the  Russians 
had  not,  we  believe,  twenty  thousand  ;  these,  too,  suftering  from 
a  heavy  reverse  ;  and  by  the  rules  of  war  he  ought  to  have  had 


'i,i1 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


633 


a  good  chtinco  of  breaking  to  pieces  the  defeated  army  had  he 
followed  up  his  success  by  pursuit.  It  must,  however,  bo  borne 
in  mind  —  and  this  is  one  of  the  cardinal  facts  of  the  war  — 
that  the  forces  of  the  Turks  were  so  badly  organized  that  on 


^iii 


GRAND   DVKE   CONSTANTINE,    ADMIKAL   OF  THE  RUSSIAN  FLEET. 


offensive  they  were  weak  and  shiggish.  Those  of  Osmau  re- 
sembled in  this  their  comrades  ;  and  possibly  the  Ottoman  chief, 
though  victorious,  felt  himself  unequal  to  the  daring  movement, 
and  deemed  it  more  prudent  to  remain  at  Plevna.  What  he 
had  achieved  on  the  31st  of  July  was,  in  truth,  of  the  highest 


tiiil  »3|  ■ 


P 


634 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


value  to  the  cause  of  the  Porte,  and  had  brought  a  marvelloua 
change  in  the  position  of  aftairs.  A  Turkish  army,  that  could 
be  easily  increased  by  reinforcements  from  the  western  prov- 
inces, had  now  firmly  established  itself  on  the  right  side  of  the 
whole  line  of  invasion,  and  paralyzed,  so  to  speak,  the  Russian 
operations.  So  long  as  Osman  held  his  ground  at  Plevna  the 
far-extended  communications/of  his  foes  were  liable  to  be  inter- 
cepted at  many  points ;  their  position  even  on  the  Danube  was 
unsafe  ;  and  on  military  principles  their  far-spread  advance  into 
Koumelia,  upon  a  contracted  front,  was  a  situation  of  no  com- 
mon danger.  This,  too,  would  be  more  esiJecially  the  case,  if 
we  recollect  that  the  force  on  the  Lom  had  been  lessened  to  aid 
in  the  attack  on  Plevna,  and  that  the  whole  strength  of  the 
Russian  army  between  the  Danube  and  Roumelia  was  not  suf- 
ficient to  guard  and  defend  the  large  extent  of  territory  it  had 
hastily  overrun.  Strategetically,  in  fact,  the  Muscovite  host  had 
one  of  its  flanks  seized  by  a  victorious  foe,  aid  drawn  out  as  it 
was  in  a  long  thin  line,  with  a  great  river  behind  it,  and  between 
hostile  fortresses,  and  in  too  small  number's  to  hold  the  ground 
it  occupied,  it  was  singularly  exposed  to  a  serious  attack.  At 
this  crisis,  too,  it  had  become  manifest  that  an  eifort  of  the  kind 
was  about  to  be  made,  and  that  the  Turks  were  about  to  assume 
the  ofl:ensive.  The  miserable  generalship  of  the  commanders 
who  had  left  the  Danube  without  defence,  and  had  permitted 
the  enemy  to  cross  the  Balkans  without  making  any  serious 
resistance,  had  excited  the  wrath  of  the  Ottoman  caste  ;  and  a 
revolution  having  suddenly  taken  place  in  the  higlicst  grades 
of  the  Turkish  armies,  a  new  set  of  leaders  was  now  at  their 
head.  The  chief  of  these  was  a  German  renegade,  Mehemet 
Ali, — a  good  professional  soldier,  —  and  by  his  directions  a 
combined  movement  was  being  made  against  the  invader's  forces. 
For  this  purpose  the  Turkish  reserves,  disseminated  before  in 
distant  provinces,  were  being  gathered  together  by  the  Turkish 
fleets,  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  Suleiman  Pasha ;  and  they 
had  received  orders  to  enter  Roumelia,  to  expel  Gourko's  divi- 
sion from  it,  and,  if  practicable,  to  get  over  the  Balkans. 
Mehemet  Ali,  at  the  head  of  the  main  Turkish  army,  was  at  the 
same  time  to  advance  from  Shumla  and  to  assail  the  Russian 
corps  on  the  Lom ;  and  the  force  of  Osman,  there  can  be 
scarcely  a  doubt,  was  expected  to  coSperate  from  the  other  side. 
In  truth  it  seems  likely,  as  we  have  said  before,  that  the  march 
of  that  chief  from  Widdin  was  the  first  step  in  what  was  meant 
to  be  a  general  scheme  of  attack. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


635 


21.  If,  then,  wo  glanco  at  "whsxt  really  Avas  the  military  posi- 
tion of  tlio  beUigcrcnts  for  a  short  time  after  tho  31st  of  July, 
wo  shall  SCO  that  tho  situation  for  tho  llussians  was  grave,  and 
that  tho  Turks  had  a  prospect  of  success.  Tho  left  wing  of 
tho  Russian  armies,  that  which  had  crossed  tho  Danube  at 
Galatz,  Avas  still  in  tho  Dobrudseha  plains,  im..ulo  to  assist  tho 
main  body,  and,  indeed,  hundreds  of  miles  distant.  Tho  prin- 
cipal army,  which  had  crossed  at  Simnitza,  was  probably  not 
moro  than  ono  hundi-ed  and  ten  thousand  strong  after  tho 
calamitous  defeat  it  had  suffered  at  Plevna,  and  it  was  spread 
over  a  very  long  lino  from  tho  Danube  to  tho  Maritza  plains. 
One  of  its  flanks  was  actually  grasped  by  an  enemy  flushed 
with  unexpected  and  brilliant  success ;  another  was  in  a  great 
measure  ex- 
posed ;  on 
every  sido  it 
was  liable  to  bo 
assailed,  and, 
if  defeated,  to 
be  in  real  peril ; 
and  it  was  too 
weak  to  defend 
at  all  points  tho 
number  of  po- 
sitions it  had 
firstseized.  On 
the  other  hand, 
in  a  military 
point  of  view, 
tho  affairs  of 
the  Turks 
seemed  full  of 
promise,  and 
success  was 
perhaps  really 
within  their 
wower.  Sulci- 
man  Pasha  was 
moving  from 
Adrianople    in 


SULKIMAN    PASHA, 
aSNEBAL  OF  THE  TURKIUU  ARMY  IN,TUl!,  BALKAKS, 


M 


greatly  superior  force  to  Gourko  :  !Mehemet  Ali  was  preparing 
to  advance  from  Shumla,  with  an  army  certainly  of  consider- 
able size,  and  gaining  great  strength  from  the  support  of  the 


636 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


fortresses  ;  Osman  stood  at  Plevna,  with  his  victorious  troo>38, 
threatening  a  defeated  enemy  from  his  base  on  the  Danubo  to 
Tirnova,  Gabrova,  and  the  Shipka  Pass.  In  this  state  of 
things  were  there  not  the  elements  of  Turkish  victory  and  of 
liussian  disaster  ?  Was  it  not  at  least  probable  that  a  well- 
combined  ctfoii;  of  the  Turkish  commnndor  ■  mi^jht  break  at 
some  points  the  weak  and  extended  line  of  the  liussian  inva- 
sion? and,  if  so,  was  not  the  result  possible  that  the  Russian 
armies  should  be  forced  from  the  Balkans,  from  the  Lom,  and 
from  Bulgaria  itself;  nay,  would  find  it  difficult  to  recross  the 
Danube?  The  situation,  in  fact,  had  become  very  critical,  and 
this  was  perfectly  understood  in  the  grand  duke's  camp.  Yet, 
at  this  difficult  juncture  steady  resolve  was  not  Avanting  in  the 
Muscovite  chiefs ;  and,  though  their  mihtary  measures  were 
very  questionable,  their  enei'gy  and  tenacity  deserve  high 
praise.  They  still  persisted  in  maintaining  their  hold  on  the 
territory  they  had  already  won,  and  so  they  left  their  forces  in 
their  present  positions,  — false  strategy,  no  doubt,  in  a  military 
point  of  view,  yet  not  so  wholly  unwise  perhaps  as  it  has  beet 
represented  by  more  soldier  critics.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  true  state  <  iffairs  wjis  at  last  understood,  and  it  was 
frankly  acknowleuged  that  the  Russian  army  in  Bulgaria  was 
too  weak  for  its  task.  Orders  were,  therefore,  sent  for  vast  re- 
inforcements ;  the  Imperial  Guard  and  Todleben  himself  were 
summoned  to  the  European  theatre  of  war ;  and  it  is  said  that 
more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  men  were  directed 
to  march  across  the  Danube. 

22.  It  was,  nevertheless,  a  momentous  question,  —  one  on 
which  the  issue  of  the  campaign  hung,  —  whether  the  Russians 
would  be  able  to  resist  their  foes  until  the  arrival  of  the  ex- 
pected succors.  Their  military  position,  we  have  seen,  was  a 
bad  one  ;  they  were  vulnerable  at  a  variety  of  points  ;  and  for 
some  weeks  they  would  be  very  inferior  to  the  force  of  the 
Turks  in  numerical  strength.     This  last-named  fact  seems  to 


us  certain,  though  it  is  impossible  to  form,  with  any  degree  of 
accuracy,  an  arithmetical  estimate  of  the  contending  armies. 
As  we  have  said,  after  the  31st  of  July  the  forces  of  the  Rus- 
sians in  Bulgaria  probably  did  not  exceed  one  hundred  and  ten 
thousand  men ;  those  of  the  Turks,  before  the  Danube  was 
crossed,  were,  perhaps,  one  hundred  and  forty  thousand  strong ; 
and,  as  large  accessions  werejbeing  made  to  them,  we  are  dis- 
posed to  think  that,  by  the  first  days  of  August,  the  Porte  had 
one  hundred  and  seventy  thousand  men  between  Roumelia,  tho 


l!!|^ 


SEBDAR  MAHOMET  ALI  PASIIA,    COMMANDER-IIf-CniEP  OF  THE   TUKKI3II   ARMY. 


tances  ;  was  spread  on  an  arc,  of  which  its  adversaries  held,  as 
a  general  rule,  the  chord ;  and  was  certainly  far  inferior  to  the 
Russian  army  as  a  military  instrument,  and  in  aggressive  power. 
But  it  had  great  opportunities  to  strike  with  effect;  it  was 
elated  with  recent  success  and  with  hope  ;  and  numerically  it 


:i  I 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


637 


Balkans,  and  the  Bulgarian  fortresses.  This  largo  force,  led, 
as  wo  have  seen,  south  of  the  Balkans  by  Suleiman  Pasha,  by 
Mehcmet  Ali  from  llustchuk  to  Shumla,  and  by  Osman  Pasha 
in  the   camp  of  Plevna,  was,  no  doubt,  divided  by  great  dis- 


i 


G38 


IIISTOnV  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


80  greatly  exceeded  the  forces  at  present  arrayed  against  it, 
tliat,  wo  repeat,  it  was  extremely  doubtful  whether  they  would 
be  able  to  iiold  their  own  against  it. 

23.  The  TurkSj  in  fact,  had  a  great  game  to  play,  if  their 
operations  were  conducted  Avith  skill.  Their  collected  force 
south  of  the  Balkan  range  was  probably  more  than  fifty  thou- 
sand strong,  if  we  add  to  the  troops  which  had  advanced  with 
Suleiman  those  which  previously  had  been  in  Roumelia.  The 
army  commanded  by  Mchemet  Ali  must  have  numbered,  if  we 
consider  it  as  a  whole,  from  eighty  thousand  to  one  hundred 
thousand  men  ;  for  those  who  have  reckoned  it  as  much  weaker 
than  this  omit,  Ave  believe,  thirty  thousand  or  forty  thousand 
men  under  the  direction  of  the  lieutenants  of  that  chief,  and 
his  position  Avas  of  remarkable  strength,  and,  besides,  threatened 
the  left  flank  of  the  enemy.  In  these  circumstances,  Avhat  ought 
to  have  been  the  strategy  of  the  Turks  appears  self-evident. 
Their  first  object  should,  of  course,  have  been  the  expulsion  of 
Gourko  from  Itoumelia,  and  as  Suleiman  had  four  times  the 
force  of  that  leader  this  Avas  a  matter  of  easy  achievement. 
"When  this  was  accomplished,  the  next,  and  perhaps  the  decisive, 
operation,  Avas  not  less  obvious.  The  concentration  of  force, 
it  is  needless  to  say,  is  an  elementary  rule  of  the  art  of  war 
Avhen  a  Aveighty  bloAV  is  to  bo  dealt  on  an  enemy ;  and  inco- 
herent and  separate  efforts  are,  in  this  state  of  things,  defective 
generalship.  Accordingly,  when  he  had  got  rid  of  Gourko,  it 
Avas  the  plain  duty  of  Sulieman  Pasha  to  cross  the  Balkans  by 
the  eastern  passes,  and  to  effect  his  junction  with  Mehemet  Ali ; 
and  had  this  been  accomplished  the  two  Ottoman  leaders  would 
have  been  at  the  head  of  a  force  probably  tAvice  as  numerous  as 
any  that  could  have  opposed  it.  This  in  itself  Avould  have  been 
a  great  strategic  gain  ;  but  there  Avere  special  reasons  Avhy,  in 
the  present  instance,  Suleiman  should  have  resolved  to  join  his 
colleague.  By  oi)erating  in  this  way  the  Turkish  armies, 
besides  that  they  would  be  very  large  in  numbers,  Avould  be 
assembled,  covered  by  a  chain  of  fortresses,  on  the  left  side  of 
the  entire  invasion ;  and  from  this  formidable  position  they 
would  have  the  means  of  threatening  the  communications  of  the 
Russians,  and  even  their  line  of  retreat.  If  this  concentrated 
force  could  now  break  or  defeat  the  comparatively  small  Russian 
army  on  the  Lom,  it  would  be  able  to  advance  to  the  Jautra ; 
it  Avas  but  a  distance  of  a  fcAv  marches  from  this  point  to  the 
bridges  on  the  Danube ;  and  if  these  were  broken  down  by  a 
successful  enemy,  and  Osmau  Fasha  made  at  the  same  time  a 


11^ 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


639 


combined  and  dccisire  attack  from  Plevna,  the  Russians  would 
bo  in  real  peril.  Every  consideration  made  it  imperative  that 
Suleiman  should  unite  with  his  chief;  and  no  military  student, 
we  venture  to  say,  had  a  doubt  but  that  ho  would  adopt  this 
course. 

24.  Even  at  tho  risk  of  repeating  ourselves,  wo  have  taken 
pains  to  lay  before  the  reader  the  military  situation  at  this  crisis. 
Wo  proceed  briefly  to  describe  tho  etlbrts  of  tho  Turks  in 
their  oflensive  movement.  Tho  initiative  was  taken  by  Suleiman 
Pasha,  "'•'  for  some  days  he  gave  good  promise  that  ho  would 
prove  ient  and  skilful  leader.     Having  assembled  per- 

haps thiri^  -  \  0  thousand  men  at  Adrianople  by  tho  end  of  July, 
ho  set  off  i*r  i  that  place  by  tho  first  week  of  August,  his  pur- 
pose being  to  join  hands  with  a  body  of  troops  tnider  llaouf 
Pasha,  who  had  vainly  endeavored  to  defend  Roumolia  against 
the  impetuous  march  of  Gourko.  That  general,  after  opening 
the  Shipka  Pass,  had,  wo  have  seen,  descended  tho  Tundja 
valley,  and  even  approached  Adrianople  itself,  his  light  horse- 
men swarming  on  the  plains  that  surrounded  tho  course  of  the 
famous  Mcritza.  Tho  arrival,  however,  of  Suleiman  on  the 
scene  had  compelled  him  hastily  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  by 
the  beginning  of  August  ho  was  near  Yeni  Sagra,  a  Russian 
column  with  tho  Prince  of  Lcuchtcnburg  being  at  Eski  Sagra, 
at  a  distance  to  his  left.  Suleiman,  meanwhile,  had  come  up 
with  Raouf ;  and,  advancing  with  the  combined  force,  ho  suc- 
ceeded in  thrusting  a  hostile  detachment  between  the  divided 
Russian  bodies,  and  bringing  them  to  bay  not  far  from  Kara- 
bunar.  The  battle  was  a  very  fierce  skirmish  ;  the  small  divi- 
sion of  Gourko  was  almost  surrounded  by  tho  Turks  in  greatly 
superior  numbers  ;  and,  though  it  was  extricated  by  a  diversion 
made  by  Leuchtenburg,  it  was  seriously  beaten  and  compelled 
to  take  flight.  Had  Gourko  or  hib  troops  been  weak  soldiers 
this  defeat  might  have  been  utter  ruin ;  but  ho  rallied  his 
column  with  laudable  energy,  and,  sending  word  to  his  colleague 
to  retreat,  he  made  good  his  escape  across  the  Balkans.  The 
first  object  of  tho  Turks  had  been  attained,  the  invaders  had 
been  driven  out  of  Roumelia,  and,  though  Suleiman  had  not 
succeeded  in  overwhelming  his  nimble  enemy  ;  ho  had  taught 
the  Russians  a  severe  lesson.  Suleiman,  leaving  his  colleague 
to  guard  Roumolia,  —  a  measure  of  at  least  a  questionable  kind, 
—  had  marched  victoriously  to  Eski  Sagra  ;  but  when  he  reached 
this  place  ho  made  a  pause  of  some  days,  to  make  his  troops 
ready  for  fresh  efforts.     He  has  been  much  censured  for  this 


640 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


delay ;  and  undoubtedly,  were  it  in  his  power  to  make  a  long 
match  across  the  Balkans  at  once,  ho  ought  not  to  have 
delayed  for  an  instant.  His  army,  however,  though  in  part 
composed  of  some  of  the  choicest  troops  of  the  Porte,  was,  like 
all  Turkish  armies,  in  want  of  transport  and  other  appliances. 
Time  was  doubtless  needed  to  supply  these  wants,  and  we  are 
not  disposed  to  be  hard  on  its  leader  for  a  halt  which  probably 
he  could  not  avoid. 

25.  Suleiman  seems  to  have  stopped  at  Eski  Sagra  until  the 
16th  or  17th  of  August.  He  employed  this  time  in  getting  his 
army  ready,  and  he  seems  to  have  reconnoitred  with  care  three 

or    even    four 


of  the  Balkan 
passes.  By  the 
18th  he  was  in 
motion  again, 
his  army  being 
it  is  thought  not 
less  than  from 
thirty  thousand 
to  thirty -live 
thousand  men ; 
and  eye-wit- 
ness c  s  have 
said  that  when 
it  bi'oke  up  it 
was  well  pro- 
vided, and  had 
a  fine  appear- 
ance. As  we 
have  i^ointed 
out,  the  object 
of  its  chief 
should  have 
been  at  once  to 
reach  Mchemet 
All,  and  thus 
to    concentrate 

east  of  the  Lom,  on  the  well-defended  line  from  Rustchuk  to 
Shuuila ;  and  the  means  to  do  this  were  easy  and  simple.  A 
few  marches  only  from  Eski  Sagra  was  the  well-known  Kasan 
and  Selivno  Pass,  one  of  the  best  avenues  acro::8  the  Balkans. 
There  were  secondary  passes,  too,  on  each  side,  and  by  taking 


RAOUF   PASHA, 
COMMANDER   OF   THE    TUSKISU   ARMY    Ol    THE    BALKANS. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


641 


these  routes  the  force  of  Suleiman  might  have  crossed  the 
range  Avithout  meeting  a  foe,  and  cfFectcd  its  junction  with 
Mehemet  Ali  in  a  week,  or  eight  or  nine  days  at  most.  Nor 
can  there  be  a  doubt  that  the  commander-in-chief  expected  his 
colleague  in  that  direction  ;  for,  after  Gourko  had  repassed  the 
lialkans,  a  considerable  part  of  the  main  Turkish  army  had 
bec'U  pushed  forward  towards  Osman  Bazar,  and  '\ad  driven 
back  the  Russians  from  that  place,  — a  movemei."  oviicable  on 
the  supposition  alone  that  Mchemot  was  on  the  h  1  jut  for  the 
colunms  of  his  lieutenaut  through  the  Selivuo  Pusis.  In  an  un- 
fortunate moment,  however,  for  the  Porte,  Suleiman  moved  to 
the  left  instead  of  the  right,  and,  drawiug  away  from  the  Selivuo 
Pass,  made  for  l^e  Shi[)ka,  a  long  way  to  the  westward,  his 
intention  being  to  force  the  passage  of  the  Balkans  by  the 
last-named  avenue.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  astratesric  move- 
ment  so  incomprehensible  and  injurious  to  the  Turks.  In  the 
first  place,  he  must  have  Icuoami  that  the  Shipka  Pass  was 
held  by  the  enemy,  unlike  the  Selivno,  which  had  remained 
open  ;  and,  if  so,  he  could  only  expect  to  succeed  in  passing 
after  a  fierce  strufffjle,  which  it  ought  to  have  been 
his  aim  to  avoid.  In  the  second  place,  though  the  Shipka 
Pass  is  not  a  position  of  peculiar  strength,  it  afi'ords  the  means 
of  making  a  stern  defence  ;  accordingly,  it  was  not  at  all  im- 
probable that  the  Turks  would  not  be  able  to  force  it ;  so,  if 
this  happened,  the  great  offensive  movement  of  the  Ottoman 
leaders  was  almost  hopeless.  A'.id,  in  the  third  place,  —  most 
important  Oi'all,  —  the  advance  of  Suleiman  to  the  Shipka  Pass 
diverted  his  force  from  Mehemet  Ali,  made  his  junction  with 
him  very  unlikely,  even  if  Suleiman  should  gain  success,  and 
thus  tended  to  frustrate  the  one  strategic  project  which  gave 
the  Turks  a  fair  chance  of  defeating  their  foe. 

20.  Having  occupied  Kezanlik,  and  seized  the  village  of 
Shipka,  not  far  from  the  foot  of  the  pass,  Suleiman  began  his 
attack  on  the  21st  of  August.  The  position  formed  by  the 
pass  was  held  byasmalldttachment  of  three  thousand  Russians, 
and  Suleiman  made  prodigious  efFoits  to  ensure  success  by 
sheer  dint  of  numbers.  T;ie  Turks,  breaking  into  swarms  of 
skirmishers,  endeavored  to  ascend  the  steep  incline  that  leads 
to  the  summit  of  the  ridge  of  the  hills,  and  made  good  use  of 
the  wooded  cover  which,  on  either  side,  clothed  the  slopes  t>f  the 
pass.  The  attack  was  made  by,  perhaps,  eight  thousand  men : 
and  more  than  once  the  determined  assailants  reached  the 
entrenchments  where   the  small   Russian   liaud  {.waited  their 


642 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


furious  and  repeated  onset.  The  superiority  of  the  Turks  iu 
numbers,  however,  did  not  avail  them  much  in  the  narrow 
space  in  which  they  necessarily  were  contracted ;  the  attack, 
in  fact,  was  not  well  directed,  being  merely  agiiinst  the  enemy's 
front ;  and,  after  a  succession  of  most  gallant  elibrts,  the  troops 
of  the  pasha  were  compellod  to  retreat.  The  next  day  was 
employed  by  Suleiman  in  reconnoitring  the  scene  of  operations, 
and  in  marshalling  his  men  for  a  second  attempt,  and  on  the 
23d  he  renewed  the  attack,  more  skilfully  and  under  better 
condi  "  ns.  On  cither  side  of  the  Shipka  Pass  there  are  small 
valleyo.  through  wliich  bodies  of  troops  may  penetrate  into  the 
mountain  barrier,  and  even  turn  the  position  in  the  rear ; 
and,  if  they  should  succeed  in  this,  the  line  of  retreat  of  a 
detachment  holding  the  pass  Avould  be  lost,  and  the  defenders 
be  in  extreme  danger.  Having  made  himself  aware  of  this,  the 
pp.sha  launched  two  columns,  on  either  of  his  flanks,  through 
these  small  passages,  combining  the  movement  with  a  grand 
attack  in  front,  and  probably  from  sixteen  thousand  to  twenty 
thousand  men  were  engaged  in  this  well-designed  cifort.  The 
defenders  of  the  pass  had,  in  the  mean  time,  been  reinforced 
to  perhaps  six  thousand  men ;  but,  though  the  resistance  they 
made  was  heroic,  they  were  on  the  point  of  being  hemmed  in, 
when  a  large  body  of  succors  arrived  from  Tirnova.  The 
crisis  of  the  struggle  had  now  come  ;  it  raged  with  intensity  for 
several  hours ;  and,  after  a  number  of  fierce  assaults,  the 
Russians,  who  in  turn  had  assumed  the  offensive,  to  some  ex- 
tent threw  back  the  attacks  on  their  flanks,  and  cleared  their 
hard-pressed  and  imperilled  front.  Nevertheless,  Suleiman 
still  struck  for  victory,  and,  during  the  next  three  days,  he 
once  more  directed  his  dauntless  soldiery  agjiinst  the  position. 
The  Turks  gained  a  kind  of  partial  success ;  they  planted 
redoubts  on  points  in  the  hills  overlooking  the  rear  of  the 
defenders'  line  ;  and  the  fire  of  their  batteries  in  i)Iaces  reached 
the  road  that  leads  from  the  pass  to  Tirnova.  But  the  Russians 
erected  works  in  turn  ;  they  closed  the  entrances  of  the  lateral  de- 
files with  troops,  and  they  stubbornly  maintained  and  increased 
the  strength  of  the  main  position  in  the  Shipka  Pass,  The  1st  of 
September  saw  the  Turkish  army  still  at  the  foot  of  the  blood- 
stained barrier  which  had  proved  the  rampart  of  a  most  noble 
defence. 

21.     One  of  the  best  and  bravest  of  the  armies  of  the  Porte 
had  been  shattered  to  pieces  in  this   desperate  contest.     The 


losses  of  Suleiman  were  not  le;2  th'"i  from  eight  thousand  to 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


643 


nine  thousand  men,  more,  probably,  than  a  fourth  of  his  troops, 
and  the  disorganization  of  his  forces  was  complete.  There  was 
now  little  chance  of  storming  the  pass,  and  the  prospect  of  joining 
Mehemet  Ali,  and  of  concentrating  the  collective  armies  on  the 
Lom,  — the  one  valid  chance  of  successfor  the  Turks,  — had,  it 
may  be  said,  altogether  disappeared.  The  cause  of  the  Porte 
had,  in  truth,  been  shipwrecked,  and  the  isolation  and  defeat 
of  Suleiman's  army  had  necessarily  paralyzed  and  stopped 
Mehemet.  We  turn  to  notice  the  movements  of  that  chief, 
which,  as  we  have  said,  might  have  become  eventful  had  he 
been  seconded  as  he  had  reason  to  expect.  The  army  of 
Mehemet  Avas  formed  of  three  bodies  :  one  under  his  own  com- 
mand, then  the  Egyptian  division,  and  another  commanded  by 
Eyoub  Pasha;  and,  taken  together,  we  believe,  as  we  have 
said,  it  was  from  eighty  thousand  to  one  hundred  thou- 
sand strong.  Opposed  to  it,  along  the  line  of  the  Lom,  was 
the  army  of  the  heir-apparent  of  the  czar,  from  fifty  thou- 
sand to  sixty  thousand  men  ;  but  though  it  was  so  very  inferior 
in  force,  it  was  a  much  better  army  than  that  of  Mehemet, 
which  was  crowded  Avith  young  and  foreign  levies.  It  is 
evident,  therefore,  that  to  secure  for  the  Turks  a  chance  of 
success  for  an  offensive  movement  depended  on  Suleiman  and 
his  good  troops,  and  from  that  it  followed  that,  without  his 
support,  much  could  not  bo  hoped  for  from  the  commander- 
in  chief.  This  consideration  is  the  real  key  to  the  timid 
and  weak  operations  of  Mehemet,  though  other  causes,  no 
doubt,  concurred.  As  we  have  seen,  that  general  had  advanced 
a  part  of  his  forces  as  far  as  Osnian  Bazar,  in  the  hojjc  that 
Suleiman  would  march  and  join  it ;  but  when  this  hopo  van- 
ished he  fell  back  by  degrees,  and,  for  a  time,  rested  within 
the  line  of  his  fortresses.  He  moved  forward,  however,  in  a 
few  da^^s  again,  and  had  a  successful  combat  Avith  a  Russian 
division  placed  about  midway  on  the  course  of  the  Lom  ;  this 
being  succeeded  by  tAvo  or  three  other  actions,  in  Avhich  he  also 
obtained  the  advantage.  Upon  this,  Mehemet  made  a  demon- 
stration against  the  northern  end  of  the  enemy's  lines,  and  he 
even  attained  a  position  near  Kustchuk  Avhich  menaced  Sistova 
and  the  main  bridge  on  the  Danube.  The  c/.nroAvitch  now  fell 
back  to  the  Jaiitra,  and  for  some  da3'^s,  it  is  now  known,  there 
was  considerable  alarm  in  the  invaders'  camp  for  the  conununi- 
cat'ons,  which  appeared  imperilled.  But  Mehemet  Avas,  as 
usual,  halting  and  slow,  and  he  remained  on  the  Lom,  probably 
unequal  to  strike  a  bold  blow  at  this  important  moment. 


644 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


28.  Tlieso  demonstrations  of  Mehemct  on  the  Lorn  —  thev 
scarcely  deserve  a  more  serious  name  —  were  followed  by  a 
sortie  from  Plevna,  made  by  a  division  of  Osman's  forces. 
This  attack,  however,  had  little  result,  and  we  mention  it  only 
as  an  indication  of  a  general  plan  on  the  part  of  the  Turks,  at 
this  juncture  to  assume  the  defensive.  By  the  first  days  of 
September  the  prospects  of  the  Turks,  which  had  been  promising 
three  weeks  before,  had  once  more  become  overclouded ;  .their 
scheme  of  attack  had  altogether  failed  ;  and,  as  reinforcements 
were  approaching  their  enemy,  the  balance  of  fortune,  which  at 
one  moment  might  possibly  have  been  turned  in  their  favor,  was 
evidently  inclining  once  more  against  them.  In  considering  t.he 
causes  of  this  failure  two  or  three  circumstances  are  very  ap- 
parent. It  is  evident,  in  the  first  place,  how  imperfect  and 
weak  were  the  Turkish  armies  when  they  endeavored  to  attack, 
and  how  utterly  iuferidr  to  their  antagonists.  Brave  and  ex- 
cellent as  the  soldiery  were,  they  were,  to  a  great  extent,  without 
the  moans  of  making  rapid  marches  and  elicctivc  manoeuvres  ; 
their  transport  service  and  commissariat  were  bad,  and  their 
oflicertj  had  little  skill  and  instruction.  The  backwardness,  in 
a  word,  of  the  Ottoman  race  revealed  itself  in  its  organization 
for  war  ;  and,  however  well  the  troops  could  defend  positions, 
they  could  not  equal  the  Russians  when  on  the  offensive. 
Neverthless,  as  we  have  endeavored  to  show,  the  Turks  really 
had  a  fair  chance  of  gucccss  from  the  31st  of  July  to  the  third 
week  of  August,  had  their  operations  been  ably  conducted,  so 
great  had  been  the  results  of  the  defeat  at  Plevna,  and  so  com- 
paratively small  the  number  of  their  foes.  In  examining  the 
reasons  why  they  did  not  succeed,  the  principal  blame  attaches 
to  the  chief  who,  from  first  to  last,  had  in  this  contest  a  baleful 
influence  on  the  Ottoman  cause.  Ae  we  have,  we  think, 
demonstrated,  Suleiman  Pasha  ought  to  have  joined  Mehemct, 
and  was  expected  to  do  so,  and  this  junction  might  have  changed 
the  position  of  affairs.  He  chose,  however,  to  diverge  to  the 
Shipka  Pass,  and  from  this  moment  the  one  strategic  movement 
that  might  have  had  results  became  all  but  hopeless.  In 
addition,  the  pasha  ruined  an  army  in  his  frantic  efforts  to  forco 
a  pi'.ssage  ;  and,  though  he  gave  some  proof  of  tactical  skill,  this 
reckless  persistency  was  almost  criminal.  As  for  jMehemet  AH, 
he  certainly  displayed  no  energy  in  his  operations  on  the  Lorn ; 
but  it  must  bo  borne  in  mind  that,  without  his  colleague,  he  had 
not  the  means  of  decisive  action  ;  he  was  like  a  bird  that  tries 
to  fly  though  deprived  of  a  wing.     Besides,  ho  was  viewed 


''.;■• ' ; , 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


G45 


with  dislike  tmcl  disti'ust,  as  Ji  renegade,  hy  his  Moslem  lieuten- 
ants, and  it  is  certain  that  more  than  once  they  refused,  even 
when  in  the  iield,  to  obey  his  orders. 

29.     Durini^  these  weeks,  full  of  intense  intei-est,  the  Russian 


ABD-UL-KEHIM    PASHA,    TUKKISH    COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. 

commanders  retained  the  positions  in  Bulgaria  which  they  had 
previously  hold,  and  stood  on  the  defensive  only.  Gourko 
having  retreated  behind  the  Balkans,  they  still  continued  on  an 
extended  line  from  the  ShipkaPass  to  the  ])anks  of  the  Danube, 
one  Hank  being  spread  out  on  the  Loui,  another  being  detained 


:   i 


64G 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINIOy   OF  CANADA, 


round  Plevna,  and  their  base  and  .  ')iit  being  very  narrow. 
This  was  certainly  a  bad  military  position ;  it  cx[)osed  their 
corps  to  defeat  in  detail,  and  a  single  reverse  might  have  been 
disastrous.  On  the  hypothesis  that  they  would  bo  on  the  defen- 
sive only  until  the  arrival  of  their  supports,  they  would  have 
done  better,  in  a  military  point  of  view,  had  they  fallen  behind 
the  Balkan  passes,  and  concentrated  in  united  strength  on  a 
point  extending  from  Plevna  to  the  Lom,  their  communications 
with  the  Danube  being,  at  the  same  time,  covered.  In  a 
position  like  this  they  might  probably  have  defied  the  Turks, 
though  twofold  in  numbers  ;  whereas  they  certainly  ran  a  great 
risk,  and  allowed  themselves  to  incur  real  dangci*.  Their  dis- 
positions, besides,  were  defective,  even  in  the  arrangements 
they  actually  made.  The  Shipka  Pass  Avas  too  weakly  hold, 
and  the  czarowitch  made  the  groat  mistake  of  endeavoring  to 
cover  the  whole  line  of  the  Lom,  instead  of  guarding  only  its 
most  important  passages,  — a  mistake  that  might  have  been  well 
punished.  Moreover,  as  it  is  true  defensive  strategy,  especially 
against  a  slow-moving  enemy,  to  attack  whenever  there  is  a 
good  occasion,  the  Russian  leaders,  according  to  rule,  ought  not 
to  have  been  contented  with  a  mere  passive  defence,  but  should 
have  endeavored,  if  possible,  to  strike  sometimes,  which,  in 
their  situation,  was  not  at  all  impossible.  Holding  as  they  did 
a  central  position  between  sluggish  armies  at  great  distances, 
they  might  have  dealt  heavy  blows  at  their  divided  enemies,  and 
by  these  means  might  have  obtained  victory  instead  of  merely 
averting  defeat.  In  spite,  however,  of  these  shortcomings,  we 
are  not  disposed  altogether  to  agree  in  the  censure  which  has 
been  lavished  upon  them.  Their  sj'stem  of  passive  defence  was 
successful ;  they  seem  to  have  fairly  measured  the  capacity  of 
their  foes,  and  they  at  least  avoided  any  serious  reverse.  Bul- 
garia, moreover,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  is  not  adapted  to 
rapid  manoeuvres  ;  the  Russian  troops,  too,  had  suffered  a  great 
deal,  and  it  might  have  been  hazardous  to  attempt  the;  very 
operations  which,  in  theory,  would  appear  promising.  As  for 
the  concentration  of  th(^  Russian  armies  in  better  positions  than 
those  they  hold,  this  would  have  been  surrendering  a  large  part 
of  Bulgaria  to  the  honors  of  Turkish  crime  and  outrage  ;  and 
mere  military  considoiations  were  probably  postponed  to  the  re- 
quirements of  a  policy  which  could  not  permit  such  a  desertion 
as  this  in  a  war  of  the  kind. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


U7 


CHAPTER   XLIX. 

THE   EASTERN  QUESTION. 

DirLOMACY     BEFORE     AND     AFTER     THE     WAR THE     DEAD-LOCK      IN      EUROPE  — 

ENGLAND   AND   RUSSIA    ON   THE   VERGE    OF   WAR  —  PREPARATIONS    FOR    A     CON- 
TEST—  TUE    DIFFERENT   PUASES    OF   THE    SITUATION. 

1.  Soi'N  after  the  declaration  of  war  by  the  czar,  Count 
SchouvalofF,  the  Russian  ambassador  in  London,  had  a  conli- 
dential  communication  with  Lord  Derby  upon  the  subject  of  Iiis 
government's  intentions  in  making  war  up(;n  Turkey.'  This 
conversation  took  place  on  the  8th  of  June,  1877.  It  was  pub- 
lished for  the  first  time  in  a  memorandum  contained  in  the  Par- 
liament Paper  Xo.  15,  on  the  18th  of  February,  1878.  It  is  a 
document  of  the  highest  importance,  not  only  because  it  enables 
the  world  to  compare  Russia's  statements  at  the  commencement 
of  the  war  with  her  proposals  at  its  close,  but  also  because  it 
proves  how  fully  the  Russian  government  laid  its  inventions 
before  the  English  cabinet.  At  the  end  of  July,  1877,  that  is, 
about  six  weeks  later,  this  conversation  of  Count  Schouvalofi''s 
was  further  confirmed  Uy  what  the  Emperor  Alexander  himself 
said  to  Colonel  Wellesley,  who  communicated  the  imperial  state- 
ment to  Lord  Derby,  in  August,  1877. 

2.  Count  SchouvalofF  observe  J  that,  "With  regard  to  Con- 
stantinople, our  assurances  can  only  refer  to  taking  possession 
of  the  town  or  occupying  it  permanently.  It  would  be  singular 
and  without  precedent  if,  at  the  outset  of  a  war,  one  of  the 
belligerents  undertook  beforehand  not  to  pursue  its  military 
operations  up  to  the  walls  of  the  capital.  It  is  not  impossi!)lo 
that  the  obstinacy  of  the  Turks,  especially  if  they  knew  them- 
selves to  bo  guaranteed  against  such  an  eventuality,  may  pro- 
long the  war,  instead  of  bringing  it  to  a  speedy  termination. 
When  once  the  English  ministry  is  fully  assured  that  we  shall 
in  no  circumstances  remain  at  Constautinoi)le,  it  will  depend 
on  England  and  tht;  other  powers  to  relieve  us  of  the  necessity 
of  even  approaching  the  town."  The  count  admits  that  as  re- 
gards the  Straits,  that  is  "a  question  which  can  only  be  resettled 

'  rntnpilcd  frnm  a  sketrh  in  "British  Quarterly  Review,"  written  by  John  W.  Probyn, 
ttlio  IVorn  the  London  "  Times  "  and  "  Ncwa." 


.11 


G48 


IlISTOKY    OF   DOMINION    OF   CANADA, 


by  a  general  agreement."  lie  afterwards  states  that  "  what  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  llussia  is  that  she  should  i)ut  an  end  to 
the  continual  crisis  in  the  East,  iirstly,  by  establishing  the 
superiority  of  her  arms  so  thoroughly  that  in  future  the  Turks 


/^.m 


LIECTENANX-OEXEIIAL   8KODELEFF,    OF   THE   KU8SIAN   AUMY. 

will  not  be  tempted  to  defy  her  lightly  ;  and,  secondly,  by  placing 
the  Christians,  especially  those  of  Bulgaria,  in  a  position  which 
would  edbctually  guarantee  them  against  the  abuses  of  Turkish 
admiiiisf  ration."  The  count  will  not  admit  any  restrictions  on 
the  operations  of  war,  because  they  must  remain  subordinated 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


Gi9 


to  military  requirements.  "But,"  he  adds,  ''the  consc>(|ut'ncea 
of  this  war  cau  bo  confined  beforehand  within  certain  iiniiis 
agreed  upon.  AVc  could  give  at  llic  present  monient  (8th  of 
June,  1877)  the  assurance  that,  if  the  neutrality  of  the  powers 
bo  maintained,  and  the  Porte  sues  for  peace  lu'fore  our  armies 
cross  the  Balkans,  the  emperor  would  agree  not  to  cross  that 
lino.  In  this  case  peace  might  be  concluded  on  the  following 
terms :  Bulgaria,  up  to  the  Balkans,  to  be  made  an  autonomous 
vassal  province  under  the  guaranty  of  Europe.  The  Turkish 
troops  and  officials  to  be  removed  from  it,  and  the  fortresses 
disarmed  and  razed.  iSelf-government  to  be  established  in  it, 
with  the  support  of  a  national  militia,  to  be  organized  as  soon 
as  possible.  The  powers  to  agree  to  assure  to  that  part  of  Bul- 
garia which  is  to  the  south  of  the  Balkans,  as  well  as  to  the 
other  Christian  provinces  of  Tin  ivcy,  the  best  possible  guaranty 
for  a  regular  administration."  A  i'ow  days  later  the  liussian 
government  notified  to  Lord  Derby  its  change  of  opinions  as  re- 
garded that  part  of  Bulgaria  to  the  south  of  the  Balkans,  saying 
that  the  separation  of  Bulgaria  into  two  provinces  would  be  im- 
practicable. "Local  information  proved  that  Bulgaria  must 
remain  a  single  province,  otherwise  the  most  laborious  and  iu- 
tclligent  of  the  Bulgarian  population,  and  notably  that  which 
had  suffered  from  Turkish  maladministration,  would  remain  ex- 
cluded from  autonomous  institutions."  As  to  Montenegro  and 
Servia,  they  were  — 

To  receive  an  increase  of  teiTitory,  to  be  detei'mined  by  common  a<^'ee- 
ment.  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  to  be  provided  with  snoh  institutions  as 
may  by  common  consent  be  jud,u;e!l  compatible  witli  dicir  internal  state,  and 
calculated  to  guarantee  them  a  good  indigenous  adminjstra^^ion.     These 

f»i"ovinccs  being  situated  conterminously  with  Austro-llungary  gives  the 
atter  a  right  to  a  preponderating  voice  in  their  future  organization.  Servia, 
like  lUilgaria,  to  remain  under  the  suzerainty  of  the  sultan,  the  relations  of 
the  suzerain  and  the  vassals  to  be  defined  in  a  manner  to  prevent  dispptcs. 
As  regards  Roumania,  which  has  just  proclaimed  its  independence,  the 
emperor  is  of  opinion  that  this  is  a  question  which  cannot  be  settled  except 
by  a  general  nnderstanding.  Jf  these  conditions  are  accepted  the  dil^'erent 
cabinets  would  be  able  to  exercise  a  collective  pressure  on  the  Porte,  warn- 
ing it  that  if  it  refused  it  would  be  left  to  take  the  consequences  of  the  war. 
If  the  Forte  sues  for  peace  and  acce])t3  the  terms  enumerated  above  before 
our  armies  have  crossed  the  line  of  the  Balkans,  Russia  would  agree  to 
make  peace,  but  reserves  to  herself  the  right  of  stipulating  for  certain  .special 
advantagos  as  compensatinn  for  the  costs  of  the  war.  These  advantages 
would  not  exceed  the  portion  of  Bessarabia  ceded  in  18rj()  as  lar  as  the 
northern  branch  of  the  Danube  (that  is  to  say,  the  delta  formed  by  the 
months  of  that  river  remains  excluded),  and  the  cession  of  Batoum  with 
adjacent  territory.  In  this  case  Roumania  could  be  compensated  by  a  com- 
mon agreement,  either  by  the  proclamation  of  its  independence,  or,  if  it  re- 


'A 


« m 


650 


HISTORY   OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


maineil  a  vassal  state,  by  a  portion  of  the  Dobrutlscha.  If  Austro-IIungary, 
on  her  side,  demanded  comjiensation,  either  for  the  extension  acquiijd  by 
llussia,  or  as  a  seeurity  ajjainst  the  now  arran<>;ements  above  mentioned  for 
the  benefit  of  tlio  Christian  principalities  in  liuTkan  |)eninsula,  llussia  would 
not  oppose  her  seeking  sudi  compensation  in  liosnia  and  partly  in  ilerze- 

fovina.  Sueh  are  the  bases  to  which  his  majesty  the  emperor  would  give 
is  consent,  with  a  view  of  establishing  an  understanding  with  England  and 
with  Europe,  and  of  arriving  at  a  speedy  peace.  Count  Schouvaloff  is 
authorized  to  sound  Lord  Derby  (prcssentir  Vopinion)  on  tho  subject  of 
these  conditions  of  peace,  without  concet! ling  from  him  the  value  wliich  the 
Imperial  cabinet  attaches  to  a  good  understanding  with  tho  cabinet  of  Lon- 
don. To  resume,  if  the  Porte  sues  for  i)eac'3,  and  accepts  tho  above  terms 
before  the  Russian  armies  have  crossed  tho  Balkans,  the  emperor  would 
consent  not  to  press  the  operations  of  war  any  farther.  If  tho  Turkish  gov- 
ernment refuses,  llussia  would  be  obliged  to  pursue  the  war  until  (he  I'orto 
was  forced  to  agree  to  peace.  In  this  case  the  terms  of  the  imperial  cabinet 
might  be  altered.  In  thus  indicating  with  jjcrfect  openness  the  object  whi<!h 
the  emperor  has  in  view,  and  which  ho  will  not  exceed  so  long  as  the  war 
is  confmed  to  this  side  of  the  Balkans,  his  majesty  offers  a  means  of  localiz- 
ing the  war  and  preventing  tho  dissoluti<m  of  the  Turkish  Empire  ;  but  it  is 
important  for  tbo  emperor  to  know  if,  within  the  limits  indicated,  he  can 
count  upon  the  neutrality  indicated,  —  a  neutrality  which  would  exclude 
even  a  temporary  occupation  of  Constantinople  and  the  Straits  by  the  latter 
power.  Lord  Derby  said  that  Count  Schouvaloff  could  not  expect  to  receive 
from  him  an  answer  to  proposals  so  important  as  the  above,  and  that  he 
would  confer  on  the  subject  with  his  colleaguv^s. 


3.  Mr.  Layurd,  the  English  ambassador  at  Constantinople, 
on  being  consulted  by  Lord  Derby  as  to  these  terms  of  peace, 
to  which  llussia  would  agree  if  they  were  carried  out  before  she 
crossed  the  Balkans,  replied  in  cflect  that  such  terms  were  in- 
admissible. Mr.  Layard  deprecated  the  idea  of  England  being 
the  medium  of  communicating  them  to  the  Porte.  He  virtually 
argued  in  favor  of  forcible  intervention  on  behalf  of  Turkey,  for 
he  wrote  :  "It  is  vital  to  our  gravest  interests,  to  interests  the 
importance  of  which  no  words  can  adequately  describe,  much 
Ifess  exaggerate,  that  we  should  be  ready  to  interpose  to  save 
the  Turkish  Empire  from  comjilete  dissolution."  Somewhat 
later,  on  the  2d  of  August,  1877,  Mr.  Layard  states  that  the 
sultan  "could  not,  under  present  circumstances,  either  propose 
or  listen  to  any  conditions  of  peace."  This  is  founded  on  the 
recent  successes  of  the  Turkish  arms  at  Plevna,  Eski  Sagra, 
and  in  Asia.  The  Turks  "feel  confident  that  the  enemy  will 
be  ultimately  repulsed  and  driven  out  of  Bulgaria,  as  he  has 
been  out  of  Armenia." 

4.  It  was  about  the  20th  of  July,  1877,  that  Col.  Wellesley 
made  tho  following  very  important  communication  to  Lord 
Derby :  "  On  taking  leave  of  the  Emperor  of  llussia  at  Biela 
(Bulgaria)  on  the  30th  ult.,  his  majesty  was  pleased  to  make 


f 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


G51 


certain  remarks  to  me  respecting  the  present  political  eitnation, 
with  u  view  to  their  being  commnnicatcd  to  her  majesty's  gov- 
ernment. After  my  interview  1  made  u  short  memorandum  of 
his  majesty's  observations,  which  1  have  now  the  honor  to  sub- 
mit to  your  lordship.  I  sulunitted  the  enclosed  memorandum 
to  the  emperor  before  my  departure,  and  his  majesty  inf<)rmed 
mo  that  it  was  correct.  At  the  emperor's  request  I  had  the 
honor  to  furnish  him  with  a  copy  of  it. 

"Memokandum. 

"  BiELA,  Bulgaria,  July  17-29,  1877. 
"Ilis  majesty  tho  emperor,  in  consequence  of  the  false  reports  current 
in  England  respecting  iiilegeil  Kussitin  atrocities,  thought  it  might  be  useful 
for  me  to  report  personally  to  her  majesty's  government  tiie  true  state  of 
affairs,  in  an  interview  which  1  liad  before  my  departure  his  majesty  was 
pleased  to  make  the  following  i-emarks  to  me,  and  at  the  same  time  author- 
ized mo  to  communicate  them  to  my  government.  His  majesty  rejjeated 
what  he  had  already  said  to  J^ord  A.  Loftus  at  Livadia  and  to  myself  at 
Sinmitza.  The  object  of  the  present  war  was  solely  the  amelioration  of  tho 
condition  of  tho  Christian  population  of  Turkey.  The  conditions  of  ])eace 
required  by  the  emperor  are  tiiose  lately  connnunieated  to  Lord  Derby  by 
Count  Schouvaloff,  and  will  remain  tho  same  as  long  as  England  maintains 
her  position  of  neutrality.  If,  however,  P^ngland  abandons  that  position, 
matters  will  have  entered  on  a  new  phase.  His  majesty  has  no  ideas  of 
annexation  beyond  that  perhaps  of  tho  territory  Russia  lost  in  \H.'t{\,  and 
perhaps  that  of  a  certain  i)ortion  of  Asia  Minor.  The  em])eror  will  not 
occupy  Constantinople  for  the  sake  of  military  honor,  but  only  if  such  a 
step  is  rendered  necessary  by  the  march  of  events.  His  majesty  is  ready  to 
enter  into  negotiations  for  peace  if  suitable  propositions  ai-e  made  by  tho 
sultan,  but  mediation  in  favor  of  Turkey  could  not  be  entertained.  Europe 
will  be  invited  to  aconferenceforthelinaf. settlement  of  the  conditions  of  peace. 
The  emperor  has  not  the  slightest  wish  or  intention  in  any  way  to  menace  the 
interests  of  England,  either  with  regard  to  Constantinople,  Egypt,  the  Suez 
Canal,  or  India.  With  respect  to  India  his  majesty  not  only  considers  it 
impossible  to  do  so,  but  an  act  of  folly  if  practicable.  His  majesty  assured 
me  that  tho  Triple  Alliance  was  formed  for  tho  preservation  of  ])'eace,  and 
without  any  idea  of  aggression,  or  of  oilence  to  England,  with  which  coun- 
try his  majesty  has  every  desire  to  i*emaln  on  friendly  terms.  A  temporary 
occupation  of  Bulgaria  will  be  necessary.  Ilis  majesty  has  never  enter- 
tained hostile  feelings  towards  Englanu,  nor  has  ho  desired  to  give  her 
offence  ;  but  if  one  is  determined  to  chercher  midi  it  quatorze  hcurat,  it  is 
easy  to  take  offence  at  anything.  The  emperor  fears  that  the  ])resent  policy 
of  England  only  tends  to  encourage  the  Turks,  and  consequently  to  prolong 
the  war;  and  considers  that  if  English  influence  were  brought  to  bear  on 
the  Porte,  the  sultan  would  be  ready  to  come  to  terms,  and  thus  a  war,  re- 
gi-etted  and  felt  by  all  Europe,  would  be  brought  to  a  speedy  conclusion." 

"Memorandum  for  Colonel  Welleslet. 

"August  14,  1877. 
"  ller  majesty's  government  have  considered  tho  communication  brought 
by  Colonel  Wellesley  from  the  Emperor  of  llu.--ia  witli  all  the  attention 


m 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


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HiotDgraphic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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652 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


which  its  iipportance  deserves.  They  hav«  received  with  satisfaction  the 
statement  made  by  his  majesty  as  to  the  object  of  the  war  in  wliidi  ho  is 
engaged,  liis  disclaimer  of  any  extensive  ideas  of  annexation,  and  liis  readi- 
ness to  enter  into  nejjotiations  for  peace.  Tliey  are  grateful  for  the  assur- 
ance which  he  liad  ^iven  of  his  intention  to  respect  the  interests  of  England. 
It  is  tlie  earnest  desire  of  her  majesty's  government  to  contribute  to  the  re- 
establishment  of  peace,  and  in  the  meanwhile  they  have  no  intention  of 
departing  from  that  attitude  of  strict,  though  conditional,  neutrality  which 
tliey  have  hitherto  observed." 

The  English  government  goes  on  to  express  its  intention  to  do 
what  it  Clin  in  tlie  interests  of  peace,  and  declares  that  the  policy 
of  Englaiid  does  not  tend  to  encourage  the  Turks,  and  so  pro- 
long the  war. 

5.  From  these  important  documents,  dated  June  and  July, 
1877,  it  appears  that  the  Russian  terms,  provided  peace  Avero 

made  before  the 


imperial  armies 
crossed  the  Bal- 
kans, Avere  that 
Kussia  would 
make  no  annex- 
ations except 
that,  perhajDS, 
of  the  territory 
Ilussia  lost  in 
1850  in  Bessa- 
rabia, and  a  cer- 
tain portion  of 
Asia  Minor; 
that  the  amel- 
ioration of  the 
condition  of  the 
Christiaa  pop- 
ulations of  Tur- 
key was  to  be 
attained  by 
means  of  an  au- 
tonomous Bul- 
garian province 
north  and  soutli 
of  the  Balkans ; 

by  Bosnia  and  Hex'zegovina  being  provided  with  institutions 
judged  compatible  with  their  internal  condition,  and  calculated 
to  guarantee  them  a  good  indigenous  administration.     Austro- 


GENP.RAL   NEPOKOIT8CHIT8KY,    CHIEF    OF   THE    STAFF   OF 
THE    RUSSIAN    .VnMl'    ON   THE    DANVUE. 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


C53 


Hungary  was  to  have  a  preponderating  voice  in  this  question. 
Montenegro  and  Servia  were  to  have  an  incren>^o  of  territory. 
Servia,  like  Bulgaria,  was  to  be  under  the  suzerainty  of  the 
Porte.  The  independence  of  Roumania  Avas  to  be  settled  by 
general  agreement.  A  pledge  was  given  by  Kussia  that  she 
would  not  hold  Constantinople  permanently ;  but  both  Count 
Schouvaloff,  in  his  conversation  with  Lord  Derby,  and  the 
Emperor  Alexander,  in  his  interview  with  Colonel  Wellesley, 
distinctly  said  that  circumstances  might  lead  Ilussia  to  occupy 
the  city  as  a  temporary  measure.  Col.  Wellesley's  Avords  are  : 
"  The  emperor  will  not  occupy  Constantinople  for  the  sake  of 
military  honor,  but  only  if  such  a  step  is  rendered  necessary 
by  the  march  of  events."  The  question  of  the  Straits  and  the 
opening  of  the  Black  Sea  was  only  to  be  "  resettled  by  gen- 
eral agreement."  The  emperor  declared  he  had  no  intention  of 
menacing  England's  interests  either  with  regard  to  Constanti- 
nople, Egypt,  or  the  Suez  Caujil.  A  temporary  occupation  of 
Bulgaria  would  be  necessary.  Europe  would  be  invited  to  a 
conference  for  the  final  settlement  of  the  conditions  of  peace. 

G.  To  these  remarkably  outspoken  and  plain  avowals  of 
Russia's  demands,  if  peace  wore  made  before  her  armies  crossed 
the  I'alkans,  the  English  cabinet  replied :  her  majesty's  govern- 
ment, "  has  Tviceived  with  satisfaction  the  statement  made  by  his 
majesty  as  to  the  object  of  the  war  in  which  he  is  engaged,  his 
disclaimer  of  any  extensive  ideas  of  annexation,  and  his  readi- 
ness to  enter  into  negotiations  for  peace." 

7.  These  proposals  of  Russia,  which  in  some  respects  at 
least  gave  "  satistaction  "  to  the  English  government,  were  not 
laid  before  the  Porte ;  Mr.  Layard's  views,  and  the  successes 
of  Turkey  at  Plevna  and  in  Armenia,  being  the  chief  causes 
which  prevented  negotiations  being  undertaken  on  any  such 
basis  in  the  summer  of  1877.  Thus  the  war  was  allowed  to 
proceed  without  an  effectual  effort  being  made  to  stay  its  course. 
After  some  four  or  five  months  of  terrible  fighting,  and  yet 
more  terrible  sufferings,  Turkey  utterly  succumbed  to  her  ad- 
versary. Then  it  was  that  the  Eastern  question  entered  upon 
a  new  phase,  —  the  phase  of  Russia  making  peace,  upon  her  own 
terms,  with  the  Ottoman  power,  ns  it  lay  prostrate  at  her  feet. 
The  exact  terms  of  the  preliminaries  of  peace  concluded 
between  Russia  and  Turkey  ut  San  Stefano,  on  the  3d  of 
March,  have  now  been  communicated  to  Europe.  Their 
substance  may  be  stated  as  follows :  — 


654 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


The  opening  articles  of  the  treaty  relate  to  Montenegro,  Servia,  Rou- 
mania,  and  Bulgaria.  The  indemnity  to  be  paid  by  Turkey  is  flxci  at  one 
billion  four  hundred  and  ten  million  roubles,  one  billion  one  hundred 
million  of  which  are  represented  by  cessions  of  territory.  No  guaranty  is 
stipulated,  and  no  mention  is  made  of  the  Egyptian  and  Bulgarian  tributes, 
or  of  a  cession  of  the  Turkish  fleet.  The  treaty  states  that  tne  Russian  and 
Turkish  governments  shall  come  to  an  understanding,  subsequently  upon 
the  mode  of  pa})ment  of  the  remaining  three  hundred  and  ten  million 
roubles.  Servia  and  Montenegro  are  to  be  completely  independent,  and 
receive  increase  of  territory.  All  the  Bulgarian  fortresses  are  to  be 
demolished,  and  no  Turkish  garrisons  will  remain  in  Bulgaria.  A  military 
road  is  to  be  established  for  the  Turkish  posts  and  telegraphs,  and  the  pas- 
sage of  Turkish  regular  troops,  who  will  not,  however,  be  allowed  to  niake 
any  stay  in  the  country  while  passing  through.  Mussulmans  may  return  to 
Bulgaria.  If  within  two  years  hence  they  shall  not  have  settled  all  affairs 
connected  with  their  property,  the  latter  will  be  sold  for  the  benefit  of  the 
widows'  and  orphans'  fund.  The  arrears  of  taxes  in  Bosnia  and  Herzego- 
vina are  not  to  be  claimed.  The  revenue  until  1880  is  to  be  applied  to 
indemnify  the  sufferers  by  the  insurrection,  and  to  provide  for  local  needs. 
In  case  of  disputed  claims,  Austrian  and  Russian  commissioners  will  act  as 
arbitrators.  The  navigation  of  the  Straits  is  declared  free  for  merchant 
vessels  both  in  time  of  peace  and  war.  Fifty  thousand  Russian  troops, 
consisting  of  six  divisions  of  infantry  and  two  of  cavalry,  wilLoccupy  Bul- 
garia for  about  two  years,  until  the  formation  of  a  Bulgarian  militia,  the 
strength  of  which  is  to  be  fixed  later  between  Turkey  and  Russia.  The 
Russian  array  of  occupation  will  preserve  its  communications  with  Russia, 
both  by  way  of  Ronmania  and  by  the  Black  .Sea  ports  of  Varna  and  Bourgas, 
and  the  necessary  depots  will  be  established.  The  Russian  t  "ps  during 
their  stay  will  be  maintained  at  the  expense  of  thj  country.  The  war 
material  in  the  Bulgarian  fortresses,  including  Shumla  and  Varna,  remains 
the  property  of  the  Porte.  Batoum,  Ardahan,  Kars,  and  Bayazid,  with  the 
territories  comprised,  are  ceded  to  Russia.  A  treaty  is  to  be  concluded 
between  Turkey  and  Roumania.  The  latter  is  to  become  quite  independent 
and  is  authorized  to  make  her  demand  for  indemnity  direct  to  the  Porte. 
No  indemnity  for  Montenegro  or  Servia  is  stipulated.  Servians  and  Mon- 
tenegrins travelling  or  established  in  Turkey  will  be  subject  to  the  Ottoman 
laws  in  so  far  as  the  latter  are  not  contrary  tj  international  law.  Russian, 
Turkish,  and  Bulgarian  commissioners  will  determine  the  amount  of  the 
Bulgarian  tribute  according  to  the  average  actual  revenue. 

The  reforms  stipulated  at  the  first  sitting  of  the  conference  will  be  applied 
in  Bosnia  and  the  Herzegovina.  Thessaly  and  Epirus  will  have  an  organiza- 
tion similar  to  that  of  C'rete  in  1868.  The  privileges  of  the  monks  of  Rus- 
sian origin  at  Mount  Athos  are  maintained.  No  mention  is  made  of  the 
occupation,  of  Erzeroum  or  Trebizond,  but  the  Russian  troops  have  the 
right  to  embark  at  Trebizond  on  returning  to  Russia.  The  period  fixed  for 
the  Russian  evacuation  of  Turkish  territory  in  Asia  is  six  months.  The 
evacuation  of  Turkish  territory  will  commence  immediately,  and  be  com- 
pleted within  three  months,.  The  European  commission  for  the  navigation 
of  the  Danube  preserves  its  rights  intact.  The  Porte  engages  to  reestablish 
the  navigation  at  its  own  (expense,  and  to  indemnify  private  persons  who 
have  suftered  loss  by  the  war.  This  double  charge,  which  will  not  amount 
to  less  than  fifty  thousand  francs,  will  be  deducted  from  the  sums  due  from 
the  commission  to  the  Porte.  Pending  this  conclusion  of  a  new  treaty  of 
commerce  between  Russia  and  Turkey,  the  present  tariffs  remain  as  before 
the  war.    Turkey  undertakes  to  settle  in  a  conciliatory  spirit  all  actions 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


655 


between  Russia  and  Turkish  subjects,  and  to  execute  immediately  all  le«il 
judgments  already  delivered,  l^he  treaty  declares  that  Russia,  not  wishmg 
to  annex  territory,  receives  the  Dobnidscha,  in  order  to  cedeittoRoumania 
in  exchanffe  for  the  Roumanian  portion  of  Bessarabia.  Bulgaria  is  to  bo 
constituted  an  autonomous  tributary  principality,  with  a  Christian  governor 
freely  elected  by  the  population,  contirmed  by  the  Poite  with  the  assent  of 
the  powers.  The  province  is  to  have  a  national  militia.  Where  Bulgarians 
are  mixed  with  Turks,  Greeks,  and  others,  account  is  to  be  taken  of  the 
rights  and  interests  of  all  these  latter  peoples  in  the  elections  and  in  the 
preparations  of  the  organic  laws. 

8.  There  is  much  that  is  good  in  these  preliminaries  of 
peace,  but  they  by  no  means  do  enough  for  Greece.  Happily 
England  has  proposed  to  admit  a  representative  of  Greece  to 
the  Congress.  The  English  government  is  much  to  be  com- 
mended for  taking  that  step ;  it  should  also  bear  in  mind  the 
question  of  Armenia.  To  this  province  should  be  given  a 
syste-n  of  local  self-government,  to  be  enjoyed  alike  by  the 
Armenian  Christians  and  by  the  industrious  and  oi  derly  Turkish 
villuge  populations.  They  should  all  be  united  together  to 
defend  themselves  against  the  inroads  of  those  lawless  savages, 
the  Koords  and  Circassians,  from  whom  the  Porte  is  either 
unable  or  unwilling  to  defend  its  Armenian  subjects.  But 
whatever  defects  there  may  be  in  the  Russo-Turkish  prelimi- 
naries of  peace,  it  is  not  clear  that  they  do  not  infringe  in  any  way 
the  statement  made,  in  Jane  last,  by  Count  Schouvaloff  to  Lord 
Derby,  and  they  attack  those  English  interests  which  the  latter 
declared  his  government  could  not  allow  to  be  assailed.  No 
doubt  these  San  Stefano  terms  go  beyond  the  demands  made 
last  summer  by  the  Russian  ambassador,  but  he  specially  inti- 
mated that  those  demands  depended  upon  his  government  not 
having  to  prosecute  the  war  beyond  the  Balkan  ranges.  The 
Russian  armies  having  had  to  force  their  way  across  those 
mountains  after  desperate  fighting,  with  severe  losses,  it  is  natural 
that  the  preliminaries  of  peace,  exacted  by  the  victor,  should  be 
all  the  more  onerous.  It  does  not,  however,  follow  that  Russia 
alone  is  to  settle  the  Eastern  question  ;  indeed,  she  has  herself 
admitted  that  important  portions  of  it  must  necessarily  be  sub- 
mitted to  assembled  Europe.  Nor  will  Europe  consent  simply 
to  register  the  proposals  of  Russia.  On  the  contrary,  they 
must  be  carefully  considered  by  all  the  great  powers.  If  they 
would  do  so  with  the  hope  of  laying  something  like  a  good 
foundation  for  the  future  peace  of  Europe,  and  the  gradual, 
though  perhaps  not  immediate,  solution  of  the  many  intricate 
questions  touching  the  welfare  of  the  various  creeds  and  races 


656 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


of  what  was  European  Turkey,  that  hope  can  only  bo  realized 
by  bringing  to  the  task  such  a  spirit  of  justice  as  Avill  make  the 
welfare  of  those  populations  and  their  civil  and  religious  liber- 
ties paramount  to  all  other  considerations. 

9.  It  is  mu<?h  to  be  hoped,  in  the  interests  of  all  Europe,  that 
another  phase  of  this  ICastern  question  will  soon  be  reached  by 
the  meeting  of  a  European  Congress,  to  settle  the  ncAV  status 
of  the  peoples  inhabiting  the  Balkan  peninsula.  This  is  the 
great  problem  to  which  the  chancellor  of  the  exchequer  re- 
ferred, in  the  House  of  Commons,  on  the  Dth  of  February,  1878, 
when  ho  said,  "  We  recognize  that  questions  have  now  to  be 
settled  the  discussion  of  which  will  amount  to  a  reconsiruction 
of  the  whole  system  of  south-eastern  Europe."  In  su 'h  a  ques- 
tion England  must  and  ought  to  have  a  voice  :  that  voice,  too, 
must  be  on  the  side  of  humanity,  freedom,  and  progress,  if  it 
is  to  be  in  harmony  Avith  both  her  interests  and  her  duty.  She 
must  ally  herself  to  the  living  forces  of  the  future,  instead  of 
crippling  herself  by  hopeless  efforts  to  uphold  the  effete  sys- 
tems of  the  past.  As  the  chancellor  truly  said,  "England  is 
the  foremost  representative  of  the  spirit  of  freedom."  She 
ought,  therefore,  in  the  assembly  of  the  European  powers  to 
prove  herself  worthy  of  this  high  vocation.  It  is  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  that  great  and  free  country  to  see  to  it  that  she  de- 
clares, with  no  uncertain  sound,  for  the  cause  of  liberty  and 
right.  That  this  may  be  so  is  to  be  hoped  from  the  chancel- 
lor's words :  "  I  wish  to  repudiate  with  all  the  energy  I  can 
command  ....  that  there  is  any  desire  on  our  part  to 
cripple  or  fetter  the  extension  of  free  and  good  government  to 
the  Christian  populations  in  Turkey."  That  is  a  wise  resolve, 
for  thus  only  can  be  obtained  the  end  which  Sir  Stafford  de- 
sires, viz.,  "such  a  settlement  as  will  offer  reasonable  promise 
of  a  durable  peace  ;  an  arrangement  of  such  a  character  as  will 
leave  as  few  points  as  possible  of  contact  and  difficulty  for  the 
admission  of  intrigue  and  future  struggle."  If  England's  gov- 
ernment enter  npon  the  work  of  the  "  reconstruction  "  of'  the 
whole  system  of  what  was  European  Turkey  in  such  a  spirit, 
and  remain  true  to  it  thr(>ughout,  England  may  hope  to  see  that 
freedom,  of  which  she  is  "the  foremost  reptesentative,"  dawn 
upon  those  fair  provinces  of  Europe  hitherto  blighted  by  the 
misrule  of  venal  and  tyrannical  pashas.  But  the  work  must  be 
done  faithfully  and  thoroughly,  not  marred  in  the  doing  of  it, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  Greek  kingdom  some  lifty  years  ago. 

10.  What,  then,  are  the  chief  questions  which  Europe  is  now 


'^:,: 


ENGLAND,    AND   TIIK    UNITED    STATES. 


G57 


called  upon  to  dcciUe  or  nitify?  First  comes  the  case  of  Ro'i- 
mauia,  which  it  is  proj^osed  to  erect  into  an  indci)endent  State. 
This  will  receive  general  assent,  but  it  shoidd  be  done  with- 
out calling  up- 
on Roumania 
to  cede  that 
])ortion  of  ter- 
ritory which 
lies  just  to  the 
north  of  the 
mouths  of  the 
Danube.  The 
gallant  fi  g  h  t 
and  national 
sacriiices  made 
by  the  Rouma- 
nians for  their 
complete  inde- 
pendence ought 
to  protect  them 
from  any  dimi- 
nution  what- 
ever of  their 
country's  terri- 
tory. At  the 
same  time  it 
would  conduce 
more     to     the 

freedom  of  the  houart  tasha. 

navigation      of 

the  Danube  (which  is  a  European,  and  especially  an  Austro-Gor- 
man,  interest),  if  the  mouths  of  that  great  river  were  in  the 
hands  of  Roumania  rather  than  Russia.  The  possession  of  them 
by  the  former  can  be  no  real  detriment  to  the  latter,  f(n*  Russitv 
has  ample  power  to  protect  her  own  interests.  If,  however, 
she  insists  upon  taking  this  strip  of  territory,  she  will  but  pi*o- 
duce  feelings  of  distrust  and  dislike  towards  herself  on  the  jmrt 
of  the  Roumanians  ;  while  England,  by  advocating  the  oppo- 
site policy,  will  gain  their  good-will  and  contidence. 

11.  An  increase  of  territory,  and  complete  independence  be- 
stowed upon  Sorvia  and  Montenegro,  should  also  receive  the 
hearty  support  of  England  and  of  Europe.  No  Avorse  policy 
can  be  pursued  than  that  of  a  niggardly  attempt  to  restrict  such 


I 


m 
Hi 


\w 


I 


-iijl 


!^n 


G58 


HISTORY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


an  increase.  It  would  l)o  &  far  wiser  jwlicy  on  the  part  of  such 
powers  as  Austria  and  England  to  demand  a  larger,  rather  than 
a  smaller,  addition  of  territory  for  these  Servians  and  Monte- 
negrins. The  only  cficct  of  any  attempt  to  diminish  what  it  is 
proposed  now  to  give  them  Avould  be  to  throw  them  wholly 
into  the  arms  of  Kussia.  If  the  latter  power  bo  as  bad  as  her 
enemies  paint  her,  what  folly  can  be  greater  than  that  of  so 
dealing  with  these  rising  nationalities  as  thus  to  force  them  to 
look  to  Russia  as  their  only  friend  ?  If  the  professed  opponents 
of  the  czar  are  blind  enough  still  to  continue  this  stupid  policy , 
they  will  have  but  themselves  to  thank  that  Russia's  influence 
and  power  arc  increased,  as  they  surely  will  be.  This  augmen- 
tation of  the  territory  of  Scrvia  and  Montenegro  affects  Austria 
more  than  any  other  country.  She  should  therefore  bo  specially 
consulted  in  the  matter.  This  Count  Schouvaloff  very  prop- 
erly admitted  in  his  conversation  with  Lord  Derby  in  June, 
1877.  It  has  been  suggested  that  a  portion,  at  any  rate,  of 
Bosnia,  should  be  given  to  Austria.  This  is  all  the  more  just 
and  reasonable  because  it  appears  that  the  people  themselves 
are  by  no  means  inwilling  to  agree  to  such  a  transfer.  It  may 
well  be  so,  both  from  geographical  and  commercial  reasons,  and 
also  because  the  inhabitants  are  Slaves,  like  their  neighbors  of 
the  Austrian  border  provinces.  Austro-Hungary  cannot  do 
better  for  its  own  interests,  at  any  rate  since  the  great  changes 
effected  by  the  late  war,  than  befriend  to  the  utmost  Servia, 
Montenegro,  Roumania,  Bulgaria,  and  Greece.  These  coun- 
tries will  thereby  become  reconciled  to  Austria,  and  cease  to 
look  upon  her  with  aversion  as  their  more  or  less  avowed  adver- 
sary. She  should  aim  at  making  them  as  free  and  strong  as 
possible,  and  so  win  them  to  her  instead  of  driving  them  from 
her.  The  opposite  policy  will  only  play  into  the  hands  of  Rus- 
sia by  repelling  these  nationalities  from  the  Austro-Hungarian 
State,  and  so  actually  obliging  them  (often  much  against  their 
will)  to  gravitate  towards  the  great  northern  power.  A  more 
short-sighted  policy  than  this  it  is  difficult  to  imagine.  It  de- 
scends to  an  infatuated  blindness  when  advocated  by  those  who 
call  themselves  the  enemies  of  Russia.  Enemies  1  If  such  they 
be,  Russian  statesmen  have  assuredly  far  more  reason  to  bless 
them  than  to  curse  them.  The  Slave  populations  in  the  Balkan 
peninsula  must  and  will  become  free.  They  have  as  much  right 
to  throw  off  a  hated  yoke  as  Italians  or  Hungarians.  If  Aus- 
tria and  the  Western  powers  be  wise,  they  will  aid  the  Slave  in 
so  doing,  by  <lemanding  for  him  real  and  complete  emaucipa- 


i 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


G59 


don.  That  is  the  best,  indeed  the  only,  way  of  defeating  what- 
ever of  sinister  or  seltish  there  may  be  in  the  designs  of  liussian 
politicians  or  diplomatists.  Those  who  think  the  worst  of  the 
government  of  St.  Petersburg  should  bo  foremost  in  demanding 
the  largest  possible  increase  of  the  liberties  of  lloumania,  Ser- 
via,  Montenegro,  Bulgaria,  and  Greece,  with  due  regard  to  the 
claims  of  each.  These  countries  desire  freedom ;  they  do  not 
desire  subjection  to  the  czar  in  the  place  of  subjection  to  the 
sultan.  English  and  Austrian  interests  are  therefore  clearly  in 
harmony  with  the  independence  of  these  countries.  Once  con- 
tented with  their  lot,  the  intrigues  of  Pan-Slavist  or  other  soci- 
eties will  be  rendered  hopeless.  If  England  and  France,  Aus- 
tria and  Italy,  adopt  this  policy  of  eftectually  assisting  these 
rising  nationalities,  they  will  feel  that  their  liberties  have  the 
friendly  support  of  those  governments,  at  least  as  much  as  that 
of  St.  Petersburg.  If  this  latter  should  harbor  selfish  designs, 
she  will  find  them  baflSied  by  the  fact  of  real  independence  and 
national  self-government  having  spread  contentment  among 
Slave  and  Greek  populations,  hitherto  kept  in  a  perpetual  fer- 
ment of  discontent  by  the  misrule  of  alien,  tyrannical,  and 
venal  pashas.  Yet  it  was  in  aid  of  this  same  Porte  that  some 
Englishmen,  in  their  blindness,  would  have  had  English  blood 
and  treasure  wasted  not  seeing  (what  the  last  twenty-two  years 
have  abundantly  proved),  that  the  Turkish  government  is  rot- 
ten ;  that  to  seek  to  maintain  it  is  not  only  to  strive  after  the 
impossible,  but  also  to  alienate  the  peoples  who  hate  the  Porte's 
perverse  supremacy,  and  thereby  throw  them  into  the  arms  of 
Russia. 

12.  Hungarians  seem  especially  inclined  to  adopt  the  short- 
sighted policy  of  upholding  Turkish  rule.  They  have  some 
excuse  for  their  blindness,  for  they  cannot  forget  the  brutality 
with  which  the  autocrat  Nicholas  put  down  their  liberties.  Now 
there  is  no  lover  of  freedom  who  does  not  rejoice  that  that  mon- 
strous wrong  has  been  riglited,  and  Hungary's  ancient  riglits 
restored,  so  that  she  is  to-day  the  free  member  of  a  free  State. 
But  Hungarians  must  be  reminded  that  they  are  not  the  only 
people  who  have  a  right  to  freedom.  The  Slave  and  the  Greek 
have  just  as  much  right  to  get  rid  of  the  tyranny  of  the  sultan 
as  ever  the  Hungarians  had  to  get  rid  of  the  past  tyranny  of 
the  Hapsburg  or  the  czar.  Now  no  Slave,  till  lately  governed 
by  Turkey,  has  any  wish  to  be  governed  from  St.  Petersburg, 
but  from  Bucharest,  Belgrade,  Cettinge,  or  Tirnova,  as  the  case 
may  be.     If  forced,  indeed,  to  choose  between  czar  or  sultan. 


nil ' 

1: 


GGO 


IirSTOUY  OF   DOMINION   OF  CANADA, 


lio  will  no  doubt  chooso  tho  fortiior ;  but  if  lie  obtain  the  op- 
portunity of  bcconiing  really  free  from  both,  and  of  bcin<j  gov- 
erned by  ridfi's  of  his  own  choice,  ho  will  iivail  himself  of  such 
an  occasion  as  readily  as  '.alians  seized  upon  the  good  fortune 
of  fleeing  ti^emsolves  froui  French  interference  and  from  Aus- 
trian rule. 

13.  It  is  also  proposed  to  create  a  semi-independent 
Bulgaria,  stretching  from  the  Danube  to  the  south  of  the  Bal- 
kans. The  more  nearly  independent  this  province  is,  the 
better  hope  there  will  be  for  a  settlement  which  will  prove 
lasting.  To  free  it  altogether  from  tho  Porte,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  paying  a  fixed  annual  tribute,  w<)uld  be  the  best  arrange- 
ment. To  deliver  it  wholjy  from  Turkish  soldiers  and  Turkish 
police,  would  bo  to  deliver  it  from  the  chances  of  future  dis- 
turbance, and  would,  therefore,  l)e  good  alike  for  Bulgaria 
and  for  Europe.  That  there  must  be  a  temporary  occupation 
of  the  province  by  Russian  troops  during  the  process  of  form- 
ing a  local  administration  and  police,  is  a  necessary  consequence 
of  the  circumstances  under  which  its  freedom  has  been  oft'ected. 
It  would,  indeed,  have  been  better  if  that  freedom  had  been 
the  work  of  united  Europe,  instead  of  being  left  to  tho  strong 
arm  of  Russia  alone ;  but  this  latter  instrumentality  having 
been  allowed  to  operate  singly,  at  the  cost  of  immense  sacri- 
fices, Russia  naturally  claims  to  be  the  sole  guardian.  Happily 
it  is  for  her  interest  to  exercise  her  guardianship  with  modera- 
tion and  without  a  needless  prolongation  of  it ;  for  were  she  to 
act  otherwise  she  w'ould  but  set  Bulgarians  against  her,  and 
alienate  those  whom  it  is  her  interest  to  conciliate.  The  ques- 
tion of  the  southern  boundary  of  this  province  is  one  of  no 
slight  difficulty,  for  in  that  direction  the  Greek  and  Bulgarian 
populations  meet  and  intermingle.  To  bring  Bulgaria  down  to 
to  Saloncia  would  be  manifestly  unjust  to  the  Greek,  and  to 
include  Adrianople,  unfair  to  the  Turk,  if,  indeed  (as  seems 
for  the  present  likely),  the  Turks  and  their  sultan  are  still  to 
rule  over  Constantinople  and  an  adjoining  territory  of  limited 
extent.  But  the  boundaries  should  be  so  adjusted  as  not  only 
to  allow  of  the  formation  of  the  new  Bulgarian  province,  but 
also  of  a  greatly  enlarged  Greece.  This  latter  kingdom  ought 
to  be  increased  by  at  least  the  whole  of  Thessaly,  and  a  large 
portion  of  Albania  and  Macedonia.  An  addition  of  this  de- 
scription, together  with  the  island  of  Crete,  should  fall  to  the 
lot  of  Greece.  Without  some  such  arrangement  the  claims  of 
the  Greeks  will  remain  unsatisfied,  and  thereby  the  durability 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATER. 


GGl 


of  tho  new  order  of  things  will  bo  imperilled.  If  Knglish  in- 
terests are  to  bo  considered  in  tho  matter,  they  clearly  point  to 
England's  supporting  such  a  policy.  By  all  means  let  the 
Slaves  be  delivered  from  Turkish  misrule,  but  no  less  deliver- 
ance should  be  given  to  the  Greeks.  If  the  former  have  found 
a  friend  in  Kussia,  tho  latter  should  find  one  in  England.  But 
to  leave  Greece  confined  to  her  present  miserable  limits  Avould 
be  equally  unwise  and  unjust.  To  do  so  would  merely  be  lay- 
ing up  a  cause  of  certain  discontent  and  difficulty  for  tho 
future.  Tho  exact  limits  of  those  territorial  changes  must  be 
left  to  the  care  of  a  European  congress.  DiHicult  though  the 
task  liiay  bo,  it  does  not  ofler  any  insuperable  obstacles.  It 
requires  chiefly  to  be  directed  by  a  spirit  of  justice,  an  honest 
determination  to  reconstruct  south-eastern  Europe  with  a 
special  view  to  tho  well-being  and  contentmemt  of  its  various 
creeds  and  races. 

14.  The  regulations  concerning  the  Straits  of  the  Dar- 
danelles and  Bosphorus  are  of  European  importance.  It  is  sat- 
isfactory to  know  that  they  are  admitted  to  be  so  on  all  hands, 
and  must  therefore  be  determined  by  general  agreement.  It 
may  be  desirable  to  maintain  these  regulations  as  they  now 
stand ;  but  not  a  little  is  to  be  said  in  favor  of  allowing  the 
vessels  of  all  nations  —  ships  of  war  or  merchantmen — to  pass 
through  the  Straits  as  freely  as  they  pass  in  and  out  of  the 
Baltic. 

15.  There  is  a  point  of  great  importance  to  which  all  the 
powers,  and  none  more  than  England,  should  direct  their 
earnest  attention ;  and  that  is  the  establishment  and  future 
maintenance  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  throughout  these 
countries  of  the  Balkan  Peninsula.  Every  effort  should  be 
made  to  secure  this  great  boon  for  all,  whether  Mai  omedan  or 
Christian,  Bulgarian  or  Greek,  Jew  or  Slave.  What  with  op- 
pression by  Turkish  rulers,  and  their  refusal  to  admit  judicial 
equality  as  between  believers  and  unbelievers ;  what  with  the 
feuds  and  jealousies  between  diflerent  denominations  of 
Christians ;  what  with  the  ill-treatment  of  Jews  by  Koumanians 
and  Servians, — the  great  principles  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty  have  been  shamefully  trampled  under  foot.  If  Eng- 
land be,  as  the  chancellor  of  the  exchequer  justly  said  she 
was,  "the  foremost  representative  of  the  spirit  of  freedom," 
there  is  a  field  in  which  her  great  influence  may  Avork  to  tho 
good  of  these  various  peoples  so  long  misgoverned,  as  well  as 
to  her  own  honor.     How  great  is  the  necessity  for  undertaking 


602 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


such  a  work  is  known  to  all  acquuintcd  with  tho  stuto  of  thinga 
in  south-eastern  Europe.  But,  as  much  has  been  said,  and 
very  justly  sold,  of  Mahomcdun  oppression,  it  is  only  right  to 
add  that  Turks  are  not  tho  only  sinners  against  the  principle 

of  toleration. 
It  is  only  too 
true  that  the 
Divine  com- 
mand, "There- 
fore all  things 
whatsoever  ye 
would  that 
men  should  do 
to  you,  do  ye 
even  so  to 
them,"  has 
been  habitual- 
ly set  at  nought 
by  Chris- 
tian  rulers  in 
Church  and 
State  through- 
out the  world, 
from  the  days 
of  Constantino 
to  tho  present 
hour.  The  fol- 
lowing state- 
ment, made  by 
a  Bulgarian 
Protestant, 

proves  how  real  is  the  ne^d  for  seeing  that  all  creeds  and  races 
have  religious  liberty  guaranteed  to  them  in  the  future.  Fran- 
cho  Tourgoroff,  pastor  of  the  first  Bulgarian  Protestant  Church 
at  Bansko,  Samokov  Macedonia,  thus  writes  at  the  beginning 
of  this  year,  1878  :  — 


GENERAL    lONATIEFF,     RUSSIAN. 


1.  The  sufferings  of  the  Protestant  people  in  Bulgaria  at  the  hands  of 
the  Greek  Church  authorities  have  been  very  great  for  years  past,  and  now 
are,  and  no  coniidence  should  on  any  account  oe  placed  in  the  promises  of 
the  said  Church ;  but  a  clause  should  be  inserted  in  the  treaty  with  the  Euro- 
pean powers  to  secure  full  liberty  of  worship  to  Protestants  and  dissenters 
h'om  the  Greek  Church. 

2 .  The  spirit  of    uelty ,  oppression ,  and  superstition  of  the  Greek  Church 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATE8. 


6G3 


in  Bulgaria  ia  as  great  as  that  of  the  Boiiiish  Church  at  the  time  of  the 
Reformation  in  England. 

3.  1  '.vas  myself  moro  than  once  Imprisoned  at  the  instigation  of  the 
Grook  Church  authorities ;  and  laHt  year  mv  life  would  have  been  token  had 
it  not  been  for  the  active  interference  of  Mr.  Blunt,  the  English  consul  at 
Salonica. 

4.  The  Mahomodan  government  officers,  when  uninfluenced,  allow  us 
free  religious  liberty,  and  permitted  us  to  have  the  quiot  use  of  Iho  Lord's 
day ;  and  in  some  cases  have  even  suspended  collecting  taxes,  being  told 
we  transacted  no  secular  busineffs  o^i  that  day. 

6.  Much  of  the  suffering  of  the  poor  Bulgarians  has  been  from  the  rich 
members  of  the  Greek  Church,  together  with  the  Turkish  tax-gatherers 
and  governors,  who,  for  their  own  unjust  profit,  unite  together  and  plunder 
the  people. 

6.  Before  the  war  began  the  Protestants  were  threatened  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Greek  Church  that  as  soon  as  ilussia  comes  they  will  bo  skinned 
alive,  and  letters  of  last  week  inform  us  that  persecutions  by  the  Greek 
Church  have  begun  alreadpr. 

7.  The  Protestant  ministers  and  people  in  Bulgaria  dreaded  ti;o  ap- 
proach of  the  Ilussian  authority,  joinecl  as  it  is  to  the  dark,  cruel,  and 
superstitious  Greek  Church :  and  at  the  approach  of  the  Bashi-Bazouks, 
some  of  the  men  dared  not  nee  with  the  Russians  for  safety,  but  remained, 
and  were  massacred  by  the  Bashi-Bazouks,  in  their  place  of  worship. 

8.  Lastly,  I  am  prepared  to  make  a  statutory  declcation  of  the  correct* 
ness  and  truthfulness  of  the  above  statements. 


(Signed) 


FRANCIIO  TOURGOROFF, 

Pastor  of  the  Church  at  Barwko. 


•  16.  Such  a  picture  shows  how  deeply  rooted  ib  the  ubomina- 
tion  of  reliffious  ersecution.  Now  is  the  time  to  attack  and 
overthrow  it.  More  especially  is  it  necessary  to  protect  the 
smaller  religious  bodies  from  such  injustice,  inasmuch  as  the 
larger  ones  are  better  able  to  take  care  of  themselves.  The 
Mahomedans,  too,  who  are  left  to  dwell  under  the  newly-formed 
governments,  merit  peculiar  care,  because  from  the  very  fact  of 
the  past  tyranny  of  the  Turkish  officials,  the  Mussulmans  who 
remain  run  the  risk  of  becoming  the  victims  of  retaliatory 
vengeance.  The  consuls  of  the  Christian  powers,  and  foremost 
those  of  England,  should  carefully  watch,  and  faithfully  report 
to  their  governments,  every  instance  of  religious  oppression, 
and  so  expose  the  perpetrators  of  this  great  evil,  to  whatever 
race  or  creed  they  may  belong. 

17.  In  this  matter  the  kingdom  of  Greece  deserves  special 
praise  for  the  complete  civil  and  religious  liberty  which  its 
constitution  gives  to  all  its  subjects  alike.  Only  quite  lately 
M.  Gennadius,  the  Greek  Charg6  d' Affaires,  in  a  public  speech 
pointing  out  the  material  progress  Greece  has  made  during  a 


664 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OF  CANADA, 


single  generation,  added :  "  We  have  instituted  a  wide-spread 
educational  organiieiation,  free  of  charge,  unsectarian,  and  doing 
the  work  of  the  Greeks,  not  of  the  kingdom  only,  but  of  all  the 
East.  There  is  no  branch  of  science  or  leamin;^  in  which  we 
cannot  show  men  fully  equal  to  the  European  average ;  and  the 
Jews,  who  during  the  protection  of  the  Ionian  Islands  enjoyed 
no  oitizen  rights,  were  admitted  to  an  equal  position  with  any 
Greek  citizen,  not  by  any  special  ehactment,  but  by  the  simple 
fact  of  the  union,  for  there  never  existed  with  us  any  disabil- 
ities ;  and  King  George  counts  no  more  faithful  and  contemted 
subjects  than  our  Israelite  brethren  of  Corfu,  as  they  themselves 
declared  about  a  year  ago  by  their  spontaneous  notifications  to 
the  English  press,  and  by  the  expressions  of  gratification  con- 
veyed to  me  personally  by  some  of  their  co-religionists  in  this 
country.  And  I  may  add  that  there  exists  no  Mussulman 
community,  except  perhaps  m  India,  more  contented  and  free 
than  our  Mussulman  fellow -citizens  at  Chalcis,  to  whom  all 
public  posts  are  as  widely  open  as  to  any  Greek  at  Athens." 
This  is  as  it  should  be.  Such  an  example  is  well  worth  the 
imitation  of  the  new  government  of  Bulgaria ;  it  is  specially  to 
be  commended  to  Roumania  and  Servia,  to  the  members  of 
every  race  and  creod  throughout  the  Balkan  Peninsula.  The 
fact  of  the  complete  civil  and  religious  liberty  thus  given  by 
the  constitution  of  the  Greek  kingdom  is  a  strong  argument 
for  increasing  that  kingdom  to  the  utmost  possible  extent  which 
circumstances  permit.  England  can  adopt  no  better  and  wiser 
course  than  to  further  such  extension;  it  is  both  right  and 
expedient,  from  whatever  point  of  view  it  is  looked  at  by  Eng- 
lish statesmen.  The  influence  of  such  a  kingdom  extending 
over  as  wide  an  area  as  possil;le  would  do  incalculable  good. 
It  could  not  fail  to  promote  the  great  cause  of  freedom  among 
all  the  other  races  of  south-eastern  Europe.  They  would  in- 
evitably have  to  follow  such  a  lead,  even  if  they  were  otherwise 
disposed.  As  it  is,  the  people  of  Roumania,  Bulgaria,  Servia, 
&k.d  Montenegro,  though  grateful  (as  indeed  they  should  be) 
for  the  assistance  afforded  to  them  by  Russia,  show  no  inclina- 
tion to  be  governed  from  St.  Petersburg.  They  would  be 
also  stimulated  to  obtain  complete  freedom  and  the  largest 
liberties,  both  civil  and  religious,  if  they  saw  the  southern 
portion  of  the  Balkan  Peninsula  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  a  con- 
stitution free  as  that  of  England  herself.  Thus  liberty  and 
contentment  would  become  the  normal  condition  of  the  peoples 


ENGLAND,  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


G65 


once  misruled  by  the  incapable,  venal,  and  oppressive  govern- 
ment of  the  Porte.  Not  only  would  such  a  change  render 
foreign  intrigues  helpless,  and  secret  societies  useless,  but  it 
would  e-kcrcise  the  happiest  influence  upon  Russia  herself.  It 
is  impossible  that  the  Slave  and  Greek  nationalities  on  her 
south-western  frontier  could  bo  in  the  enjoyment  of  such  a  free 
system  without  creating  among  the  Russian  people  a  desire  to 
possess  a  like  freedom  themselves.  It  might  very  possibly  not 
take  just  the  ..ame  outward  forms,  but  in  one  shape  f^"  another  it 
would  assuredly  make  its  way  into  the  land  of  the  czars.  Russia 
can  no  more  escape  the  influences  of  liberty  and  progress  than 
France,  Italy,  and  Austria  have  escaped  them.  The  Bona- 
partes,  the  Ilapsburgs,  and  all  the  former  rulers  of  Italy,  have 
had  either  to  accept  free  institutions,  or  else  have  been  over- 
thrown by  them.  The  Romanofls  equally  will  have  to  adapt 
their  rule  to  the  liberal  movement  which  has  overflown  the 
whole  continent  of  Europe,  or  share  the  fate  of  those  who  offer 
to  it  a  blind  and  unavailing  resistance.  The  more  completely 
Russia  is  surrounded  by  free  nations  the  more  certain  is  she 
herself  to  swell  their  numbers.  Nor  arc  the  signs  Avanting  that 
she  is  capable  of  wise  and  timely  reform.  The  abolition  of 
serfdom,  the  enlargement  of  communal  and  municipal  libertii  -, 
the  reform  of  civil  and  criminal  procedure,  the  institution  of 
juries,  the  furtherance  of  national  education,  the  more  equit- 
able system  of  taxation  and  of  conscription,  the  lessening  of 
press  restrictions,  are  all  proofs, — given  within  tno  last  twenty 
years,  —  not  only  that  Russia  has  to  submit  to  the  great  law  of 
progress,  but  that  she  is  cajjable  of  adapting  herself  to  it.  The 
formation  on  her  southern  frontier  of  new  nationalities,  freely 
governed  and  contented,  in  place  of  a  system  at  once  corrupt 
and  tyrannical,  based  upon  polygamy  (the  degradation  of 
woman)  and  slavery  (the  degradation  of  humanity) ,  cannot  but 
be  productive  of  good.  Such  a  change  furthers  the  cause  not 
only  of  liberty,  but  of  order ;  it  is  the  victory  alike  of  justice 
and  of  progress.  As  such  it  harmonizes  with  the  interests  of 
all  Europe,  and,  from  the  latest  advices,  it  would  seem  that  the 
fearful  results  of  a  war  between  England  and  Russia  would  be 
happily  averted,  and  ail  that  we  have  been  picturing  as  desir- 
able for  the  populations  of  the  disputed  territories  would  be 
secured  to  them  through  nothing  so  much  as  the  good  offices 
of  the  British  government,  - —  a  government  which  has  main- 
tained a  Arm  and  determined  policy  in  this  whole  Eastern  diffi- 


666 


HISTORY  OF  DOMINION  OP  CANADA. 


culty,  sometimes  against  the  will  and  protest  of  all  the  great 
powers ;  but  we  predict  that  when  the  war  and  its  results  shall 
have  been  calmly  reviewed  in  the  light  of  the  near  future,  the 
government  of  Beaconsfield  will  receive  the  praise  and  admira- 
tion of  the  whole  world  ! 


THE   END. 


■■ 


